Henrico’s Best: Local Scoring Guards

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>New readers: Use code Proia30</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>New Balance held a regional event this past weekend at Henrico Sports Center to showcase some of the top talent in the Northeast from their circuit. I mainly watched the local DMV teams compete but got an opportunity throughout my two full days there to check out teams from outside of my region compete at a high level. Let's breakdown some of the best scoring lead guards that I saw!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2327613"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69e7b63d2991d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">14p 3a 2r 1s vs Showtime Ballers</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Knight played a big role in an undefeated weekend for his group, serving as both an effective scorer and play-maker for his team in the half court. Knight found opportunities to create for himself off the bounce as a jump shooter at the elbows or in the paint with 1-legged floaters. He's consistently finding more and more opportunities to execute a Steve Nash drive along the baseline to force helpers to take their eyes off of his teammates and is using his scoring gravity to hit his man on the slip for easy buckets at the rim. He really turned up in the 2H with multiple AND1 layups through contact in transition, floaters off the window going to his right, and even took it C2C on several players to convert a defensive rebound into points at the opposite end for his team. If he can continue to improve the efficiency of his dribbles while processing the different moving parts in each action, I can see him continuing to take real strides in his development as a dual threat PG. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2194780"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":3598438,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69e7b63d299a5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">-The skill progression is coming along nicely for Bryant as he steps into a big role for Team Breakdown this AAU season. He started things off with a pull-up 3 off the dribble, executed a double crossover pocket pass with the right hand to the roller a few possessions later, drove the baseline and threw a one-handed dart to a shooter on the opposite wing, knocked down a wing 3 off the catch, and scored off of several runouts in transition to build the TBD lead. Bryant read double teams before they came to throw the pass over the top to his roller or to skip it to a shooter on the opposite side of the floor, limiting turnovers while allowing his teammates to slip to open spaces before letting it go. Love the pace that he is playing with in transition as also effectively froze his matchup with hesitation dribbles or euro steps to create the best possible look for his team. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3598426"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":3598428,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69e7b63d299fb"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>-Washington really stood out over the course of the weekend as the lead guard for the newly-formed Takoma Select E32 team. Washington uses a strong frame to bully his way to spots in the halfcourt and has excellent footwork in the paint to maneuver around the defense to create better scoring angles for floaters or touch shots off the glass. Washington snaked a ball screen and hit the stepback going left, didn't fall for a hesi and blocked a 3 on the ball a few possessions later, threw a beautiful baseball pass from the FT line to the paint on the opposite end-- the full arsenal of ball skills were on display. His weekend culminated in a huge scoring performance that ended with a game-winning 3 to complete the comeback win for his team from the top of the key. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3598429"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":3598432,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69e7b63d29a4c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">-Smith proved to be a pretty effortless scorer and creator in the halfcourt throughout the afternoon as a prospect that can flourish both on or off the ball. In the first half alone Smith plucked his guy at halfcourt and beat the chasedown block to lay it in just past the defense, showed a quick first step after hitting the big with the sweep and finished with the double-clutch layup through contact. I thought that Smith did a great job of forcing turnovers both on and off the ball as a pesky guard that even rotated well to block a big at the rim midway through the 2H. Intriguing name to track in 2028 as he should pop onto people's radars much more in his junior season.  </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2148714"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69e7b63d29a8d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">-Simmons enjoyed a productive postgrad season and extended that impact in a good weekend with Breakdown Elite. Simmons has a sturdy frame, relentlessly attacks the rim to finish well over his matchup whether that is a big or a guard, and is a tsunami of defensive effort as a switchable guard prospect that can guard 1-4 against most teams. Simmons knocked down midrange jumpers off the catch, was dynamic in transition, put pressure on the rim, and made the most of his trips to the FT line. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3599727"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69e7b63d29acd"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">-Loved the overall impact that I saw from Austin in a win for TBD. Austin started things off with a corner 3 in transition, showed great timing on a straight cut from the corner for the backdoor layup, rattled in a floater from the short corner in transition off the dump-off, and served as an effective connector that kept the ball moving from the wing throughout both games that I saw. Austin doesn't lose his man off the ball while still providing good help on both slashing guards and post-up bigs. I thought that he also showed great energy whether he was on the court or on the bench to give an unselfish boost to his team during games. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->