Double Trouble Invitational: Saturday Top Guards Pt 1

<p>Had the pleasure this past weekend to drop in on the Double Trouble Invitational at Mt Pisgah, put on by my friends, brothers Charles and Michael Pack, of the Double Trouble AAU organization and Twin Connection Athletics.</p> <p>It was a first-class event with over 50 teams across multiple age divisions, and despite my only seeing 6 hours of Saturday action, I came out with some names to keep an eye on, first some backcourt gems:</p> <p><em><strong>Michael Rosser, CG, DT Elite 2024 (Mt Pisgah)</strong></em></p> <p>Smooth and poised as a point man, nice quickness off the bounce, nose for the rim in an off-guard role with a fluidness to get downhill to the tin, excellent shooter and first-class on-ball defender.</p> <p><em><strong>Isaiah West, CG, DT Elite 2024 (Campbell, pictured above)</strong></em></p> <p>A more slightly bigger, more physical version of Rosser, perhaps not as quick off the bounce but possesses a power and ferocity in getting his offense, great natural instincts on the floor with a nose for the right play, a composed leadership figure.</p> <p><em><strong>Laz Mason, SG, Norcross Heat Elite 2024 (Grayson)</strong></em></p> <p>Among the best pure shooters I saw all afternoon, absolute knockdown efficiency from way out, a must-guard on the catch because his release is quick and smooth, showed some off-the-dribble quickness and that should improve and make him even more dangerous.</p> <p><em><strong>Tyler Hughes, PG, Norcross Heat Elite 2024 (McEachern)</strong></em></p> <p>Wouldn't be as fun a "guard show" to watch without one each from prolific programs Grayson and McEachern, I'd seen Hughes a bit last summer and he was quickly on my radar, he has gotten a little bigger and stronger but hasn't lost any of his signature flair with the ball or his terrific shooting range, he's among the best passers in the class as well and may push for varsity time next winter.</p> <p><strong><em>Hunter Amick, SG, Tribe ATL 2024 (Brookwood)</em></strong></p> <p>At my workout visit to Tribe ATL recently I was impressed with Amick's versatility and team play, here at the DT Invitational we got to see more of his full assets - solid shooting, nice moves off the bounce, great work rate on the glass, high IQ at both ends, steady ballhandling. I was tipped off by Tribe coaches he was a sleeper to watch, he did plenty to back up that claim Saturday.</p> <p><em><strong>Corey Gatlin II, CG, Tribe ATL 2024 (Grayson)</strong></em></p> <p>Shot the lights out from 3 with a cool, collected confidence, as noted in my workout roundup he gets things done in an easy-looking manner but is really just beating everyone to the basket or the spot, put his refined dribble-drive game to work and can be a monster on-ball defender when he gets up into you.</p> <p><em><strong>David Culbreath, PG, Tribe ATL 2024 (Homeschooled)</strong></em></p> <p>Has a pure PG's mentality with the ball in his hands, sees the passing lanes and makes strong decisions, can bomb it from deep and then blow-by you downhill to the cup, should he decide to enter a program in town he will quickly emerge onto radars everywhere.</p> <p><em><strong>Malique Card, PG, Tier 2 Elite 2024 (Kell)</strong></em></p> <p>We mentioned Grayson and McEachern guards earlier, another factory of late has been Kell and Card fits the model there well for a young player, a confident, polished handle, head up and on a swivel, likes to get in and slice up a defense for a sweet feed or short floater, when he extends his shooting range even further can take a next step in his development toward a potentially elite level. </p> <p><em><strong>Knyles Lundy, CG, Go Hard 2023, (Sprayberry)</strong></em></p> <p>An easy smoothness to his game, good size and length, long strider covers a lot of ground with the ball, slithery getting to the basket and finishes at a high level, excellent rebounding guard. </p> <p><em><strong>Daylen Thrower, SG, Upward Stars (North Paulding, 2021)</strong></em></p> <p>Looked sharp in his slasher role against DT, coming off a solid senior season for a North Paulding team that was underrated and won 18 games, much more of a downhill wing player than shooter but there's no doubt room for that shooting range to grow, super-athletic and can still help a next-level program with good size near 6-5 with a high IQ and high work both on defense and the glass.</p>