Spring Kickoff: Manual’s Guards of the Day
Below are five guards that stood out from Manual on Day-2 at Manual High School in Denver, Colorado. Christopher Watkins — Give 2022 Watkins did not score a ton on Saturday, but the way that he affects the game has…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingBelow are five guards that stood out from Manual on Day-2 at Manual High School in Denver, Colorado.
Christopher Watkins — Give 2022
Watkins did not score a ton on Saturday, but the way that he affects the game has a lot to do with how this team operates. He is a willing passer with a high IQ who understands time and possession., He took care of the basketball and ran the offense. He finished at the rim but was looking to distribute. He is a floor general that makes others around him better and he is a player that teammates seem to run harder for as they know they are going to be rewarded. In a time that scoring is viewed as so important it was nice to see a guard that made the extra pass to keep the flow.
Jackson Keil — Colorado Hawks
Keil is a player that I was excited to see as he was injured during the high school season so I did not get to take a look at him. Let’s start by saying this, he is healthy and he is back. Keil was able to create for others as well as get his own. He is a guard with size that uses his length to his advantage. He is a shot creator that finds the open man or attacks the mismatch to get his own. On defense he was one of the only players on the day that was able to guard positions 1-5 and he takes on the challenge as being a defensive stopper.
Jaedyn Brown- Wyoming Beasts
Brown stood out with Rocky Mountain Fever as they fell in the Championship in Oklahoma and finished where he left off – by making plays. What’s more impressive is Brown is playing up a grade level. He is an eighth greater with one of the best IQs of any guard on the day, no matter the age. He does not force passes, he values the ball and he passes with a purpose. Brown is a distributor that is looking to make plays for others but he also is a marksman from beyond the arc. He is able to shoot off of the dribble and reads the defense well to see how they are playing him. The game was a bit faster for him early on making the switch to play up but he adjusted quickly and made his mark in the game while showing poise.
Lonzell Smith – Seventwenty Kingz
The Kingz lost but a standout for their team was Smith. Smith is a quick guard that plays solid defense. He kept getting switched onto bigger guys and he was able to hold his own. He is bouncy and plays with a bit of an edge. He gets to the rim easier than most guards and uses his quick first step to get by defenders. He is a leader that attacks the rim and knocks down open shots. He is also able to push the pace and limit his turnovers while playing at a quick tempo.
Cade Palmer – Colorado Miners Gold
With Palmer you know what it is you are going to get – baskets. Palmer is a confident shooter that can light teams up with his range. He is able to shoot off of the dribble, come off of screens and if he is open just count it as three points. With a talented team he is the balance as he spaces the floor and also controls things for the squad. Palmer is a guard that sets up the offense and runs it to perfection and is improving as a overall player that gets it done in different ways, He is not just settling for shots, he gets into the paint and either finds the open man or uses his floater. In the Miners win over Premier he was able to showcase a wide variety of areas he is progressing on and is a player to watch.