Scholastic Series Preseason Invitational: High-Level Guards

The Scholastic Series Preseason Invitational served as the perfect stage for players to set the tone heading into the 2025-26 season. From dynamic guards controlling tempo to versatile wings impacting both ends, this event offered an early look at who's poised to make serious noise this year.    Nehemiah Lawerence could break down any defensive pressure with quick-twitch handles and instantaneous reactions. Instead of picking up his bounce, he used his IQ and instincts to keep his dribble alive, touching the paint, circling through the lane, or using the baseline as a reset while the defense scrambled. From there he diced them with skip passes and live-dribble reads. Nemo's handle was on another level, showcasing the shiftiest in-and-out dribble in the state. As a pinpoint alley-oop thrower, he constantly caught defenses off guard when coming downhill, blending the unpredictability of floating his shot or making an elite-level pass.     [player_tooltip player_id='2557657' first='MJ' last='Boyd']'s blur-like first step allowed him to turn the corner and get into the paint at will. He handled the ball extremely well under pressure, keeping an incredibly low dribble that defenders simply couldn't rip. Once in the lane, he took off from distance, giving himself time for midair adjustments or high-arching finishes he converted with soft touch. Boyd was crafty and creative, using up-and-unders, wide finishes, and angle manipulation to score through multiple defenders. Boyd stayed highly engaged across all facets of the game. His ability to read and react made him dangerous defensively, helping with urgency and swiftly swiping and digging for steals that prevented several shots and passes.     [player_tooltip player_id='2555712' first='Dylan' last='Franklin'] proved to be a natural scorer and shot creator. He didn't force his offense, he let it flow, knocking down jumpers efficiently with disciplined shot selection. Even while drawing heavy attention and double teams, he stayed poised and made swift, accurate passes that got teammates involved and often on the scoreboard. Franklin also proved effective on the glass, especially on the defensive end, where he secured boards and helped finish possessions cleanly.     Urune's ultra-athleticism went unmatched. He exploded up the court with tremendous speed and quickness and was dangerous flashing backdoor for high-flying lob finishes, showing off his explosive bounce. He never gave up on a play, often rebounding and putting back his own misses where his elite second jump really showed. Urune's focus and touch through contact at the rim were phenomenal, consistently converting and-1 finishes. He also displayed sharp court vision and unselfishness, threading the needle and hitting backdoor cutters with precision dimes.     [player_tooltip player_id='2252469' first='Vincient' last='Green'] showcased impressive late-game hops, exploding off a sharp back-cut for a powerful two-foot, two-handed flush in a tight, hard-fought contest. Even in the final moments, his stamina never dipped, Green competed with unlimited bounce no matter the situation.     [player_tooltip player_id='2556247' first='Jason' last='Warren'] II was automatic from beyond the arc, everything he put up fell. He opened the game scorching hot, drilling his first five three-point attempts and consistently holding his high follow-through until the ball snapped the net. He spots up with his knees loaded, ready to catch and rise, and curls around the perimeter with a rhythmic 1–2 step that keeps him perfectly balanced. In transition he ran the floor like no other, sprinting to the right corner for clean looks before a defense could even get set. As Warren heated up, he showcased even more of his shooting prowess, knocking down deep jumpers off the bounce with a tight, balanced stepback that defenders had no answer for.     [player_tooltip player_id='2405854' first='Jordan' last='Hawkins'] excelled coming off pindowns and screening actions, popping out behind the perimeter ready to fire with set feet and a quick trigger behind a fluid, wasted-no-motion release. Off an Iverson cut, he ripped downhill immediately, flowing into a quick look or forcing a foul as defenders tried to recover.

The Scholastic Series Preseason Invitational served as the perfect stage for players to set the tone heading into the 2025-26 season. From dynamic guards controlling tempo to versatile wings impacting both ends, this event offered an early look at who's poised to make serious noise this year.