UA Rise & Adidas MDC: Lead Guards
2020 Randy Johnson (PSB McCarthy)- After watching Johnson have a nice outing at Bob Gibbons two weeks ago, I left wanting to see more of him. This past weekend in Spartanburg, he was great again, putting on one of the…
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Continue Reading2020 Randy Johnson (PSB McCarthy)- After watching Johnson have a nice outing at Bob Gibbons two weeks ago, I left wanting to see more of him. This past weekend in Spartanburg, he was great again, putting on one of the best passing displays I have seen in a long time. In the particular game I saw, Johnson and PSB took it to Hawks Elite for a dominant win in which he had 16 assists. It seemed like every possession he drew defenders and made an accurate, timely pass to a teammate for an easy score. Johnson has a muscular build and good speed, but plays under control. He averaged 9.8 APG for the tournament while also putting up solid scoring numbers in each game. His style of play should warrant lots of attention in June and July.
2020 Kennedy Miles (PSB Elite)- Having not seen Miles since last spring, I was interested to see how he had progressed in the past year. He did not disappoint when I watched PSB in Spartanburg, putting together two well-rounded performances in which he averaged 11.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 4.5 APG, and 3 SPG. Miles has a good, strong frame that has bulked up considerably since last year. Given that and the fact that he’s an exceptional athlete make him a problem in transition and at the rim. In the half court, Miles isn’t overly ball dominant and doesn’t make many mistakes, as seen by his 6:1 assist-to-turnover ratio for the weekend. Miles is a reliable finisher, capable shooter, and just solid all-around. He is deserving of the NJIT offer he received following the weekend and more should be on the way.
2020 Bradley Douglas (Team Florida)- Douglas has been impressive every stop I’ve seen him this spring- the Adidas session in Spartanburg, Bob Gibbons, and the Adidas MDC, he just continues to get it done. Two weekends ago he had a good performance in a close win over SE United and last weekend he put up 20 points in a great victory in the Adidas MDC championship over the Atlanta Celtics. Douglas is really strong and gets downhill in a hurry, blowing past people in the open court and moving bodies on his way to the basket. He seems to have improved his shot throughout the spring and is effective from both mid-range and 3. What I probably like most about Douglas is the intensity and energy he plays with; he’s vocal, locks in on defense, gets teammates involved, and encourages them. I’m surprised that he doesn’t have more going on in his recruitment but I bet that will change soon.
2020 Giancarlo Valdez (Pro One)- Valdez was productive in each of Pro One’s game last weekend in Spartanburg. I watched their first game against the Atlanta Xpress, where Valdez went for a near triple-double of 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists. He ended up leading the 17U division in scoring at 22.5 PPG to go along with 4.5 RPG, 5.3 APG, while shooting over 50% both from the field and beyond the 3-point line. He also had an solid 3:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Valdez does it all and has great size and length for a lead guard. He uses a nice mixture of inside and outside scoring, understanding when to use both. Valdez has some wiry strength, passes well when attacking off the dribble, and is calm under pressure. He has the type of smooth game that will attract an ample amount of D1 programs.
2021 Sutton Smith (Hype Hawks)- Having been a fan of Smith’s since he was in middle school, I know what to expect from him on the court. However, I felt like he had a unique performance on Monday against SE United. The first half was a struggle offensively for both teams, and one where Smith went scoreless himself. Once SE United keyed in on Matt Cleveland in the 2nd half, Smith and Najhae Colon really stepped up and played well off each other on offense. Smith scored all 19 of his points in the 2nd half, heating up from deep late, making a few of his usual crafty layups, and then icing the game at the FT line. Similar to their wins over the Celtics and Stars, the SE United game was another statement victory, and it was done without Cole Middleton and Logan Turner. People can talk about Smith’s size, how he doesn’t pass the eye test, or whatever else, but his production is undeniable.