The Top 5 Guards Seen at The Great Lakes Closer

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If you wanted buckets, pace, toughness, and a whole lot of "young fella can PLAY," The Great Lakes Closer at Hype Athletics had plenty of it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Some names were already on the radar. Others probably won't stay under it much longer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After spending Day 1 bouncing from court to court, one thing became crystal clear: guard play was on full display, and the state of Iowa — specifically NOVA Elite — may have quietly brought an entire army of floor generals with them.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are the Top 5 guards that made me stop, watch, and start scribbling a little faster in my notebook.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3691426"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a523aa95f023"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The best guard I saw all day. Period.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='3691426' first='Larnell' last='James'] plays basketball like somebody owes him money. The young man lives in attack mode. He's shifty with the handle, explosive getting downhill, and once he gets a shoulder by you, good luck.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He embraces contact instead of avoiding it and consistently finishes through traffic. What separates him is his versatility as both a scorer and creator.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The jumper still has room to grow, but the toughness, energy, leadership, and natural feel for the game jump off the floor immediately.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3679891"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a523aa95f0a9"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Some guards play fast. Javon Phillips plays smart.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The crafty lefty controls tempo, gets teams organized, and rarely looks rattled. He operates with poise beyond his years and consistently puts teammates in positions to succeed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While he's naturally pass-first, don't let that fool you — the burst is there.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When Phillips decides it's time to attack, he gets downhill in a hurry. Finishing with his right hand will continue to develop, but the instincts, pace, and floor leadership already make him one to watch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3537446"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a523aa95f113"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If ankle insurance existed, defenders guarding EJ Rosado would need a policy.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rosado was one of the shiftiest guards in the building with a handle that looked connected to a yo-yo.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The ball never seems far from his control.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He changes speeds, gets downhill effortlessly, and finishes around the rim with either hand. Beyond the scoring, he showed impressive command running the offense and manipulating angles in ball-screen situations.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The jumper is still developing, but the confidence and mechanics suggest it'll come.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3538550"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a523aa95f168"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Every good team needs somebody willing to do the dirty work.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='3538550' first='Zamari' last='Grant'] embraces it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He's a true two-way lead guard that takes defensive assignments personally and routinely accepts the challenge of guarding the opposing team's best perimeter player.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Offensively, he checks every box: scoring at all three levels, organizing the offense, and making winning plays.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The poise stood out as much as anything.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Grant never looked rushed and consistently played with the confidence of someone who expects to control the game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3539388"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a523aa95f1ba"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Some guards score. Some guards facilitate. [player_tooltip player_id='3539388' first='Jamariante' last='Anderson'] disrupts entire basketball games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Defensively, he's an absolute pest in the best possible way — picking up full court, jumping passing lanes, and making opposing guards miserable for 94 feet.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Offensively, he runs the show with maturity and keeps the ball moving while making smart reads.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Anderson attacks downhill aggressively, finishes with either hand, and has enough shooting touch to punish defenders that go under screens.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tough, scrappy, competitive — coaches love guards like this.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What stood out most wasn't just the talent — it was the understanding of the position.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Too many young guards today want the highlights without the responsibility that comes with running a team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That wasn't the case here.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These young men defended, communicated, organized offenses, made reads, and competed possession after possession.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And perhaps the biggest takeaway of all?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>NOVA Elite brought an entire stable of guards that can flat-out play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>If Day 1 was any indication, don't be surprised if several of these names continue to pop up over the next few years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Trust me.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The notebooks are already open.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->