PH Iowa Open: Tony's Top 17U Guards

Amenu is a scrappy, tough on-ball defender with great lateral movement, quick hands, and a real willingness to lock in on that end of the floor and make life miserable for opposing ball-handlers. His constant pressure makes other guards uncomfortable and forces them to speed up and have to make quicker decisions, which routinely led to forced turnovers. The NEXT Level Performance Academy guard also showed some talents on the offensive end, scoring from all three levels and creating looks off the dribble for his teammates.     Playing with NEXT Level, Gersema showcased three-level scoring and playmaking ability throughout their game against [program_tooltip program_id='2836718' first='Team' last='Step']. The Marshalltown product has great body control around the rim, handles it well, and finishes through contact at the bucket. He's a confident shooter who can knock down shots off both the dribble and the catch.     Rains has become one of my favorite guards to watch in the state over the last few years, and his play against [program_tooltip program_id='2626519' first='Drive' last='Pro Select'] showed why. He's oozing with confidence and is a dynamic three-level scorer and skilled playmaker who sets his teammates up well. He's fearless and loves to attack the rim despite being a smaller, slighter built guard, and he doesn't shy away from contact at the bucket. He's always balanced, always under control.     Akines was playing with [program_tooltip program_id='2626519' first='Drive' last='Pro Select'] this weekend and his usual arsenal was on full display. He has great footwork and handles the ball exceptionally well, a combination that helps him create additional space to get his shot off, especially in the mid-range. He's a skilled playmaker who sees the floor really well, and he isn't afraid to take smaller defenders down onto the block and impose his will.     Alexander is a long, lanky guard who plays with pace, changes speeds well, and makes great decisions with the ball in his hands. He's an intelligent playmaker who doesn't get sped up, sees the floor well, and he's a tough finisher around the rim. With his size, he can usually shoot over his defender, and his length and athleticism allow him to defend multiple positions at a high level.     Joens is an electric shooting threat who can bury four or five 3s on you in the blink of an eye, but what stood out the most about his play on Saturday against [program_tooltip program_id='2626519' first='Drive' last='Pro Select'] was his improvement as a ball-handler and shot creator off the bounce. His shot will always be the biggest threat in his game, but improving his confidence as a ball-handler opens up many other facets - other levels of scoring, more opportunities to create for his teammates, and it'll make defenders have to respect his drive, freeing up more space for his jumper.     An unsigned senior playing with Drive Pro Purple, Wright is incredibly fast with the ball in his hands going end-to-end. He was able to routinely get to the rim off the dribble, both in transition and within the halfcourt setting. He handles the ball well, changes direction without losing speed, and is a strong finisher at the tin.     An off-ball guard who can really, really shoot it when he gets his feet set, Graening has a quick release off the catch and moves well without the ball in his hands. Everything about his shooting motion is fluid, effortless, and repeatable. He knocked down shot after shot for Drive Pro Purple in their win over NEXT Level.