New England Guards to Know (Summer AAU Scene)

<p>With a plethora guards to keep an eye on throughout New England, here are some names to know that have burst onto the summer AAU scene. </p> <p><b>[player_tooltip player_id="1081800" first="Chandler" last="Wilson Jr"] | 6’4" | Combo-Guard with movement shooting capabilities | Paulo Freire | Expressions Elite | 2022</b></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1081800" first="Chandler" last="Wilson Jr"]. may have one of the most fluid strokes of guards in New England, as there is something very translatable about his game. After getting a chance to watching him in the practice setting, his consistent stroke stands out, but he’s much more than just a shooter. Wilson has that perfect mix of athleticism paired with craft, as I was impressed with his ability to decelerate, beat his matchup off the dribble and find creative ways to finish at the rim. The rangy lefty does a great job of controlling the pace, playing at his own speed, and making high-level decisions as a primary and secondary ball handler. During an Expression practice, Wilson continuously got to his spots and ensured a level of trust with the ball in his hands. I would also call him an effortless elevator. Given his already polished offensive game, I think Wilson Jr. has many different offensive elements in his arsenal that will translate immediately at the next level.</p> <p><strong style="font-size: 1rem;">Seyphon Triplett | 6’1" | Athletic Lead Guard | Putnam HS | Black Bear North - PSA | 2023</strong></p> <p>This summer, in person, I don’t think I’ve seen a guard as explosive and aggressive as Seyphon Triplett. While he’s thrown down several emphatic dunks already, Triplett plays with a poised and measured demeanor, always focused on the next play. On the offensive side of the floor, what stands out immediately is his ability to get downhill and elevate with ease in traffic. Triplett reads plays before they even happen and gets to his spots with purposeful power dribbles. His burst and dynamic first step off a live dribble helps him create an early advantage, but Triplett can do much more than drive and finish at the rim. A noted and proven three-level scorer, Triplett also showed great effort getting back on defense and even swatted a few shots in the process. Having watched him in the practice and live game settings, Triplett plays with a high motor and drive to win every possession. Having dominated at the NERR Hoopfest with several impressive scoring totals, Triplett, in my opinion, is one of if not the most slept-on guards in New England this summer.</p> <p><strong>Jaden Brewington | 6’2" | Physical Combo Guard | Putnam Science Academy | Prodigy | 2022</strong></p> <p>A highly explosive, physical, and dynamic guard who showed the ability to both run the offense and operate as an off-ball cutting and shooting threat, Jaden Brewington is another guard bursting onto the New England summer AAU scene. He excelled at pushing the pace in the open floor and made several high-level assists off a live dribble. With a quick and powerful first step, Brewington can finish above the rim with ease and takes efficient routes to the basket on his rim attacks. Brewington was the catalyst to spark a late-quarter comeback against a very competitive BABC squad. Despite the closely contested loss, he never gave up throughout the game. Brewington made hustle plays on both sides of the floor and even showcased a solid stroke from beyond the arc. </p> <p><strong>Xavier Mckenzie | 6’1" | Lead Guard | Central Catholic | Middlesex Magic | 2022</strong></p> <p>Having had the chance to watch Mckenzie in March, April, and May, it’s fair to say that he’s one of the more skilled, consistent, and controlled lead ball handlers I’ve seen this summer. A pesky point of attack defender, he has racked up his fair share of on-ball steals and does a great job of using craft and finesse when finishing at the other end. Mckenzie can also elevate. He does a fantastic job getting to his spots and making plays within the flow of the offense. A true point guard willing and capable of playing off the ball, he reads the game at a high level and does a fantastic job of resetting the offense when things break down. In constant communication with his coaches, he executes and takes efficient paths when operating out of the pick and roll setting. Mckenzie has provided the Magic with the perfect mix of energy, focus, and leadership at the helm throughout the summer.</p> <p><strong>Alvin Baez | 6’4" | Big Combo-Guard | East Cranston | RI-Elite | 2023</strong></p> <p>Getting to the gym early helps to see who else gets there early. Alvin Baez got to the gym early and showed many translatable skills during an impressive campaign against Team Spartans. It felt as if he played every position on the floor during a Saturday game against Team Spartans. I was overall impressed with his sticktoitiveness on the offensive glass and aggressiveness when attacking the basket in the open floor. He reached great down-hill speeds on his attacks to the rack and at times showed the ability to finish above the rim. Baez did not shy away from contact and converted on a number of his looks from three-point range. Capable of scoring at all three levels, Baez was always leaking out in transition in search of easy buckets. Baez is yet another name I could see getting a lot of buzz this summer given his ability to play multiple guard spots. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1106065" first="Jake" last="Lemelman"] | 6’2" | Lead Guard Capable of playing off the ball | Newton South HS | Team Spartans | 2024</strong></p> <p>One of the more skilled New England guards in the class of 2024, the game seems to come naturally to [player_tooltip player_id="1106065" first="Jake" last="Lemelman"]. With a quick and effective first step, Lemelman converted on several floaters and shots around the rim. He has the offensive versatility already to operate at both guard spots. On defense, he showed great focus at the point of attack and came away with several off-ball interceptions that led to open run-out baskets. Lemelman also showcased a sound lefty stroke during a decisive victory over RI Elite, as he did a great job of moving without the ball, passing, then relocating to an open spot for a knockdown triple. Willing to make the extra pass, Lemelman pushed the ball with purpose and found his teammates for open shots. In addition to his commanding performance on both ends, Lemelman just looked like he was having fun out there.</p> <p><strong>Jaden Hill | 5'5" | Lead Guard | Belmont Hill | Team New England | 2022</strong></p> <p>Capable of creating an early advantage, Jaden Hill continuously got to his spots. With smooth moves out of the pick and roll action, he constantly has the ball on a string. I was impressed with his ability to read the floor and find open driving windows. He also knocked down several shots from deep, got great elevation on his shot, and made several high-degree of difficulty passes. Opportunistic with the ball in his hands, he did a great job of picking and choosing his scoring spots and contorting himself once he got to the basket. Willing to hound his opponent 94-feet of the floor, I was impressed with Hill's relentless sticktoitiveness as a point of attack defender. After getting a chance to watch Hill live in person at the NERR Hoopfest, it's clear that Hill plays with a measured and controlled level of confidence, something that is very translatable at the next level. </p>