CBG JUCO/Prep Showdown: Standout post-grad guards

Commonwealth Basketball Group hosted its annual JUCO/Prep showdown this past weekend, bringing in some of the best junior college, prep school, and high school programs both from Virginia and across the East Coast and Midwest. After taking in the entire weekend of action, we came away with a handful of post-grad guards who stood out with their impressive play.    There wasn't a player in the gym more exciting than King, who put on a show all weekend while putting nonstop pressure on the rim. An Arizona native who played last year at PHH Prep, King has as quick a first step as we saw all weekend, combining with a tight handle to blow by his man seemingly whenever he wanted, whether in transition or a halfcourt setting. He's a twitchy above-the-rim finisher with nice body control and slick vision for kickouts once he draws a rotation. King brings nice size and length to the backcourt as well and was effective sliding off-ball as a second-side slasher and cutter, getting backdoor for multiple alley-oop dunks. We didn't see him take any jumpers but if King is able to keep defenders even slightly honest from the perimeter, there should be a slew of mid-major programs in heavy pursuit heading into the winter.     Word had been starting to trickle out of Fork Union that the Blue Devils had yet another in a line of D1 lead guards to emerge from the Mid Atlantic prep power, and Young more than solidified the hype with his standout play throughout the weekend. He looks more like a forward at first glance with outstanding positional size and a broad, physical frame but Young spends most of his time operating at the helm of the FUMA offense. The Minnesota native showed advanced pace and a sense for using his body to ward defenders off on his way to his spots, keeping his head up to scan the floor and whip slick passes to open teammates. He showed a herky-jerky scoring package with comfort getting into stepback 3s and smooth runners. Overall, Young made it easy to see why several D1 programs have been in pursuit both before and since he arrived at Fork Union.     A DC native making his return to the Mid-Atlantic region from his post-grad detour to Ohio, Rojas Joy played about as well as he possibly could have while orchestrating a 4-0 weekend for the Phoenix. With a high-powered group of wings and bigs running alongside him, the Jackson-Reed (DC) product ran the show with poise and precision, keeping the ball on a string while weaving to his spots and consistently setting teammates up for open looks. He showed great chemistry with his bigs on a handful of alley-oops out of pick-and-roll action, and showed his growing ability to stretch defenses as a dynamic shooter from distance. Rojas Joy also made an impact on the other end with spirited point-of-attack defense, stripping ballhandlers on multiple occasions for layups going the other way, none bigger than a Sunday game-winner over Moravian Prep (NC). Entering his post-grad year without much traction at the D1 level, the southpaw could be among the bigger stock-risers in the prep landscape if this weekend was any sign of things to come.     One of the more prolific guards on the Virginia public school scene last season, Gaskins has elected for a post-grad year at Massanutten and should be primed for a big year at the helm of the Colonels free-wheeling attack. He had the ball running through him on Sunday and put together a spirited effort despite a pair of losses, playing with consistent aggressiveness while putting pressure on the defense working downhill. Gaskins played strong off of two feet in the lane and was reliable as a shooter from the perimeter when he had his feet underneath him. Look for the Patriot HS grad to be a popular name among scholarship-level coaches throughout the winter.     A key emerging piece to a new-look Massanutten lineup, Hunter showed plenty of two-way ability throughout his debut weekend with the Colonels. Coming off a state championship with nationally-regarded Coronado (NV), Hunter brings nice length, quickness, and strength to the backcourt an aggressive two-way guard. He was aggressive but controlled on his way to the rim, showcasing a slick handle and crafty finishing ability to complement his blow-by speed. Hunter is also comfortable making his living as a spirited on-ball defender who can really bother opposing ballhandlers with his quick feet and strong chest. Shooting will be the big question mark for Hunter to address over the course of the season but he should attract D1 attention nonetheless with his two-way punch.

Commonwealth Basketball Group hosted its annual JUCO/Prep showdown this past weekend, bringing in some of the best junior college, prep school, and high school programs both from Virginia and across the East Coast and Midwest. After taking in the entire weekend of action, we came away with a handful of post-grad guards who stood out with their impressive play.