MBBCA Standouts: '26 Guards

New readers: Use code Proia30 for discounted subscription    22p 6r 3a 3s 2b vs Wise   -Really dynamic performance from Fowlkes in a big win over Wise. Fowlkes got two feet in the paint and kicked to shooters, ripped a pass through to avoid a turnover and sidestep his way into a 3, had a great sprint from the corner to block a shot under the rim, moved well off the pass to receive backdoor passes for layups, and hit all sorts of perimeter jumpers. His penetration into the key really opened things up in the game and he showed that he can score pretty efficiently from all three levels while rebounding extremely well for his size. Completely thought that he mistimed a jump for a block and was impressed by how he levitated in midair before swiping a block as soon as the shooter presented the ball near the rim.     21p 1r 1a 3b 2s vs Flowers   -Johnson got off to a scorching hot start, scoring 6 points in the first 90 seconds of game play to set the tone for his performance. He ripped away two steals and converted them into points at the other end, recovered well to block two shots at the rim, blocked a 3 point jumper without fouling because of a great closeout, hit pull-up jumpers, and got to the rim with ease. He has a deceptively-quick first step and does a great job of lulling the defender to sleep with rhythmic dribbling before crossing over and getting downhill to the rim. Loved his decision-making in tight spaces as he is a really difficult guard to stay in front of and stops so quickly on drives for pull-ups that his matchup usually had a difficult time reacting to contest the shot.     23p 5r 2a 1s 1b vs Frederick   -Overcame a tough first half that saw him smoke a few bunnies around the rim before he really locked in to dominate the game in the 2H and in overtime. Johnson uses his shoulder well to create space on drives to the rim and has phenomenal back foot burst to really turn on the jets and turn the corner on his defender on his way to the rim. Impressed by his rebounding ability as a guard and his willingness to block out bigs at either end whether he is chipping or he is his individual matchup under the rim. His blend of explosive and physical play makes him a really difficult guard to stay in front of.     -Impressed in a loss against Southern because of his competitive fire, even in a tough loss. Jenkins did a great job of getting his defender off balance with a hesi or crossover before double-crossing back to the original direction to either raise up for a jumper or get all the way to the basket. Love his tenacity as a ballhandler that is going to make you feel him on drives to the basket, often drawing fouls through the contact to earn him extra trips to the rim. Form and consistency looked good on his perimeter jumper out to 25 feet.       14p 2r 1a 1s vs Milford Mill   -An absolutely rock solid guard that did a ton of great things for Flowers in this one. He proved his value as a perimeter shooter capable of stretching defenses with his off-ball cutting and spot-up shooting ability. He did a great job of navigating ball screens as a defender to stick to his matchup's hips like glue-- never allowing clear paths to the rim. Loved his willingness to guard bigs, wings, and guards regardless of size, speed, or strength differences. His ability to move off the ball shifts the defense and opens up better looks for his team from deep. Super valuable piece to a Flowers roster that has seen a huge influx in talent.     10p 3a vs Whitman   -Tuzon made some huge plays down the stretch of an overtime win for Meade over a tough Whitman group. Tuzon is known as a shooter but did a great job of making pre-catch reads to enable him to deliver passes with some zip to hot potato the ball to an open teammate as soon as he touched it. Hit two 3s and had a great kick-ahead down the stretch to give his team a two-possession lead that they did not relinquish the rest of the way.

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