NHR 15U State: Top Floor Generals
This past weekend at NHR State, there were plenty of highly competitive teams that showed great execution. A big reason behind great execution is a great point guard. These are the best point guards that I saw throughout the weekend…
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Continue ReadingThis past weekend at NHR State, there were plenty of highly competitive teams that showed great execution. A big reason behind great execution is a great point guard. These are the best point guards that I saw throughout the weekend in the 15U level.
CJ Banks– 5’7″ guard- Team Tyus 2025 Black/Benilde-St. Margaret
CJ showed off a lot of his strengths this weekend. What grabbed my attention about his play was how he was getting into the paint and scoring despite being undersized and playing up against players a year older than him. He has a pretty touch on his floater and seeks out contact when he gets all the way to the rim. When he’s not scoring, he does a great job of making sure teammates are in the right spots and he is great at advancing the ball with the pass. He has great lateral quickness and plays defense with his feet so he does a great job of cutting off defenders and poking the ball away. He even knocked down a three in each game I watched him play. His biggest weakness right now is his size, but he will grow and continue to develop throughout the next few years, so he could be a really skilled point guard prospect in time.
Antwan Smith– 5’11” guard- MN Heat PBJ/Fridley
Antwan is a patient and intelligent basketball player. What I like about him is how he understands his role and how he pays attention to the pace of the game. Heat PBJ has a lot of guys that can put the ball in the hole and Antwan is one of those guys, but what he does best is get to the ball to the other guys on his team so that they are in positions to score. Every single time Antwan saw an open teammate ahead of him on the break, he got them the ball with a crisp pass that allowed for his teammates to attack. He made multiple perfect backdoor passes and I liked how he used runners to finish off drives without getting too deep into the paint. I want to see him develop more confidence in his outside shot, but the makings of a point guard who is smart and quick are all there.
Beniam Makonnen– 6’0″ guard- Northstar Titans Brodeur/Osseo
Beniam is listed at 6’0″ but he might be closer to 6’1″ or 6’2″. Regardless, he has a really good frame for his position and is comfortable distributing and playmaking. he does a good job of getting his defender to go through ball screens by bringing them below the screen then coming off hip to hip. After the screen, he does a good job of getting into the paint and locating cutters or shooters then getting them the ball quickly and cleanly. On the other side of the ball, Beniam showed that he can guard multiple positions and is a capable defender on and off the ball. I want to see him develop more assertiveness in scoring the ball so that defenses are forced to respect him, which will open up more chances for him to distribute.
Mason Klabo– 5’11” guard- Team Tyus 2025 Black/Fargo Davies
Mason is a really skilled all-around player. He showed that he could be the lead guard or play off the ball as a wing. He has a really shifty, really tight handle for a guard his age, but what’s more impressive is how he can stop on a dime to shoot his pull-up after coming out of a move. I also liked his use of screens when playing off the ball. He’s good at reading how the defender plays the screen and using the screen to get himself into a position to make a play. He does a good job of orchestrating the offense by controlling the tempo and making sure that his team has good, crisp possessions. I want him to develop more as an on-ball defender as I think he showed the agility and quickness to be a pest on that side of the ball.
Anthony Knight– 5’8″ guard- MN Matrix/Roseville
Anthony showed a diverse skillset with his play this last weekend. He has a pretty outside shot that he can shoot off the dribble or in catch-and-shoot situations. He’s in constant attack mode and does a good job of keeping the pressure on the opposing defense by pushing the ball in transition. He accepts contact on drives and around the basket and has the craftiness to finish off his attacks. He made a few pretty backdoor passes in the games that I watched him play and showed his defensive intelligence with good help and a few steals out of rotations. The next step for Anthony is to develop more control and a better understanding of pace as he had a few turnovers from being out of control.