Southwest Slam: Standout Texas Guards (Part 1)

<p>The Prep Hoops Circuit rolled on this past weekend at the Southwest Slam in Duncanville, Texas. Teams from several different states were in attendance, and as expected, the Lone Star State was well-represented. A bunch of Texas prospects made noise over the course of the tournament. Here are a few guards that caught my attention: </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> [caption id="attachment_1028368" align="alignright" width="100"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/17U-TexasSwish-TulsaHawksBlue-4080-1.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1028368 " src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/17U-TexasSwish-TulsaHawksBlue-4080-1-e1596508514736-100x150.jpg" alt="" width="100" height="150" /></a> Photo: Tom Marvin[/caption] <p><strong>Lav Cvetkovic | 2021 | 6’7’’ Shooting Guard | TRT Basketball | Spring Creek Academy</strong> - Cvetkovic has the skill to operate as a point forward on the ball, but he also has the size and physicality to compete on the wing and in the post. He is a great three-point shooter from the catch and has the ability to score in the post as well when he finds a mismatch. The sweet-shooting Cvetkovic contributes on the boards too thanks to his 6’7’’ height and solid frame. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Reese Miller | 2022 | 6’0’’ Combo Guard | THP Elite White 17U | Round Rock HS</strong> - Miller put together one of the best shooting performances of the weekend on Saturday when he drilled six threes in a single game, three of which came on consecutive possessions. He can knock it down off the dribble or from the catch. This dude is a sniper. Beyond that, Miller played equally well on and away from the ball. When he isn’t draining triples, he is a good distributor with a knack for finding open shooters.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> [caption id="attachment_1028381" align="alignright" width="100"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/17U-TexasSwish-TulsaHawksBlue-3757.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1028381 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/17U-TexasSwish-TulsaHawksBlue-3757-e1596509159629-100x150.jpg" alt="" width="100" height="150" /></a> Photo: Tom Marvin[/caption] <p><strong>James Hussey | 2021 | 6’4’’ Combo Guard | Team F.O.E. 17U White | Frisco Liberty HS </strong>- Hussey plays with a quiet but noticeable edge. He is an aggressive scorer who is always in attack mode. I like him best at the two-spot where he can absolutely fill it up. The soon-to-be senior is willing to sacrifice his body to make things happen for his team. He plays through contact when he gets to the basket and is terrific at beating defenders off the dribble. He also makes enough threes to make you respect him as a shooter. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Jaleen Goodman | 2022 | 5’10’’ Point Guard | Drive Nation Houston Cutter 17U | Summer Creek HS</strong> - Goodman is a twitchy athlete and a shifty ball handler. He is able to use his quickness and tight dribble to create for himself and others. The junior from Houston checks all the boxes you want out of a lead guard. He is an excellent playmaker, a consistent three-point shooter, a vocal leader, and a savvy defender. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> [caption id="attachment_1007173" align="alignright" width="150"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/06/DSC_0196.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-1007173" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/06/DSC_0196-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a> Photo Credit: Noah Weber (Prep Hoops)[/caption] <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="959418" first="Donovan" last="Hernandez"] | 2021 | 5’10’’ Point Guard | Team F.O.E. Elite 17U | Frisco Independence HS</strong> - Call me old school, but I love watching pass-first point guards. So, it’s always a treat when I get to see the agile Hernandez zip it around the court. He is an expert at getting into the teeth of the defense and finding a teammate to dump the ball off to for an assist. His vision is tremendous in both half court sets and on the break. He can get his own too and understands when to call his own number. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="887098" first="Eain" last="Mowat"] | 2021 | 6’0’’ Point Guard | THP Elite Blue 17U | Austin Westlake HS</strong> - Mowat is a terrific pick-and-roll ball handler. He’s good in pick-and-pop scenarios as well. His passes are delivered on the money and he has a good feel for the timing in those situations. He can hit shots off the dribble coming off of screens and does a really nice job of taking high percentage shots. He plays fast but never looks out of control. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> [caption id="attachment_1028375" align="alignright" width="100"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/17U-OKSwarmElite-TXUnited-4504.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-1028375" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/17U-OKSwarmElite-TXUnited-4504-e1596508856667-100x150.jpg" alt="" width="100" height="150" /></a> Photo: Tom Marvin[/caption] <p><strong>Jaylyn Jourdan-Siddberry | 2021 | 6’0’’ Combo Guard | Texas United 17U | Frisco Centennial HS</strong> - Jourdan-Siddberry is a super athletic guard who is able to play either the one or the two. At just 6-foot flat, he has an impressive vertical and likes to show it off by finishing above the rim in transition when he has the chance. His shot-making is solid from mid-range and behind the arc. Defensively, he is exceptional at ball denial and sticks to his man when defending away from the ball. </p>