One of the best players in the gym on Saturday was 2029 Point Guard AJ Cureton AJ Cureton 5'8" | PG Nation Ford | 2029 State SC . Nation Ford was impressive as a team in their win over Fort Dorchester, but Cureton was the piece that made them click all game offensively. He finished with 22 points, including 15 of them in the first half, with tons of tough buckets. AJ used a tight handle to get to the rim, where he finished with craft to navigate size, plus he was effective pulling up off the bounce in the mid-range and from three, while also mixing in some facilitation when defenses migrated towards him.

Checking in right behind his region-mate, Lowery, is Cureton. From both a team standpoint and an individual standpoint, AJ had as productive a season as you can hope for from a freshman. His 12.7 points per game, 3.2 assists per game, and 1.9 steals per game helped Nation Ford win Region 3-5A and advance to the Elite 8 of 5A Division 2. Cureton is as creative as they come on the offensive end, both as a creator and a finisher, which help him account for a lack of size.

Rounding out the eye-catchers from Northwestern vs Nation Ford on Friday night is AJ Cureton AJ Cureton 5'8" | PG Nation Ford | 2029 State SC . Like Lowery, Cureton is one of the most exciting underclassmen in the state and already has an established role in the backcourt as a freshman. AJ showed some really good things with the ball in his hands despite the loss, frequently creating good looks for himself and others off the dribble. He had 9 points on a pull-up three, a tough mid-range jumper, and two runners off the glass, but he also had 7 assists, which is more intriguing for his long-term future. Cureton already shows lots of good signs as a young Point Guard, so he will be one to watch during the AAU season when he goes back to playing with others his age.