Take Flight Challenge: Seven guards you might not know, but should
REDONDO BEACH, Ca. — The sixth annual Take Flight Challenge, dually hosted by Redondo Union and Culver City high schools, was a two-day, 13-game event split in to three separate sessions. The showcase featured a variety of high school programs…
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Continue ReadingREDONDO BEACH, Ca. — The sixth annual Take Flight Challenge, dually hosted by Redondo Union and Culver City high schools, was a two-day, 13-game event split in to three separate sessions.
The showcase featured a variety of high school programs hailing from multiple regions of Southern California along with Sheldon from Sacramento and Liberty from Henderson, Nevada.
Here are seven guards who emerged as players you might not know, but should:
Matthew Barrera, Los Altos
Barrera is another senior who runs with an extremely talented guard in Jarod Lucas, but there are plenty of opportunities for other Los Altos players to get some looks as Lucas often faces double and triple teams. Barrera stepped up in a win Saturday over Leuzinger, scoring 15 points in a six-point victory.
Kevin Bethel, Westchester
Bethel has made a major jump this season from a solid sixth or seventh man off the bench for the Comets to the guy who can orchestrate a high-powered offense with his poise and high basketball IQ. The best aspects of the 6-foot-2 point guard’s game are that he never gets sped up under pressure, avoids forcing the issue offensively, and truly understands timing and placement on his passes.
Ryan Blackmon, Culver City
The 6-foot senior is one of the better senior scoring guards left on the recruiting board. Blackmon is always in attack mode, possesses good end-to-end speed and has the ability to absorb, stay on balance, and finish through contact despite his wiry frame. Blackmon scored 29 points in a Saturday morning loss to Crossroads, a majority of those on strong and crafty paint finishes.
Culver City guard Ryan Blackmon is an explosive rim attacker with a good first step and burst in transition.Spencer Hubbard, Harvard-Westlake
Hubbard is one of those guys who does the things that don’t show up in the box score. The 5-foot-8 junior doesn’t over-handle the basketball, advances it to his scorers in transition, feeds the Wolverines two talented big men with pinpoint post-entry passes and values possession by not committing turnovers. Hubbard put up seven points, nine rebounds and eight assists in a blowout of Mayfair.
Justin Nguyen, Sheldon
Nguyen is as steady as they come at the high school level. He doesn’t have head-turning athleticism and isn’t the team’s go-to scorer, but Nguyen rarely turns the ball over and is capable of knocking down a timely catch-and-shoot 3-point shot. The 5-foot-10 senior is also a sound on-ball defender.
Landreau Tate, Jr., Camarillo
It’s tough to grab some shine while playing alongside a dominant player the likes of Jaime Jaquez, but the 6-foot-1 senior point guard came up big for the Scorpions in a four-point win over Santa Margarita. Tate added 15 points to Jaquez’s 36, including a handful of quick and shifty drives and finishes.
Xan Wesley, Redondo Union
Wesley is one of the more underrated scoring guards in SoCal as evidenced by his 21 points in a loss to Westchester on Friday. The 6-foot-3 junior is very good at creating his own shot off the bounce as he creates space with the dribble and his footwork. Wesley is capable of draining tough step-back and contested jumpers, as well.