UAA S1 Scouting Notebook: MD/DC 17s Guards

The UA Association had their first session of circuit play this weekend in Kansas City. Over the course of the next few days, I'll break down some of the MD/DC prospects from [program_tooltip program_id='2077005' first='Team' last='Thrill'] and [program_tooltip program_id='2078456' first='DC' last='Premier'] starting with the guards at the 17U level.    Thrill left Kansas City with an unblemished 4-0 record and as expected, Davis was the straw that stirred the drink. This was never more prevalent than his late-game antics to help Thrill squeak by a pesky WeR1 group on Saturday evening. Now standing more 6'0"-6'1" than 5'11", Davis' competitive motor on both ends was on full display throughout the weekend. The backcourt trio of he, Samartine Hill and [player_tooltip player_id='2889373' first='Jay' last='Green'] wore down the opposing backcourts as the course of the game progressed with relentless on-ball defense and active hands. He takes advantage of the slimmest of driving lanes and can finish with either hand while adding craft to make the life of an opposing shot blocker quite difficult. He's extremely confident in taking and making big shots in crunch time. All of these add to why head coach Kevin Boyle sought him out to run his team for a very talented Spire Academy group last season.     Premier finished the weekend with a 1-3 showing as two losses came by 1-point each. One of the consistent themes was Nelson, who averaged 13 points per contest and played a pretty good floor game. After a so/so first game, the aggression in game two was evident as he put forth his best outing of the weekend with 21 points despite a loss to a tough B-Maze Elite group. When he wasn't knocking down jumpers off the bounce, Nelson was putting it on the deck and finishing high off the glass with touch.     Hill was on a heater all weekend and it wasn't just with his scoring performances. His tight handle, cat-like quickness and quick processing to fit the ball into tight windows off the live dribble led to a plethora of buckets. When Hill is playing with balance and confidence, you'll see the jumper fall consistently and that's what took place throughout S1. Whether he was leading the break or quickly getting to spots off the bounce in the half court, when he sets his feet with a strong base, good things happen. The sharing of on-ball duties between he and Darrell Davis make for a hellacious duo that should cause massive issues in UAA play moving forward.     Hogg is that interchangeable piece next to Nelson that can play on or off the ball. He provided a needed jolt that his team needed in their lone win of the weekend as he cashed in on big triples to help swing the momentum and run away with a double-digit win over Canada Elite. He's a stout defender at the point of attack and helped cause deflection with timely digs as drivers turned their head to him.     I liked what Lunn did early in the weekend from a connector standpoint. Firstly, he brings great positional size and strength to where he can log minutes at the 2 or 3 and when some situations call for it, the 4 as well. Nothing was complicated with Lunn's approach. He maintained spacing off the ball and put himself in the right situations for catch-and-shoots that he knocked down with efficiency. He's instinctual when it comes to cutting and seems like anytime he decides to dive to the rim its at the perfect opportunity. When he beat his man off the dribble, Lunn didn't waste time in getting to the rim in straight-line fashion for finishes. He was also a willing passer once the defense collapsed on his penetration.     Another horse in the stable for Mookie Dobbins' 17U backcourt is Green. A new face to the program this season after a strong high school campaign that included a Maryland Private School State championship, Green provides further intensity, a defensive mindset and capable offensive skills when his number is called. There was zero hesitation from him getting his nose in on 50/50s, battling for tip-outs on the offensive glass that resulted in extra possessions and overall playing with an edge that fuels others around him. When he's called upon to run the offense, you can count on Green making correct reads playing off two in the paint. With regularity, he established paint touches snaking ball screens or simply using his first step to blow by his man to knife into the heart of the defense and play off the help's decision where he can rise up for mid-range jumpers or deliver pinpoint bounce passes to his big on the baseline.

The UA Association had their first session of circuit play this weekend in Kansas City. Over the course of the next few days, I'll break down some of the MD/DC prospects from Team Thrill and DC Premier starting with the guards at the 17U level.