Skills Summit: Best Guard Performers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>TUSTIN, Calif. — The sixth Hoops By Ugland (yes, me) Skills Summit brought together 145 prospects from across Southern California and beyond Sunday at Tustin high school. There was a mix of highly-touted, under-the-radar and unknown prospects all of whom got to showcase their abilities in front of many of the region's top scouts and media. Below we break down the top long-term guard prospects in the event and how they performed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2828496' first='Cameron' last='Anderson'] | 2028 | St. John Bosco</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Anderson stood out as a versatile guard who made an impact on both ends of the floor. The 6-foot-4 sophomore, who recently transferred to St. John Bosco from Roosevelt, showed toughness and instincts as a defender, using his added physical strength to contain drives and battle on the glass. Offensively, he played with a high basketball IQ, moving the ball and keeping the offense flowing. Anderson also knocked down open threes to space the floor and punish defensive lapses. His blend of size, strength, and feel makes him a reliable two-way contributor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2435386' first='Hunter' last='Caplan'] | 2027 | Crean Lutheran</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Caplan showcased his scoring ability as one of the more polished perimeter weapons on the floor. The 6-foot-3 combo guard was effective both off the catch and off the bounce, knocking down pull-up threes and mid-range jumpers with confidence. He used shifty changes of speed to keep defenders off balance and consistently got to his spots. Caplan played with a noticeable confidence in his skill set, never hesitating to take or create a shot. His tough shot-making and assertiveness make him a tough cover on the perimeter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2779892' first='Jaden' last='Thomas'] | 2026 | Washington Prep</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Thomas separated himself with his natural knack for scoring and ability to create offense at all three levels. The 6-foot combo guard displayed a polished mid-range game, consistently knocking down balanced pull-up jumpers with hands in his face. He handled the ball with shiftiness, using changes of speed and direction to generate separation in isolation. Around the basket, Thomas proved to be a crafty finisher who used angles and touch to convert against size. His blend of shot-making and creativity makes him a dangerous offensive threat.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2436287' first='Richie' last='Ramirez'] | 2027 | Mater Dei</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ramirez brings such an impressive ability to get paint touches no matter what the setting or situation might be. The 6-foot-2 point guard used his speed to push the pace in transition and get to the rim where he finished through and around contact and called on his physical driving in half-court offense to bully his way through smaller defenders and into the lane where he scored at the rim or with a mid-range jumper.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1703073' first='Rodney' last='Westmoreland'] | 2026 | Santa Margarita</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Westmoreland is one of the fastest players in the region and, when he has the ball in his hands with space in front of him, he's a player who is difficult to keep in front. The 6-foot point guard used that blurring speed with the ball to put pressure on defenses in transition offense which resulted in him getting clean looks at the rim or a drive and kick pass to an open teammate. Westmoreland is also a savvy defender with quick hands and great anticipation.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2918681' first='Sloane' last='Harris'] | 2027 | Roosevelt</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Harris is one of SoCal's most physical point guard prospects and that, combined with his athleticism, made him a tough cover in the Skills Summit. The 6-foot-2 junior powered his way to the rim for finishes through contact or transition dunks and his ability to get by defenders in isolation added another dimension to his offensive skill-set. Where Harris will make his name is on the defensive end as his combination of strength, toughness and lateral speed help him contain, contest and disrupt as a perimeter defender.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->