MADE East Summer Tuneup: Standout guards (Friday)

MADE Hoops kicked off its July event calendar with a series of regional tuneup events before the live period gets started this week. After taking in several games in Jersey on Friday, we came away impressed with a handful of standout guards who coaches would be smart to have on their radars throughout the month.    In what was easily the best game we saw all day, Mazzella was instrumental in quarterbacking the Beasts to a narrow hard-fought win over in-state rival Marston Elite. The floor general came out aggressive and looked to set the tone as a scorer, ripping off 10 quick points to start the game on a blend of tough downhill drives and smooth jumpers from the perimeter. With the defense having to respect him as a scorer, he shifted more into playmaking mode as the game went on, showing impressive poise and impeccable timing as a decisionmaker, especially in the open floor. Mazzella is as battle-tested as they come and Friday's outing served as a good glimpse into his overall ability to drive winning from the lead guard position. He'll be tracked closely by a number of D1 programs across the live periods this month.     Coming out narrowly on the losing end of a gritty in-state matchup with the [program_tooltip program_id='2078573' first='NJ' last='Beasts'], Dixon put together as impressive an individual performance as we saw all day. A dynamic playmaker off the dribble, he was impossible to keep out of the paint whether in transition or the halfcourt, using his slick handle and effective change-of-pace ability to routinely leave defenders in the dust. While not a high-flyer, Dixon used his strength and dexterity to finish consistently in the paint among traffic while also showing impressive instincts crashing down for a handful of boards on both ends of the floor. Most importantly, things look to be slowing down for him as a decisionmaker, allowing him to better leverage the defensive attention that he attracts into more efficient looks for himself and his teammates. He continues to trend toward D1 status and should be a hot name across the Hoop Group circuit over the next several weeks.     Arguably the most talented individual prospect in the gym, Carter backed his status in a workmanlike effort while showcasing his dynamic two-way ability as a jumbo guard. Playing at his own pace throughout the contest, he used his size and herky-jerky handle to routinely work his way to the front of the rim for poised finishes over smaller guards and rotating help defenders. Carter was effective on the other end using his length and instincts to poke away steals and get going the other way in transition. He also flashed his passing vision on a number of occasions when he collapsed the defense and created an easy look for a teammate. It's easy to see why high-major programs have already come calling with the things Carter can do in the backcourt on both ends of the floor at his size.     Circling back with his Beasts group after a successful June on the scholastic circuit, Ivery showed signs of continuing to build momentum heading into a critical few weeks for his recruitment. The Swiss-army guard was critical to a narrow win on both ends of the floor, showing the breadth of his two-way contributions toward winning. He came out aggressive using his quickness and long strides to attack the paint for twisting, athletic finishes using either hand. The Ohio native was a lynchpin of the Beasts' switching defense, showing his ability to move his feet while bothering guards with his length or switch onto bigs to put up a fight inside despite a lack of evident bulk. He would help punctuate the win with a confident catch-and-shoot 3, a key development that coaches will be looking to track throughout the month, before a hammer dunk in transition to add the exclamation point. Coaches up to the high-major level will be tracking Ivery throughout the month.     Leading an undermanned Sideline Ballers squad that took home the win with just 5 players, Trn was consistently effective throughout the game while showing some added wrinkles that are sure to move the needle in the eyes of college coaches. Having played mostly as an off-ball sniper given the presence of some talented playmakers alongside him in both high school and AAU, the Shippensburg native impressed with his ability as an on-ball playmaker. He's always shown a clear polish to his skill level, but looks to have added some wiggle and creativity to help keep defenders off balance and evade rotating helpers at the rim. Trn projects to be mostly in an off-ball role again this high school season but could have a chance to really open some eyes this month if he's able to continue to flourish as a primary ballhandler.

MADE Hoops kicked off its July event calendar with a series of regional tuneup events before the live period gets started this week. After taking in several games in Jersey on Friday, we came away impressed with a handful of standout guards who coaches would be smart to have on their radars throughout the month.