Hoop Group/All Academic Scholar Stage: big guards who stood out

On Monday, October 13th, I attended the Hoop Group X All Academic Basketball Scholar Stage showcase at Milton Academy. There were about 150 players present and games for 5 hours on three different courts. I tried to watch as many guys as possible — but as always, it's difficult to watch and get a good read on everyone.   Read: <a href="https://prephoops.com/2025/10/hoop-group-all-academic-scholar-stage-impressive-shorts-guards/">Hoop Group/All Academic Scholar Stage: impressive shorts guards</a>   Read: <a href="https://prephoops.com/2025/10/hoop-group-all-academic-scholar-stage-standout-wings-bigs/">Hoop Group/All Academic Scholar Stage: standout wings/bigs</a>   With that being said, here are some big guards who stood out.    Fracassa was the only 8th grader I saw at the entire showcase — props to him for being willing to go up against guys 4 and 5 years older than him. The 6-foot guard held his own on both ends of the floor, though, despite his age. He has incredible strength for his age and size and was able to consistently move opposing defenders out of the way on drives. He also defended bigger and older players on the block and in the paint and more than held his own. His athleticism for his age is special, and prep schools should be all over him as a potential reclass candidate in the coming years. Will be interesting to see who Fracassa plays high school hoops for when the time comes.     Rugette was one of the most dominant players at the entire showcase, which wasn't surprising. The 6-foot-4 guard is ridiculously strong and athletic, which he pairs with very solid ball handling and footwork to get into the paint and finish whenever he wants — he's a RELENTLESS driver of the rock. The lefty can get to his southpaw at will, but he can also finish with an extended right hand. He's also quite effective defensively as a pest and versatile rim protector. Rugette should be one of Lee Academy's best players this season and will probably have some scholarship schools reaching out.     This was my first time watching Brezillon, and I was impressed with the number of ways he can impact the game. He's an above the rim athlete who can finish with both hands above the rim, but he also gets tons of elevation on his jumper from both the mid range and three. His ambidextrous handle makes him difficult to predict or force to one side, and he can score from all three levels. Defensively, he uses his active hands and lateral quickness to always be around the ball. Brezillon should improve a lot at Putnam this season, but I'm unsure what his role on the team will be. Regardless, he will have college programs looking at him.     Williams was playing at his home gym, and you could tell. He shot it better than I've typically seen, which bodes very well for his ability to put tons of points on the board this year for Milton Academy. The 6-foot-2 guard is an incredible athlete and has a lightning quick first step, which allows him to puncture the paint at will. Once he's there, he elevates quite well for finishes but also makes really smart spray outs to shooters. The highest D3's in the country, as well as some scholarship schools, should be reaching out to Williams.     This was my first time seeing Cruz in person and I was quite impressed with his skillset and feel. The 6-foot guard always has his eyes peeled in transition, which allows him to accurately discern whether there are scoring or passing opportunities. Once he gets into the lane, he is an awesome athlete and showcased some really tough double clutch finishes with both hands. He also make excellent kickout passes and was consistently under control and on two feet. He should get minutes as a junior this year for Holderness and could definitely play basketball at the D3 or maybe even scholarship level.

On Monday, October 13th, I attended the Hoop Group X All Academic Basketball Scholar Stage showcase at Milton Academy. There were about 150 players present and games for 5 hours on three different courts. I tried to watch as many guys as possible — but as always, it's difficult to watch and get a good read on everyone.