Skills Summit: Underclass Stock-Rising Guards

<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 underclass guards – 2028 and 2028 prospects – who raised their stock.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2750200' first='Aiden' last='Shaw'] | 2028 | Bishop Amat</h4>   <p>Shaw was one of the more impressive young guards in the gym with his blend of speed and feel. At 6-1, he showed explosive burst off the dribble, using his first step to consistently get into the paint and collapse the defense. Once there, he displayed great feel as a playmaker, delivering timely passes to open teammates and keeping the offense flowing. Shaw also showed savvy as a finisher at the rim, using touch, angles and body control to convert against size. His heady decision-making and natural instincts stood out for a player in the 2028 class.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Anthony Ali Nayab | 2029 | Cathedral Catholic</h4>   <p>Nayab put together a strong showing with his ability to run a team and make others better. The 5-foot-9 guard consistently had his eyes up in transition, pushing the pace and delivering the ball ahead to create easy scoring chances. In the half court, he balanced his scoring and facilitating by using a consistent three-point shot to set up paint touches and drives. Despite not having ideal size for the position, Nayab proved to be a savvy finisher who knew how to use angles and touch around the rim. He controlled pace and tempo throughout the day and stood out as an accurate, on-time passer.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Cameron Smart | 2029 | Palm Springs</h4>   <p>Smart impressed with his poise and unselfish approach to running his team. The 5-foot-9 guard consistently pushed the tempo in transition, using his downhill speed to get paint touches and collapse the defense and create opportunities for teammates. He showed a natural feel for drive-and-kick situations, always keeping his eyes up and willing to make the extra pass to find the open man. Smart played under control even at a fast pace, rarely forcing the issue. His ability to blend speed with decision-making made him one of the more reliable floor generals in his class.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2750246' first='Darius' last='Dixson'] | 2028 | Roosevelt</h4>   <p>Dixson is a shifty left-handed point guard with a quick-twitch first step that allowed him to get by his primary defender with ease and into the lane where he finished much bigger than his size would lead you to believe. The 5-foot-9 rising sophomore has a strong, compact frame that allowed him to initiate contact with his defender, stay on balance, and release and create space to get to his left-handed finish or find an open teammate with a drive and kick play.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2546984' first='Greyden' last='Kress'] | 2028 | San Marcos</h4>   <p>Kress made his mark with his feel and understanding of how to play within a system. The 6-footer showcased a high IQ as an off-ball mover, consistently finding the right spots to space the floor. He knocked down open catch-and-shoot threes when the ball swung his way and kept defenses honest with his perimeter threat. Kress was also a timely cutter, creating easy looks for himself and drawing help to open up teammates. His grasp of team offensive concepts and willingness to play within them stood out throughout the event.</p>   <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Herbert Johnson III | 2028 | Aquinas</h4>   <p>Johnson III stood out with his smooth approach and ability to dictate pace. The 6-foot rising sophomore played under control throughout the event and processed defenses quickly to make sound reads with the ball in his hands. Offensively, he relied on a polished mid-range scoring package, knocking down pull-up jumpers with confidence and rhythm. His long, wiry frame allowed him to create off the bounce and get to his spots with ease. Johnson's creativity as a scorer combined with his poise officially put him on our radar.</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 underclass guards – 2028 and 2028 prospects – who raised their stock.