UAA MDW-Saturday Guard Notebook
Today in Westfield, IN the Under Armour Memorial Day Weekend event tipped off inside the Pacers Athletic Center. UA sponsored teams from around the country were in attendance, so it was a great chance to see a wealth of talent…
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Continue ReadingToday in Westfield, IN the Under Armour Memorial Day Weekend event tipped off inside the Pacers Athletic Center. UA sponsored teams from around the country were in attendance, so it was a great chance to see a wealth of talent to end the month of May. I’ll be doing breakdowns of each day with notebooks from the guards, wings an bigs. We start with the guards that I caught in action.
Jack Rose Jack Rose 6'5" | SG Westosha Central | 2022 State #213 Nation WI | 6’4 | Wisconsin Playground Club ’22
Rose put on a shooting clinic throughout PGC’s two wins today. The 6-foot-4 guard can make shots in a variety of actions off the catch whether it be coming off pin downs, making himself available in windows as teammates penetrate the paint or in spot-up scenarios in transition. He converted on six triples through the two games played, finishing with 19 points in the first and 9 points in limited minutes in the second game.
Jeffrey Brazziel | 6’4 | Wisconsin Playground Club ’22
Brazziel didn’t light the box score up today, but he showed flashes of why programs are high on his upside, especially against Team Curry where he finished with 12 points. The 6-foot-4 guard is a plus athlete that floats in the air through the paint. He finished with craft to avoid opposing shot blockers and put the weakside defender in bad position that usually resulted in Brazziel drawing a foul.
Caleb Foster | 6’5 | Team Curry ’22
Foster exploded in the opening game against Wisconsin Playground Club as the Oak Hill standout finished with a team-high 26 points. He blossomed quickly into the primary option for Team Curry and despite the loss, he was very impressive with his approach. He scored from all three levels, but was at his best getting downhill, using his strong frame and finishing around the basket.
Elijah Jamison | 6’2 | Team Curry ’22
Jamison had good control of his team’s offense in both the half court and in transition. The 6-foot-2 guard, who’s committed to East Carolina, used his balance approach as a scorer and distributor to keep his matchup guessing throughout. He was effective in ball-screen scenarios where he would turn the corner and get into the paint for finesse finishes. Jamison was a solid on-ball defensive presence who pressured without fouling.
Antonio Hamlin Antonio Hamlin 6'2" | CG Mount St. Joseph | 2022 MD | 6’2 | Team Thrill ’22
Hamlin’s best performance came in Thrill’s upset loss against D1 Indiana. Had Hamlin not been on the floor, the final score had a chance to be much more lopsided. The 6-foot-2 guard displayed tremendous leadership as a communicator when his team lacked energy. Hamlin converted on three triples to finish with 13 points, but was also assisting teammates in transition, being active in passing lanes off the ball and drew two charges.
Trae English Trae English 5'11" | PG Baltimore Poly | 2021 State MD | 5’11 | Team Thrill ’22
English routinely got to wherever he wanted to with his quick burst. Whether it was in the open floor, ball-screen scenarios or isolation situations, English’s quick twitch ability is just too much for the majority of defenders to handle. As effective as he was on the offensive end, English is just as valuable defensively and uses his quickness to harass ball handlers the full length of the floor. Often times it resulted in his man getting sped up, uncomfortable and baited into a turnover.
Derrick ‘Doogie’ James | 5’11 | Nova Village ’22
James was a fun guard to watch play because of how hard he competes. The 5-foot-11 southpaw brings a dog mentality to the floor and is relentless at the point of attack. He got to the rim with regularity and doesn’t shy away from contact on his way there. He understands how to absorb contact, keep his balance and finish shots. James made solid read out of pick-and-rolls to weakside shooters in the corner and did his job defensively by supplying quality ball pressure throughout against Wisconsin Playground Club.
Ja’Kobi Gillispie | 6’0 | B-Maze Elite
Gillispie was one of the more consistent guards I watched today especially in late-game situations. He scored 11 points in their win over Team Charlotte, but it was his decision-making that helped put his team over the top. Also a standout on the football field, Gillispie translates the physicality to the basketball court and the grit in which he plays with quickly spreads throughout his teammates.
BJ Edwards | 6’3 | B-Maze Elite
This was my first chance getting to see Edwards live and I saw why many are high on him. He’s a 6-foot-3 guard that plays with a chip on his shoulder who also plays with good pace. Edwards was at his best in isolations or ball-screens where he can routinely get an edge on his defender, get in the paint and finish at the rim. His size and athleticism make him eligible to guard either backcourt position and for spurts, match up against smaller wings.
Trey Green | 5’9 | Team Charlotte ’23
Green played with the 17U squad and was extremely assertive as the floor general. At 5-foot-9, he’s a blur in the open floor and while he covers space in an instant, Green’s eyes are always up and looking to throw advance passes for quick buckets. He spent most of his possessions in the half court breaking down his defender, forcing the defense to collapse and locating open teammates along the baseline or around the perimeter.
AJ Smith | 6’4 | Team Charlotte ’22
Smith caught my eye given his strong 6-foot-4 frame. He used it to his advantage to overwhelm his match up once he got into the mid-range or painted area before pulling up for fluid jumpers. The Combine Academy product scored 13 points in a close loss to B-Maze Elite.
Seth Jones | 6’2 | Houston Defenders ’22
Jones didn’t waste time showing the crowd that he has an outside shot that must be accounted for at all times. He was also the primary ball-handler for the Houston Defenders 17U squad. He helped swing momentum of the game in his team’s favor against SOH Elite when he buried three-straight three’s. When he wasn’t making shots, he was demanding execution in the half court and pushing the tempo following missed shots by the opposition.
Zy Morite | 6’4 | Houston Defenders ’22
Morite is a stout 6-foot-4 guard who is much quicker than he looks. His most impressive play came in transition where he threw down a one-handed tomahawk over a defender who tried to block his attempt. Given his blend of size, strength and athleticism, Morite was a useful defender against multiple positions and pursued rebounds with determination.
DJ Dormu | 5’9 | Team Thrill ’23
Dormu was instrumental in Thrill’s second win of the day against Gateway. The 5-foot-9 floor general found his rhythm from beyond the arc and connected on four total en route to a 16-points performance. He was pesky defensively on the ball and recorded four steals to help his team finish the day with a 2-0 record.
Malachi Palmer | 6’5 | Team Thrill ’24
When Palmer is playing like he did against Gateway this Thrill bunch is difficult to beat. He tortured the defense in transition where he attacks off the bounce with such smoothness and his long strides help him get to the front of the rim in no time. He hit a three on a catch-and-shoot, then attacked closeouts effectively to get to his spots in the mid-range for 1-to-2 dribble pull ups.
Mike Williams Mike Williams 6'3" | CG Bishop Walsh | 2023 State #141 Nation MD | 6’3 | Team Thrill ’23
Williams brought valuable energy in Thrill’s first win of the day against NE6. He scored 13 points in the effort to lead his team, but more importantly was just as impactful on the defensive side of the ball. I’ve caught Williams in action regularly this spring and it seems he’s getting a true feel in how to assert himself as a two-way player.