MPSSAA: Electric Scoring Guards

New readers: Use code Proia30     Our staff is prioritizing making it out to MPSSAA Regional games this week to provide coverage of the local public school leagues as there is a ton of untapped talent to shine a light on throughout the region. In the modern era of basketball, guards that can create their own shot are at a premium. Let's tap in with some of the better scoring guards that we saw this week!    26p 7r 3a 3s 9/23 FG vs John F Kennedy   -The Young Harris commit battled from start to finish in his last HS basketball game in the yellow and black, absolutely filling it up from all 3 levels. Cooper started things off with a right-left crossover into the long extension layup through the contact, hit his opponent with a bump in transition for another and1 lay, turned a steal into a layup at the other end, executed a baseline skip pass to a shooter in the opposite corner, knocked down a corner 3 of his own, threw a pitch and chase to get back ball for a face-up 3 that hit nothing but net, scored on a bump n one-handed floater, hit a double cross stepback midrange jumper from the baseline, and closed things out with a double crossover pullup 3. His ability to get to his spots in the halfcourt with or without a ball screen was invaluable over the course of a great season in Montgomery County.     20p 6r 5a 5b vs New Town; 33p 7a 6r 2b 4s 13/18 FG 5/8 3P vs Centennial   -One of the more dynamic scoring point guards left on the market, Edwards impressed in both Catonsville playoff games that I saw this past week. Edwards uses a pretty lethal first step to get past his man and into the teeth of the defense but his vertical leaping ability allows him to not only finish through contact but also detonate above the rim. His timing and quickness off the floor also allow him to be a pretty elite shot-blocker at the point guard spot that's capable of contesting shots on the ball and protect the rim as a roving off-ball defender. The jumper is a bit streaky off the bounce but when he's hot, he's hot– as evidenced by five made threes in the 1H alone against Centennial. Edwards is also capable of scoring on post-up's in the midpost, pivoting to hit baseline fadeaways or stepping through on hard closeouts to score or draw foul contact around the basket. His combination of speed and ball skills give him a nice upside as an on-ball creator at the next level.     17p 6a 3r 1s 1b vs Laurel   -The senior guard absolutely fried despite fouling out early in the 2H, scoring from all three levels while pretty effortlessly vacillating between calling his own number and setting up his teammates. Abu rejected a screen to hit the pull up two, scored on several C2C layups after collecting the outlet, threw live dribble dots to teammates with either hand, and knocked down a trio of triples. Loved the way that he was able to get to his spots in the halfcourt without a ball screen, often using his matchup's teammates to set unintentional screens on his man to get to the rim or break free for an open look beyond the arc.     11p 4r 3a 2s vs Laurel   -Ransom's strong frame really helps him to stand out at both ends of the floor as a physical prospect that can guard multiple spots and get to the rim with relative ease. Ransom started things off with a drive n kick to the strong side shooter, performed a well-timed face cut to the rim from the top of the key, knocked down a C+S 3, threw off his defender's timing in transition with a long stride step layup, found creases in the defense to burst through to the rim, and hit a pair of big FTs late to put his team up 3.     13p 7r 1s 1b vs Blair   -The speed and leaping ability were on display throughout this contest as a dynamic guard prospect that leaves his imprint on the game at both ends of the floor. Oyekan flew in for two putbacks at the rim, got two feet in the paint with regularity to force the defense to rotate, and drove straight at the opposing bigs to initiate the contact and draw fouls at the rim. Love his ability to switch gears and change direction or speed with the ball in his hands, shifting really well in traffic to drive to space and create open looks at the rim.     15p 5a 3r vs Catonsville   -Loved his ability to create in the halfcourt as he showed his feel for drawing two opponent's to him before delivering an array of different passes to teammates for wide-open looks. Giles started things off with a smooth reverse pocket pass to a cutting big for the bucket, hit a double clutch layup through the charge attempt in transition, snaked a ball screen to hit several elbow J's in the secondary break from the top of the key, threw a beautiful crosscourt skip pass to the shooter, sprinted ahead to collect and score several run out layups, and threw an over the shoulder kick-ahead dime to a streaking teammate at the rim from halfcourt. Super interested to check him out during the spring AAU season to see if there's any difference in role or play style.     11p 5r 4a 1b 4s vs Catonsville   -The skilled senior guard was incredibly dynamic on both sides of the ball for New Town in the win over Catonsville. Mills started things off with a steal and euro layup at the other end, collected several 1-more assists to shooters from the top of the key, curled into the 1-dribble elbow jumper, swiped a shot on the way up for the block and hit a teammate in transition for the easy bucket at the other end, and ripped his man at the top of the key to force a key turnover late in the game. Love his burst with the ball in his hands--especially when coming off of ball screens-- to probe the defense and find the right shot for his team.

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