Compton Magic Memorial: 17u Guards

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>ANAHEIM — We closed out our spring club basketball coverage with a stop at the annual Compton Magic Memorial Day tournament hosted at Open Gym Premier in Anaheim. There was a large contingent of Southern California programs in attendance in addition to teams from Arizona, Northern California and other west coast states. Below we take a look at the 17u guards who stood out Friday night.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">CJ Richardson | 2026 | Velocity HQ | Pictured</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Richardson showed off his lightning-quick speed with the ball in the open court and led an effective and efficient transition offensive attack for Velocity. The 5-foot-10 point guard out of Corona Centennial used his speed and burst to get to a paint touch and made the right read to score or distribute. Richardson also flashed improved confidence as a three-point shooter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Delan Grant | 2026 | Compton Magic</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Grant is one of the most physical guards in Southern California and his football-like build allows him to power his way to the rim in transition and half-court offense and finish through contact. The 6-foot-2 off-guard is best as a slasher and finisher but has shown improved feel and comfort as a creator on the ball for himself and teammates.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2425765' first='Derick' last='Johnson'] | 2026 | Open Gym Premier 3SSB</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Johnson will be climbing the 2026 SoCal rankings in our next update because of his combination of scoring feel and ability to create in isolation. The 6-foot-2 combo guard uses changes of speed to keep defenders off balance, then uses his creative footwork and touch around the basket to score in the paint or at the mid-range level. Johnson also possesses fluid perimeter shooting mechanics.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Jaden Bailes | 2026 | Gamepoint</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bailes is the definition of a scoring guard and a lot of his buckets come in off-bounce isolation situations. The 6-foot-3 combo guard who will be suiting up at JSerra Catholic after transferring from San Diego St. Augustine is a tough shot maker who utilizes step-backs and physical bumps to get into his pull-up jumper. Bailes is a prospect who quickly forgets his last miss and is always in attack mode.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Josh King | 2026 | Velocity HQ</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>King has jumped on the recruiting radar over the last two months as a high level three-point shooter. The 6-foot-2 shooting guard has deep and consistent range from multiple spots of the floor and is equally as good off the catch as he is on the move. King gets great elevation on his jumper and has a quick release which makes it difficult for defenders to impact his shot with a closeout. King transferred from Troy high school in Fullerton to Orange Lutheran.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1956482' first='Lincoln' last='Grogan'] | 2026 | Gamepoint</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It seemed like every time Gamepoint needed a player to make a big shot, Grogan stepped up and did it. The 6-foot-3 shooting guard has elite balance on his three-point shot and gets himself shot-ready quickly to limit defenders ability to close his space. Grogan was very effective coming off of screens, squaring up and getting a clean look at the rim.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Ryan Gov | 2026 | Open Gym Premier 3SSB</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gov is a smaller but extremely savvy point guard who impacts the game as a scorer and creator. The 5-foot-10 Cypress high school product operates with a smooth pace that allows him to see the floor in transition and make smart reads with the ball but he can also turn up the speed and shiftiness which results in paint touches. Despite his lack of true size, Gov is a crafty finisher around the rim who also makes plays for teammates with his vision.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->