Premier Shootout: Saturday Standout Guards 16U
It was truly impressive to see some of the young, talented players playing up a level in the 16U division. We’ve got some 2024s, lots of 2025s, and even a 2026 that stood out among the 16U division Saturday. It was a great day for hoops at the Premier Shootout in Auburn and these guards are guys that will no doubt continue to garner recognition.
Lattimore Ford (2026) SG 6’6 | Elite Prep/WA | Elite Sports Academy
Lattimore is a 2026 guard playing up with the 16U’s this weekend, though you wouldn’t be able to tell just off the eye test. He’s long, athletic, quick, and can handle the ball with skill, which is uncommon for kids his size and age. He moves really well and his hand-eye coordination is exceptional. He’s still got a long way to go physically to fill out some of his lankiness, but you can see his desire to succeed on the court and I would bet on this kid to exceed expectations.
Jackson Reijonen (2024) SG 6’1| Mt. Spokane/WA | Built4Ball
Here was one of the most fearless players I saw all day Saturday. Reijonen is an explosive player who had two of the best blocks I saw all day. He’s not the biggest kid but he’s strong, has great defensive instincts and showed off that lower body power with some great leaps. He was primarily attacking at the hoop on offense, using that relentless attitude and good athleticism to beat guys at the rim. He showed a great motor yesterday and he’s someone that could turn into a defensive stopper if he keeps it up.
Jeremiah Harshman Jeremiah Harshman 6'1" | PG Annie Wright | 2025 State WA (2025) PG 6’1 | Annie Wright/WA | Team Stuck
Harshman was probably my favorite player to watch Saturday. His ball skills both offensively and defensively were next level. He just finds the ball, and when he gets there, good things happen. He racks up steals, blocks, assists, and can hit the three. It’s not just that he has supremely quick hands, but Harshman is also supremely intelligent. He’s got great court awareness, seeing the floor for himself and his teammates. He yells, “Outlet!” to teammates under pressure, and directs movement with his eyes and hands. On top of all of that, he made a clutch block on a three-point attempt late in their overtime win against North City 2024.
Rayshaun Connor (2025) CG 5’8 | Mountlake Terrace/WA | Team Dean
One of the top workers of the day, Connor has an engine that doesn’t run out of gas. He was inciting action offensively, whether it be upping the pace in transition or attacking the hoop to collapse the defense. He’s a hustler who darts after loose balls, knows the significance of each possession, and clutches up when the game’s on the line. He walked into a deep three-pointer against Seattle Rotary that cut the lead to five with 2:37 to play, nailing it with all the confidence in the world. Connor has the attitude of a leader at the guard position and a willingness to be coached.
Bryce Smith (2025) PG 6’0 | Bellevue/WA | Team Dean
Team Dean has some ballers and Bryce Smith is an example of a gamer, through and through. He was solid in about every way Saturday, creating opportunities through stout, opportunistic defense, and knowing situational basketball – when to push and when to pull back. He’s got long arms and quick feet that not only made him a good defender but had him contributing on the boards, putting a lid on defensive possessions.
Beckham King (2025) SG 6’4 | Seattle Prep/WA | Team Dean
This kid was one of the more intriguing players I watched Saturday. He started the game against Seattle Rotary pretty quietly, kind of going with the flow. But once the game got going, and a flow was established, King turned it on. The more intense the game got, the more initiative King took to get involved and hit shots. He has some quick handles and primarily uses them to create space on the jumper, from mid-range or long distance. Though he was able to get to the hoop as well, he really lit it up from long-range and heated up towards the end of the contest. He seems like a kid that can be a game-changer as long as he has the confidence in himself to do it.
Tait Spencer Tait Spencer 6'3" | SG Great Futures Prep | 2025 State WA (2024) SG 6’2 | Battle Ground/WA | Team Stuck
Spencer doesn’t necessarily bring the eye-popping physical skills, but he is one of the best in his class at putting the ball in the bucket. He still has good size and length at 6’2 from the guard spot, he’s quick enough to create space and strong enough to finish through contact, but you can tell he’s a guy that succeeds on repetition. He is great at using dribble moves into shot attempts, whether it’s from the outside or going to the rim. He is precise with these combos and finishes them with great touch from all distances. He was making a killing in the open floor late in the day, capitalizing on fast breaks with good one-on-one finishing.