California Live: 9 Underclass PG Standouts

<p>SOUTH ORANGE COUNTY — Last weekend's California Live boys high school basketball event at OGP Ladera provided a big stage for prospects to showcase their skills in front of college coaches of all levels. The event drew more than 160 teams from five states and all of them descended on Southern California for the three day event. Below we take a closer look at the underclass point guards (classes of 2028/2029) who stood out.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Chris Paul II | 2028 | Campbell Hall</h4>   <p>Paul's high IQ and ability to control the pace of a game is straight out of the playbook of his NBA father. The 6-foot sophomore is in the "true" point guard mold in that he is always looking to set the table and get teammates involved. Paul is also a steady mid-range jump shooter and savvy finisher around the rim.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2750214' first='Jacob' last='Coleman'] | 2028 | Etiwanda</h4>   <p>Coleman is a rising young prospect in SoCal's 2028 class and it's due to his combination of positional size and great feel for the game. The 6-foot-3 sophomore is a high level on-ball defender who uses his size and length to his advantage and utilizes traditional, fundamental skills to contain on the perimeter. Coleman can do a little bit of everything offensively, but his calling card is on the defensive end as of now.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Juliayn Patterson | 2028 | St. Monica</h4>   <p>I really like the toughness and headiness that Patterson brings to the point guard position. He is the primary ball handler and decision-maker for St. Monica, and though he has an extremely high usage, the sophomore takes good care of the ball, limits turnovers and looks to push the tempo in transition. Patterson seeks out paint touches and can score through contact around the basket.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2868676' first='Juleeyan' last='Williams'] | 2029 | Monterey Trail</h4>   <p>Williams is among the most talented incoming freshmen in the state and he left no doubt about that in three days at OGP Ladera. The 6-foot-2 guard has a ball-on-a-string type of handle which helps him manipulate defenders, get them out of position and earn a paint touch which results in a bucket at the rim or smart decision to an open teammate. Williams is also a consistent pull-up jump shooter from mid-range and three.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Karter Butler | 2028 | Corona Centennial</h4>   <p>Butler is always a pleasure to watch because his feel, basketball IQ and pace allow him to orchestrate the Centennial offense in a way that few other underclass PG's can. Butler is a true pass-first prospect who is consistently under control, has his eyes up the floor in transition and is a timely and accurate passer.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2484218' first='Parks' last='Weaver'] | 2028 | Folsom</h4>   <p>Weaver brings a nice mix of scoring and playmaking to the table and the 2028 guard out of Northern California flashed both of those skill-sets over the weekend. Weaver can fill it up from the perimeter with his consistency as a three-point and mid-range shooter but he also showed that he can switch his focus to handling the ball and initiating and creating offense.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2767780' first='Phillip' last='Reed'] | 2029 | Palisades</h4>   <p>It's hard to believe Reed is just an incoming freshman after watching his mature approach to both ends of the floor and all styles of play. The 6-foot-2 guard is a physical driver who uses his well-built frame and broad shoulders to dislodge defenders en route to strong finishes at the rim. While Reed is at his best when attacking the paint, he's also a reliable perimeter shooter and decision-maker.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2820407' first='Quali' last='Giran'] | 2029 | Millikan</h4>   <p>Giran has a highly-advanced feel for the game and it allows him to impact high level high school games on both ends of the floor. The 6-foot-2 incoming freshman makes all the right reads with the ball in his hands, creates for himself and teammates in every situation - half-court or transition - and his combination of burst, acceleration and athleticism make him a prospect who is difficult to keep out of the lane.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2767777' first='Will' last='Conroy, Jr.'] | 2029 | Village Christian</h4>   <p>You only need to watch Conroy for a few possessions to know that he has seen a lot of high level basketball throughout his youth. The 5-foot-10 point guard has an advanced offensive package that is highlighted by his ability to shake defenders off the bounce and score at the rim and pull from deep off the bounce with his barrage of three-point shooting. Conroy put together one of the more impressive scoring efforts of the weekend with 46 in a win.</p>

SOUTH ORANGE COUNTY — Last weekend's California Live boys high school basketball event at OGP Ladera provided a big stage for prospects to showcase their skills in front of college coaches of all levels. The event drew more than 160 teams from five states and all of them descended on Southern California for the three day event. Below we take a closer look at the underclass point guards (classes of 2028/2029) who stood out.