PrimeTime Back 2 School Jam: Standout 2023 Guards
The new school year is upon us, and many upperclassmen have turned their attention towards preparing for the upcoming high school season. This has given me a chance to get a look at some lesser known players from the younger…
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Continue ReadingThe new school year is upon us, and many upperclassmen have turned their attention towards preparing for the upcoming high school season. This has given me a chance to get a look at some lesser known players from the younger classes. I had the opportunity to do exactly that this past weekend. I saw a ton of talented 2023 prospects compete at the Back 2 School Jam presented by PrimeTime Sports in Plano, Texas. Here are four under the radar guards from the class of 2023 who caught my eye.
Tristen Kailey – 2023 PG (Nike EAD 2023 Black) – Kailey was by far the most impressive player I saw play this weekend. He is a tall and explosive guard who keeps defenders on their heels. He showed the ability to score consistently from all three levels. His size and aggressiveness make him a tough match up for opposing guards. Additionally, Kailey’s size allows him to be a versatile defender as well as contribute as a rebounder.
Kailey excels at playing in transition. He can do damage as a passer or a scorer. His mid-range pull up makes it even tougher on opposing defenses. He attacks the basket and finishes well through contact. He had a couple of acrobatic lay ups that belong on his highlight tape. The sky is the limit for this kid.
Dylan Gibbons – 2023 Combo Guard (Nike EAD 2023 Black) Dallas Jesuit – Gibbons is a tremendous ball handler who can operate efficiently at both the one and two guard spots on offense. His handles make him particularly effective in isolation. He can blow past defenders with his speed or free himself up for a good look from three. On defense, he holds his own on the perimeter and likes to jump passing lanes.
Gibbons made some brilliant no-look passes in both the games I saw him play. He showed that he is more than capable of running point when Kailey was on the bench getting a breather. He can play both guard positions at high level. EAD 2023’s backcourt is in good hands with Gibbons and Kailey running the show.
Brandon Hardison – 2023 PG (BYG Elite 2023) – This kid is the definition of pure scorer. He is fearless when the ball is in his hands. Hardison is a speedy ball handler who scores in bunches. He may be a bit undersized, but he is an explosive athlete who can score in a variety of ways. He finishes well in traffic among the bigs down low.
Most impressively, Hardison proved he can hit big time shots in close games. With his team trailing late in the fourth, he hit a three and immediately followed it up with an and-one to tie the game up. That’s not even the best part. With less than seven seconds left on the clock, he came up with a steal on defense and laid it in at the other end as time expired to win the game. Hardison has what I like to call the “it” factor.
Luke Carter – 2023 SG (BYG Elite 2023) – Carter is a three-point specialist. He moves well without the ball and is excellent at getting to his spots behind the arc. He excels in catch and shoot scenarios and also showed off some range by hitting a pair of deep triples. On the defensive end, he has quick hands and came up with two big steals late in a game when his team needed a jolt.
Carter has a pretty jump shot. He isn’t afraid to let it fly with a hand in his face either. He can make threes from anywhere, but he likes to hang out in the corners and wait for a teammate to find him. In addition to his shooting, I also saw him finish though contact in transition with a wild reverse lay-up. As you’d expect, he is an excellent free throw shooter as well.