Holy Cross prospect camp: impressive guards

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On Sunday, August 24th, I attended Holy Cross' prospect camp at their campus in Worcester, MA. 40+ players were in attendance and there were recruitable players at ALL college levels. I'll be having coverage throughout this week, so stay tuned.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Read: <a href="https://prephoops.com/2025/08/holy-cross-prospect-camp-standout-big-men/">Holy Cross prospect camp: standout big men</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Below are some impressive guards from the camp.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2553785"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68adb8b430117"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I cannot get enough of Smith's game. He competes harder and does more little things than virtually any other player in New England. The 6-foot combo-guard gets more loose balls than any guard I've seen and is a total pest on the defensive end and offensive glass. He's the type of guy you love to play with and dread playing against. Offensively, he can shoot it from three and also does a really good job finishing with contact at the hoop -- he has a knack for using his body and is a way better athlete than you think. Call me crazy, but Smith can play scholarship basketball -- just watch him for more than 10 minutes and you'll see it too.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2568342"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68adb8b430174"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Joyner is a TRUE point guard, and he's gotten so much better in the past year. When I first saw him 12 months ago, he was a bit out of control and easily pushed off his spot. Now, he has put on some muscle and can handle all of the pressure you throw at him defensively. He operates effectively out of the pick and roll and has great discernment in the paint when it comes to getting to his jumper/floater or making kick out passes to three-point shooters, and his deep ball has improved tremendously. Joyner will be a key cog for MacDuffie this season and should be on the radar of scholarship and high D3 coaches. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Ian VanWagner","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'3u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77248","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Potsdam High School","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"City Rocks","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68adb8b430225"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">This was my first time seeing VanWagner and I was impressed with his speed and quickness with the ball. The 6-foot-3 guard is a scoring machine for his high school team, and some of that came out at Holy Cross' showcase; he strokes it from three and also has a super quick first step on takes to the rim. But the rising junior also showed off some solid passing instincts, finding backdoor cutters and dunker-spot hangers near the hoop. VanWagner could still be growing, but I would slot him as a potential scholarship player, especially if he can continue to get stronger.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2546965"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68adb8b43027a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Romich is one of the better conditioned guards in the region. The 6-foot-3 rising senior is always in attack mode and does a great job using his downhill speed and quickness in transition; he has a good handle and solid athleticism. Romich's superpower is his shooting, though; despite his odd-looking release, he strokes it from three and has range just as soon as he crosses half court. He might need to improve the quickness of his shot, but the accuracy is here to stay. I would slot the Kimball Union CG as a high D3 player at this point, but a strong season could change that.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1564751"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68adb8b4302c6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Malachi has gotten so much better since the last time I saw him. I remember him struggling at times to figure out when to attack vs. when to kick out once he punctured the paint, but he did a really good job making those decisions on Sunday. When he drives to the rim, he has a certain smoothness and athleticism to him that makes him difficult to stay in front of, and he has nice touch at the hoop with both hands. He can also shoot it from the outside. Malachi is probably a D3 player at this point but he could be blooming late physically, which would make things very interesting.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->