Nevada Live Invitational: Day 2 High Motor Guards

In this article I feature 8 guards who impressed with their ability to hustle and make winning plays for their respective teams.    [player_tooltip player_id='2624906' first='Damari' last='Sawall'] sliced and diced the defense yesterday thanks to his wiggle and basketball IQ, pouring in 31 points against Santa Fe Christian. He makes it look easy at times, with defenders having an incredibly difficult time anticipating his next move. He seems to know exactly when to hit the gas and when to slam on the brakes. Helping him create separation on a regular basis. In addition to his strong drives to the rim, he knocked down four triples and consistently got to the free-throw line. His ability to score from all three levels played a significant role in Mater East's win. If he can keep it going the rest of the summer, colleges are sure to take notice.     [player_tooltip player_id='2086139' first='Tyler' last='Johnson'] played a significant role in Bishop Gorman's win over Sunnyslope yesterday. On offense, he converted on a couple of pull-up jumpers, plus a three-point attempt. While dishing out a number of assists to his shooters. On defense, he covered ground at a rapid rate and applied constant ball pressure, forcing Sunnyslope's guards to play at a faster pace than they would've liked. Which led to a few turnovers for the Gaels.   Johnson also notably dropped 36 points on Day 1.     Gianni McGhee utilized his quickness to keep defenders guessing on Day 2 of the Nevada Live Invitational. He has a knack for getting his matchup to overplay one side before attacking the other. Once he creates separation, he has a fairly quick triggger and can drain both mid-range jumpers and pull-up threes off the dribble. In addition to his scoring, he showed the ability to facilitate and I liked how he got after it on the defensive end. Look for him to keep making noise the rest of the year, as he truly has the tools to consistently put defenders on skates.     [player_tooltip player_id='2423332' first='Mekhi' last='Carter'] has made a near seamless transition over to Legacy. He is a very dynamic guard who simply reads the defense and makes the right play. If there's an opportunity to burn his matchup, he will. But if his defender is sagging off him too much, he can also make them pay with his three-point shooting. The attention he draws also opens the door for his teammates to score easy buckets. Beyond what he provides on offense, he'll also poke the ball away and come up with steals, which can lead to transition opportunities for the Longhorns.     With how aggressive Phil Reed is, you would never know that he's only a rising sophomore. He has a very explosive first and second step, which typically allows him to get all the way to the hoop, or he'll stop and knock down a pull-up jumper if that's the better look. He is also a player who can jumpstart the fast break, whether by throwing it ahead or leaking out himself. All in all, he does a lot of the right things out there and has elite athleticism as well.     [player_tooltip player_id='2637192' first='Markus' last='Burton'] always plays with energy on both ends of the court. Defensively, he makes his opponents uncomfortable thanks to his wingspan, agility, and physicality. His matchup often ends up passing the ball off instead of attacking. On offense, he can help stretch the floor with his perimeter shooting, or get downhill if he catches his defender out of position. All in all, he's a high-impact player who also does the little things that don't necessarily show up on the stat sheet.     [player_tooltip player_id='3522826' first='RJ' last='Riley'] is a competitive guard who gives Durango reliable effort on both ends of the court. He is able to pester opponents on the defensive end thanks to his speed and relentlessness. On the other end of the court, he has very strong takes to the cup, and he's not an easy guy to slow down once he's picked up some steam. Expect him to take a step forward during his junior season.       Tatum Webb consistently makes an impact on the court with his relentless energy. He is a spark plug for his Liberty team and hustles to grab rebounds whenever he has the opportunity. He also sprints back on defense and has the lateral quickness to put the clamps on his matchup. On offense, he utilizes his quickness and instincts to get to his spots. Overall, he had a very productive weekend while showcasing his all-around game.

In this article I feature 8 guards who impressed with their ability to hustle and make winning plays for their respective teams.