Point Guards from Mayhem in the Plex
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During the Prep Hoops Circuit, guard play has been at a premium. While there has been a lack of legitimate big men, the number of point guards I have seen on the Circuit have made games very interesting and enjoyable.…
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Continue ReadingDuring the Prep Hoops Circuit, guard play has been at a premium. While there has been a lack of legitimate big men, the number of point guards I have seen on the Circuit have made games very interesting and enjoyable. Point guards set the tone in these games and there were five who were a pleasure to watch during the Mayhem in the Plex. They should be point guards to watch during June and the rest of the grassroots season.
Adrian Orozco (6’1″ – Texas CGTW 2022 – Alexander)
Orozco made a big impression during their defeat of Come 2 Compete during their game in Fort Worth. He is a guard who believes in pushing the ball up the floor for early opportunities and knows how to handle it without turning it over. Orozco keeps his head up at all times and gets to the rim with fundamental moves. He is not flashy but he gets the job done. Orozco is more athletic than he looks at first glance so he is able to guard on the ball effectively and plays passing lanes well. He is a point guard that would receive more notice if he played with a more high profile team. Orozco is what teams want in their lead guard.
Zander Baker Zander Baker 5'10" | PG Norman | 2023 State OK (5’10″ – RSE 2022 – Storm)
I got a chance to see Baker in person after catching him virtually during the Grind SZN. From what I saw in person, Baker is a hard guard for anyone guarding him. Zander is not very tall and dribbles low to the ground when he attacks the rim. He is not fast but he seems to constantly get into the paint and gets a shot on the glass. Baker used a myriad of finishes to score against the competition during the Mayhem event. Floaters, quick layups with either hand, and short jumpers were most of his paint attack. By the way, he can stroke it from deep as well. Baker keeps opposing guards honest and off balance. Guarding him is a tough assignment as it was in Fort Worth.
Connor Greavis Connor Greavis 5'11" | PG Livonia | 2023 State LA (5’11″ – Showtime Elite 2023 – Livonia)
Greavis caught double duty all weekend as he played the lead guard for the 16U Showtime Elite team and backup point with the 17U team. What I did learn about him was that he does what a coach needs him to do. For the 16U team, he is asked to score. Therefore, he is more aggressive getting to the rim and taking threes. For the older team, he is more of a facilitator and distributes to the wings and guards they have. In both situations, he is a solid man-to-man defender who can disrupt other guards in space. Greavis knows how to fill his roles for Showtime Elite. This grassroots experience should only help him improve as a point guard going forward.
Lawrence Forcell Lawrence Forcell 5'7" | PG Donaldsonville | 2022 State LA (5’8″ – Showtime Elite 2022 – Donaldsonville)
Forcell was the hardest guard to stay in front of during “Mayhem” and made life miserable for whomever was guarding him during the Saturday sessions in Fort Worth. He is a strong, quick guard who excels in pushing the ball in transition. Forcell also has a quick first step and uses his upper body to get the ball on the glass when he is in the paint. One this particular day, Forcell had a lot of And-1 opportunities which he converted because of his quick burst into the lane. If Forcell, continues to capitalize on opportunities in the paint and the open floor, he will make large strides in being a point guard to fear this summer.
Phillip Whitthorne (5’10″ – Oklahoma Intensity 2022 – Lone Grove)
Whitthorne is another guard in the mold of a Zander Baker Zander Baker 5'10" | PG Norman | 2023 State OK . The Lone Grove guard was very good at getting Oklahoma Intensity into different plays and finding teammates in the position to score. Whitthorne was also good at getting his own offense going. He made a couple of defenders pay for sagging off when he was above the arc. Whitthorne was also able to drive by a couple of others because he has a mastery of the handle. He did not lose control of his dribble when pressured or not. Because of that, he received some extra attention as games progressed. Whitthorne is a lead guard to watch because he does a lot of things well.
These guards, and others in their mold, made the weekend in Fort Worth a must watch all weekend. Point guards with the ability to dish, shoot, and handle make the game easier for their teammates as well. As the Prep Hoops Circuit continues, I look forward to seeing these players mature continuously as they play more and more.