3SSB Invitational: Best PG’s on Day 1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>LADERA RANCH — The adidas 3SSB circuit made its final stop of the July live period on the west coast as the majority of the shoe company's teams headed to OGP Ladera in Southern California for the 3SSB Earn Your Stripes Invitational. The event kicked off Thursday morning and droves of college coaches flooded the baselines and sidelines to watch the high-level recruits. Below we break down the top point guards we watched on Day 1.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2425687' first='Acen' last='Jimenez'] | 2026 | Dream Vision (CA)</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The La Habra high school product played on independent teams for most of his club basketball career and doesn't play for a big name prep program but he always leaves no doubt about his feel and savvy for the game no matter the stage. The 6-foot-1 rising senior is as steady as they come when it comes to handling the ball, making decisions and running a team with pace and basketball IQ. Jimenez dished out 10 assists in his two games on Thursday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Darius Bivins | 2026 | Washington Warriors (DC)</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bivins is one of the most creative ball handlers and shot makers we have seen throughout the spring and summer. The 6-foot-1 DC-based point guard has the ball on a string with elite footwork, body control, shiftiness and changes of speed and direction that allow him to manipulate defenders and forces them to guess his next move. Bivins is a timely and accurate set-up guy who can also fill up the scoring column with jumpers from three-point and mid-range levels and crafty finishes at the rim.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Derron Rippey | 2026 | New Heights (NY)</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rippey brought with him one of the bigger basketball reputations on the adidas circuit and it was easy to see why. The 6-foot-2 east coast point guard used his dynamic speed and athleticism to push the tempo and attack the rim with an aggressive mindset. Rippey showed his combination of explosive leaping ability and strength to absorb and finish through contact around the rim. The five-star rated prospect also knocked down three's off the bounce and off the catch, broke defenders down in isolation for paint touches and kicks and applied immense defensive pressure to opposing ball handlers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Justin Nordin | 2026 | Tennessee Impact (TN)</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nordin is a "run the show" type of point guard who didn't bring a ton of flashiness to the game but kept things organized, ran offense when needed and picked his spots well when pushing the pace in transition. Nordin possesses a strong and chiseled 6-foot-2 frame and uses that strength to his advantage to fend off any ball pressure applied to get his team into their offense. Nordin dished out 12 assists over two games on Thursday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Martay Barnes | 2027 | Austin Rivers SE Elite (FL)</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Barnes has a knack for diagnosing what his team needs from him and tailoring his game to deliver those results. Barnes was a snappy passer who advanced the ball up the floor in transition and was a guy who looked to get the ball moving in half-court offense instead of over-handling and becoming stagnant. If Barnes needs to score, he does that in a variety of ways. The 6-foot-3 junior-to-be has a well-built frame to go along with an explosive burst of speed that allows him to earn consistent paint touches and finish through contact.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Taylen Kinney | 2026 | Wildcat Select (KY)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kinney is a super smooth playmaker who thrives in any setting of play you can think of. The 6-foot-2 rising senior who plays at Overtime Elite kept the game simple in transition offense as he probed through retreating defenses for floaters, at-rim finishes and kick out passest open teammates.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->