PH Midwest Showdown: Max’s Guard Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Seven of the top guards I saw over the weekend in Appleton at the Prep Hoops Midwest Showdown!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Kristian Watt","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77246","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Proctor","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"[program_tooltip program_id='2078859' first='Starks' last='Elite']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69d69f02996f5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kristian was one of the scrappiest players I saw all weekend in Appleton. He was constantly pressuring opposing point guards defensively, and would be the first one on the floor for a loose ball. He wasn't afraid to pick up opposing point guards and defend the length of the floor, and if he got beat it was an all-out sprint from Kristian to recover. Never took a play off on that end. Offensively he was at his best as a creator, picking up some drive-and-kick assists while also doing a great job of delivering post-entry passes to his bigs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2438710"],"_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-69d69f0299767"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='2821845' first='Malik' last='Martin'] is the headliner for this MPLS Hustlers team, but there's certainly talent all around him. That showed on Saturday afternoon as Malik was struggling with an injury, and Damien stepped up to help his team pull away in the second half. Barnes is a speedy guard who can fly up the floor in transition, while also playing with the change of speed needed to beat defenders in the half-court. He found success getting into the lane and finishing with touch over the top, while also stretching the floor from three. Can act as a one man press-break at times as well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2447768"],"_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-69d69f02997b1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Matt showed why he's so highly regarded in Wisconsin's 2028 class. The game just seems to come so easy to him, and he finds ways to produce with simplicity and efficiency. Matt doesn't over dribble, and instead makes his mark with catch-and-shoot threes, or hard cuts off the ball leading to great looks at the rim. He primarily plays off the ball, but showed he can excel at times as a creator out of the pick &amp; roll or in transition. He helped lead [program_tooltip program_id='2078394' first='Team' last='1848'] to a 4-0 record over the weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2613973"],"_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-69d69f02997f5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">It wasn't the best showing for [program_tooltip program_id='2614144' first='Mammoth' last='Basketball'] in a loss to [program_tooltip program_id='2075258' first='ABC' last='Young Lions'], but Brayden showed flashes of just how dangerous he can be from beyond the arc. Early on in the game he made his defender pay for letting him catch in too much space, putting three points on the board in the blink of an eye. Brayden is constantly moving off the ball trying to find pockets of space, because he's one of the best pure shooters in the state's 2028 class. Knocked down a handful of threes, but also dished out a couple of assists to his teammates cutting to the rim.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2390684"],"_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-69d69f0299839"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Raheem is another big time shooter I saw in Appleton. He's a threat to score any time he catches out on the perimeter, but was perhaps at his best as a transition finisher in the game I watched. He took some risks defensively, but came away with a handful of steals/deflections that led to easy finishes going the other way. Unsigned senior guard who has produced with consistency just about any time I've seen him play over the past 2-3 years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2829317"],"_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-69d69f029987d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Another 2026 standout from the weekend was [player_tooltip player_id='2829317' first='Diogenes' last='Leone']. Leone is a tough as nails defender who competes with physicality on the glass. I saw him spend time defending just about every spot on the floor, and he never seemed to run out of energy. Diogenes spent the game forcing turnovers, rebounding on both ends of the floor, and finishing through contact around the rim. He helped Wisconsin Rockets go 4-0 in Appleton.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2553929"],"_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-69d69f02998bf"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Running with [program_tooltip program_id='2078394' first='Team' last='1848'], Aiden was one of the best shooters I saw over the weekend. He played alongside a talented playmaker in [player_tooltip player_id='2852032' first='Hayden' last='Schultz'], with Aiden doing a great job of providing good angles for kickout passes whenever he got into the lane. I had the chance to see his team play twice, and in both showings Aiden was connecting at a high percentage from beyond the arc. That included hitting the game winning three with roughly 30 seconds to play on Friday night in a comeback win over [program_tooltip program_id='2075258' first='ABC' last='Young Lions'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->