Rice Team Camp: Upperclassmen Guards Showing Up and Showing Out

The Rice team camp provided a platform for high school teams to get back together after working through much of the AAU season already and many players showed up to put on display their talents in front of college coaches, media, and spectators alike. I showed up to the camp on Saturday and witnessed some top performers that I was familiar with, but also some fresh new faces who I was introduced to through their games. Let's take a look at some upperclassmen guards who made a huge splash this weekend in not only their recruitment, but also to everyone in attendance.    You can tell that [player_tooltip player_id='2556363' first='Marcus' last='Epps'] takes pride in locking up the opposing team's best ballhandlers as he always is physical on the perimeter and this helps pressure opposing guards into immediate turnovers for Klein Oak. He scores at all three levels, but I mostly watched him decimate defenders from the midrange this weekend at the Rice team camp. Epps was money from the middle of the floor, whether it was shoot off the dribble or spot up. He competes at a high level every possession and his hustle/intensity were unmatched in both of Klein Oak's games on Saturday.     [player_tooltip player_id='2251881' first='Royce' last='Shelton'] is one of the smaller but more skilled guards in 2027 and he has made a huge impact since transferring to Atascocita from Cy Park. He has been having a huge summer on the EYBL circuit playing for JL3 and he knocks down shots with efficiency and high IQ decision making. He controls the pace of the game well and knows when to pass and when to score. The defense needs to be aware of where Shelton is at all times due to his ability to shoot the long ball.     TJ Keys provides floor spacing and versatility for Dawson at both the guard and wing slots. Capable of playing and guarding both guard/wing slots, Keys uses size and wingspan to finish over the top of defenders at the rim, and he can also stretch the floor with his shooting when left open from range. Tharin showed that he can be counted on in clutch situations with the ball in his hands and continues to be one of the more impressive prospects I've seen locally for the class of 2028.     This was my second time getting to watch guard Jammir Major in the last two years and he continues to capture my attention with floor spacing and quick shot creating. He has a crafty dribble package that he can utilize to get to his spots and is shifty with the ball, making defenders off balance and unable to close out. He had several good assists on Saturday that led to teammates getting clean looks at the basket from all areas of the court.     [player_tooltip player_id='2837180' first='Grayson' last='Celestine'] impacted the game in all facets during the Eagles' morning win over Dickinson on Saturday. Celestine can shoot efficiently from three-point land, drive to the basket and draw fouls, as well as handle the ball and help to beat full court pressure. His lateral quickness and court awareness are a huge factor on defense as this helps him when guarding the perimeter to create transition opportunities going the other way.

The Rice team camp provided a platform for high school teams to get back together after working through much of the AAU season already and many players showed up to put on display their talents in front of college coaches, media, and spectators alike. I showed up to the camp on Saturday and witnessed some top performers that I was familiar with, but also some fresh new faces who I was introduced to through their games. Let's take a look at some upperclassmen guards who made a huge splash this weekend in not only their recruitment, but also to everyone in attendance.