Top Underclass Guards on Club Opening Weekend

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Southern California — There were multiple club and individual showcase events in Southern California over the weekend as players and programs shift their focus from the high school season to the club season. We were able to hit three events - NXTPro in Seal Beach, the Pangos All-American Preview in Long Beach and the BattleZone at Orange Lutheran high school. We break down the top underclass guards we watched.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Braylen Smith | 2028 | Team CPSA 16u</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Smith's combination of speed and downhill aggression made him one of the best transition finishers and creators that we saw on the weekend. The 6-foot-1 sophomore out of Bakersfield Christian had the ball on the string, used his quickness and shiftiness to blow by defenders and get to the rim and was a crafty scorer around the basket who also made savvy decisions and accurate passes to open shooters.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2194808' first='Carter' last='Bagley'] | 2028 | Dream Vision 16u 3SSB</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bagley is a strong-framed and physical guard who was best when attacking the rim in transition and half-court offense where he used his broad shoulders to initiate and finish through contact at the rim. The 6-foot-4 sophomore out of Arizona also showed touch to the three-point line off the catch with time and space and was active on the offensive and defensive boards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='2868676' first='Juleeyan' last='Williams'] | 2029 | Compton Magic 16u 3SSB</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Williams was one of the most gifted scorers in the gym regardless of class. The 6-foot-3 combo guard used his savvy ball handling ability and explosive burst of speed to blow-by defenders and get into the lane where he finished through and around contact and made plays for bigs and open shooters. Williams flashed his impressive mid-range game with a quick, balanced and high elevation jumper.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Kayden Brooks | 2029 | Team CPSA 16u | *Pictured</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brooks impressed with his perimeter shooting ability and was one of the best pure shooters that we saw on the weekend. The 6-foot-1 lefty was knocking down deep jumpers from all over the floor and in a variety of different situations from catch-and-shoot, off-bounce to off-movement looks with elite balance, elevation and rotation on his shot. The Seattle-native showed his ability to score in bunches.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Maurice Carter II | 2028 | Compton Magic 16u 3SSB</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Carter impacted the game as a confident three-level scorer. He was best when pushing the tempo in transition and using his speed, physicality and athleticism to get paint touches and finish at the rim. The 5-foot-10 sophomore used his crafty handle and quick burst of speed to break down defenders in isolation where he flashed the ability to hit mid-range and step-back jumpers to his left hand. Carter is a dynamic on-ball defender who can pressure, contain and disrupt opposing ball handlers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='3531701' first='Nalu' last='Clark'] | 2029 | Cali Gold 16u 3SSB</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Clark is a well-paced and high IQ playmaking point guard who brings a pass-first and creative mentality to the position. The 6-foot freshman isn't the fastest or most explosive athlete on the floor but his ability to change speeds and direction and manipulate defenders with his eyes and hesitations allows him to get into the lane where he creates shots for himself and others. Clark is a savvy finisher and pinpoint passer with elite vision.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->