Point Guards Running the Show at East Coast Invitational

This week we checked in at the East Coast Invitational team camp in Jacksonville, NC to watch some of the top high school teams from the east take the stage. Here's a look at some of the guards that played well under our watch.    Not many guards scored the ball at the rate that he did during the event. He got to his spots with relative ease and shot over most defenders once he got there. Some added muscle to his frame seems to have helped with his ability to get down and finish in the paint, he also had a nice two hand reverse dunk that was one of the plays of the weekend.     Rose's identity is fast, gritty, and team oriented the identity showcased by their lead guard. He's a strong built two sport athlete with range well beyond the three point line and a quick handle that helps his solid ability to finish at the rim. He'll help fill the void left behind by the departure of senior guard Justin Grimes in a major way.       We will list him as the defacto lead guard based on the way he was utilized during the event. He's a blur with the ball in his hands with some microwave scoring ability. Athletically he's always a threat to throw down a dunk at the rim and a solid weak side or transition shot blocker. He helped lead his Kinston team to the championship as the team's primary ball handler.       SWA graduated a boatload of talent from last season's 1A State runner up, but the steady point guard was one of the few returners. A natural passer who excels with the ball in his hands showed some more rounded ability as a scorer during the event. Southern Wake will look a lot different as compared to last season and their PG will be a big part of their success.       White Oak lost in the final four of their respective bracket, he was a big part of how they got there, to begin with. In the two games that watched he averaged just under 34 points per game, hitting a game tying three to send the game to overtime against Apex Friendship. He's added some muscle and looks to be “The Guy” for a team that graduated a handful of guards.       Another guy that I could have listed with the combo guards handled based on his skill set and his ability to play in either spot. He shot the ball at a high clip and used his length and athletic ability to keep pressure on the rim. New Hanover lost one game this time around at the ECI and he was the driving force behind the bulk of their offense.

This week we checked in at the East Coast Invitational team camp in Jacksonville, NC to watch some of the top high school teams from the east take the stage. Here's a look at some of the guards that played well under our watch.