Hoops By Ugland Fall High School Showcase: Top Guards (Part II)
ONTARIO — The inaugural Hoops By Ugland Fall High School showcase brought together 20 of Southern California’s well-known programs, in addition to some looking to get their school on the map, and a prep school program from Arizona. The one…
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Continue ReadingONTARIO — The inaugural Hoops By Ugland Fall High School showcase brought together 20 of Southern California’s well-known programs, in addition to some looking to get their school on the map, and a prep school program from Arizona.
The one day event featured 18 games inside the Colony high school gymnasium with highly recruited and under-the-radar players showing out in their respective games. Below you will find evaluations and analysis of the some of the best guard performances of the day.
Top Guards (Part II)
Daniel Esparza, Sonora
Esparza burst onto the scene last fall and winter with Sonora and continued to raise his stock over the spring and summer playing with the Veritas club program. If there’s one thing few do better than the 6-foot-2 junior, it’s score in a variety of ways and in bunches. Esparza can hit the catch-and-shoot triple, pull-up mid-range jumper or break his defender down in isolation and get to the basket for a paint finish. The next step for Esparza is to continue to mold into a playmaker to go along with his innate scoring ability.
Brenton Knapper, Colony
Knapper might be the most explosive “small” guard in the state. The 5-foot-10 junior looks like he’s taking off on a launch pad in transition and defenders are caught off guard by his ability to get off the floor so quickly and rise up so high. Knapper is still working on his floor spreading perimeter shot, but he’s looking more confident pulling it when he’s open.
Evan Oliver (left) scored 27 points in Riverside Poly’s win over Sonora at the Hoops By Ugland Fall High School Showcase.Evan Oliver, Riverside Poly
Oliver is one of the most under-appreciated guards in the area. The 6-foot-1 senior is one of the more consistent perimeter shooters you’ll find and plays with a huge chip on his shoulder. He might not look the part of a next-level shooting guard, but he plays the part of one who could be a viable offensive threat at the Division II level. Oliver scored 27 points in Riverside Poly’s first win of the day over Sonora.
Isaac Peralta, JSerra
Peralta, a recent transfer to JSerra from Mater Dei, got to play major minutes due to the absence of starting point guard Justin Williams and shooting guard Ian Martinez. The 6-foot sophomore point guard didn’t disappoint, scoring 20 points in a close overtime loss to PHHoenix Prep Blue. Peralta is a shifty scoring guard who uses changes of speed and direction to slice his way to the basket for paint finishes.
RJ Smith, Damien
Smith’s game is kind of mash-up between a guard and a wing because of his versatility on both ends of the floor. The 6-foot-3 sophomore is a high level on-ball defender and rebounder for his position. Smith might be the best offensive rebounder, pound-for-pound in all of Southern California. He’s improved his ball skills to the point where he can create his own shot off the bounce and looks more comfortable letting it fly from deep.