Trending 2028 Guards From Early April

We're at the mid-way point of April and have taken in a few weekends of grassroots hoops. It's always a great opportunity to get evaluations on prospects who are in a different environment than playing with their high school team. You may see a change in role, overall confidence or a player being put in scenarios to showcase skills that you don't normally see.   Below are some guards belonging to the 2028 class who have proven they're trending in the right direction this spring.    Coming into this spring, I expected Brooks to have a chance to really close the gap as the top-ranking point guard and his performance thus far in April has that prediction in great shape. As the group adjusts to some new faces within the rotation, Brooks is the ultimate floor general with ability to impact as a primary scoring option when needed. It's his preference to set the table and run the show while picking his spots carefully, but if he has a mismatch or the game is starting to slip out of their control, you'll see a more aggressive version of him that can carry the scoring responsibilities. He's been teeing off from deep in high ball screen actions whenever his defender doesn't fight to go over the screen. He plays with deceptive pace and burst to establish paint touches where he can rely on soft-touch floaters as well as making cross court reads off the live dribble. With the threat of lethal three-ball, Brooks has tremendous balance out of shot fakes where he can get to a mid-range jumper off one dribble with pro-like fluidity.     It's been a nice month of April for Moore, who continues to prove himself as one of the best scoring guards in this local 2028 class. Whether it's been the set of scrimmages we've been on hand for over the last two weekends or his latest showing at Spooky Nook, the 6-foot-2 McDonogh product has lit up the scoring column from all three levels. His loudest performance came against Team Final in a two-point loss where he went for 27 points. We've documented why Moore is such a tough check in one-on-one scenarios with his quick burst and minimal space to rise up for his jumper off the bounce, but it's his ability to get skinny in traffic before finishing around the cup that makes him a tough assignment for defenders who are expected to be precise in their weak side rotations. This Thrill group is deep with their stable of guards, but look for Moore to be come the one who they lean on in crunch time of close games.     The potential that we've seen in Hall for some time now is quickly turning the corner into production as he looks to make a splash on the EYBL Circuit this spring/summer. The early returns have been evident as the 6-foot-4 combo guard forms a dynamic backcourt duo next to Brooks. He has good instincts off the ball that puts him in position for kick outs where he uses his long first step to take advantage of driving lanes. He's been aggressive in transition so far this month and when he isn't creating contact to draw fouls on his way to the tin, Hall is using his length to finish extended lay-ups or flushing dunks that catch some by surprise. The mechanics on his jumper have shown some improvements over the high school season and while he still has to establish some arc on the ball, the rotation and release point are workable. The wiry frame will come in handy defensively and already has shown its value in Durant's full court press where he's caused his fair share of deflections.     Early got his spring off on the right foot in his showing at East Mania this weekend as the 6-foot-1 southpaw combo guard knocked down shots with improved rhythm from what I saw during the high school season. He seemed to be more sure of himself when he put the ball on the deck to find holes in the defense for stop-and-pop jumpers. As a result, the efficiency followed, reaching double-figures in the scoring column throughout his team's 2-0 showing. He has the ability to play on or off the ball and on this squad, it looks to be featured more as a two with Eyan Valadez or [player_tooltip player_id='2194760' first='Chauncey' last='Word'] at the helm. Continuing to play with the confidence he showed this weekend will be a key factor for Melo once they hit the EYBL Circuit, as their wing and froncourt rotation will hold sturdy from a talent perspective.     Another prospect that we've been ahead of the curve of showed plenty of reason for another bump in the next set of rankings updates. Spears filled more of a utility role for St. Frances this season and did so in such a fashion that head coach Nick Myles inserted him in the starting lineup for the final stretch of the season. Now playing the 2/3 for this Melo team depending on the lineup, more of Spears' ability and skillset will be showcased as he preps for a bigger role with the Panthers as a junior. Standing 6-foot-3 with a plus wingspan, Spears is a presence around the rim at both ends of the floor. His competitive motor runs high, which sets him up for thunderous put backs, chase down blocks or securing rebounds out of his area. While he embodies the style of a rough, rugged utility player, Spears actually has a very fluid skill set offensively. His jumper is pretty from start to finish and he's proven to be a guy that the defense must account for beyond the arc in the corners. He continues to build his ability off the bounce and adopting more counters to his approach and if he's able to get around the vicinity of the rim, he has ill intentions.

We're at the mid-way point of April and have taken in a few weekends of grassroots hoops. It's always a great opportunity to get evaluations on prospects who are in a different environment than playing with their high school team. You may see a change in role, overall confidence or a player being put in scenarios to showcase skills that you don't normally see.