HoopRootz Freshmen Focus: Recent Guard Standouts

by HoopRootz | Sunday, May 31st, 2015

We've had a chance to see a ton of freshmen talent over the past few weeks; last weekend at the Zero Gravity Massachusetts State Championship and this weekend at the NERR Super 16 Showcase and Stars & Stripes Classic. Here's a look at guards who've caught our eye.

Point Guards

Noah Fernandes - New England Playaz - Poised floor-general has been very impressive this spring running the show for the Playaz after having charismatically led his Old Rochester HS Squad on a magical run to a Massachusetts State Championship this winter. T op-flight on-ball defender  with a smooth handle plays a change-of-pace game from the point which keeps the defense off-balance;  controlling the pace of the game to his squad's advantage while getting the ball where it needs to be whether with the pass or dribble. Tabor Academy-bound guard has put up nice numbers scoring and distributing dimes  while  leading a tactical Playaz offensive-attack which has landed them on Championship Row more often than not thus far on the season.

Shandon Brown - BABC Gold - Jump-start floor-general has added a number of dimensions to his game over the past year and it's paying dividends to his game as he's looked good this spring running in the back-court for both the BABC 9th and 10th Grade Squads, most recently last weekend, where he showed well for the Black & Gold Sophs in the Nike EYBL's 16u Session #3 in Atlanta. Big summer ahead for the Beaver Country Day point guard.

Kwane Taylor - Expressions Elite - Spring-step point guard has raised the level of his game considerably over the past year; showing good speed and quickness with ball in his hands, knocking downs shots both off the bounce and catch with terrific elevation, and playing a more-efficient brand-of-ball from the point which raises the level of his teammates play. Taylor is a point guard on the rise heading into the summer.

Demetre Roberts - NY Rens - Talented guard created constant offense off the bounce for himself and his teammates throughout the weekend for Rens on their run to the Super 16 Championship.

Jamil Hornesby - CT Select - High energy point guard with speed to burn makes his team go with his floor-leadership and ability to get into the lane and create off the dribble-drive. Knock-down three-point-shooter also will break down in the mid-range for pull-up off the bounce.

Doug Alves - Boston Bobcats - The floor general from Bridgewater-Raynham HS, came up with timely assists and buckets all weekend for the Bobcats at the Super 16; namely knocking down a game-winning down-1 pull-up 3-pointer with 2 seconds left to give the 'Cats the win over a tough CT Roughriders.Squad which also advanced them to the Championship Bracket, which they subsequently won.

Elliot Nelson - New England Playaz - High-IQ guard knows how to use the weapons around him and does a great job of distributing and facilitating for his teammates while also showing the ability to seize scoring opportunities in a variety of situations.

Cole Britting - SNH Saints - High-IQ ball-control point guard takes great care of the rock and made news at the Super 16 as he hit clutch shots on numerous occasions over the course of the weekend. Has a terrific feel for running the pick and roll and continues to improve his jump shot from long range.

Jamani Eaton   - AFB Freedom -  Fluid lefty point guard is a top-tier decision-maker with the ball in his hands and has nice feel for dictating the the pace of the game. Set up teammates in transition in fine-form over the course of the weekend at the Super 16.

Andrew Ficklin - Boston Spartans - Compact ball-control point guard plays with composure and has a nice feel for getting the ball to his teammates where they like it. Has the ability to knock down shots from the beyond-the-arc and will also look to get into the mid-range with the dribble for a pull-up.

Skye Boykin - Mass Elite - Fast-paced point guard has good speed and looks to push the basketball in the open-floor to create scoring opportunities for his team. Gets to the basket off the drive and looks to challenge the opposing ball-handler on the defensive side of the ball.

Lead Guards

Tyrek Chambers - NY Rens - One of the top overall performers in the age-division at the Super 16 gets to the rim consistently off the bounce and will finish with either hand in traffic while he has nice shooting stroke from the outside and the ability to slide into a variety of back-court roles seamlessly. Chambers has already received a number of D1 offers including  having recently taken a pitch from Iona.

Ethan Wright - New England Playaz -  With his good back-court size, the poise & confidence with which he plays, and his ability to score the ball from all three-levels, there's n o doubt that Wright has established himself as one of the top lead-guards in New England's Class of 2018 with his play thus far for the Playaz this spring after a sensational freshmen season at Newton North HS.

Luis Reynoso - New England Playaz- The rising freshman will attend Bradford Christian Academy next year, and they are getting a very good young player.  He is a smooth, do-it-all player who can play any perimeter position. He shoots well and is a good distributer once he gets in the lane. He is a player that other players enjoy playing with, and he is definitely one to watch going forward.

David Duke - Expressions Elite - Level-raising lead-guard with size and length moves with fluidity off the bounce and in the open-floor showed a nice ability to score and create within the flow in a variety of situations at ZG Mass States.

Thomas Shaughnessy - GT Elite - Smooth-shooting lefty guard went off for GT Elite in their upset-win over BABC; erupting for 21 points off a series of three-pointers, transition-buckets, and floaters/runners off the drive.

Tauheed Harris - BOS - Lead-guard with straight-line speed has been impressive attacking off the bounce this spring; splitting pick and rolls effectively with crafty ball handling to break down the defense double-time before dishing off or finishing at the rim with finesse. Also is much-improved as a three-point shooter since last year.

Cameron Ray - BABC Gold - Athletic guard knocks down threes and finishes at the basket in-transition and off the drive. Crashes down from the perimeter to make an impact on the glass and block shots from behind.

Combo Guards

Jayden Depina - Metro Boston - Skilled combo-guard with poise has impressed this spring with his ability to consistently and efficiently score the ball within the offensive flow, providing steady production while leaving the fast-lane open for teammates to operate. Knock-down three-point shooter counters his long-range game with the ability to get into the mid-range for a pull-up or kick/dish off the dribble.

Calebe Prevelus - BOS - Scoring point guard was impressive at ZG Mass States; put up nice numbers knocking down high percentage shots while he also created for teammates and got buckets off the bounce. Had 18 points and 5 assist against the R.I Renegades and 15 points and 10 assist s against Expressions Elite.

Travis Evee - Metro Boston - Quick-trigger southpaw combo-guard has a nice feel for scoring the ball in small spaces, whether out behind the arc or in the lane/at the basket off the drive. Continues to improve his danger-level off the drive as he gets stronger and more athletic.

Tamar Williams - CT Select - High-speed microwave back-court scorer got buckets off the dribble-slash while knocking down rainbow 3's in bunches and distributing in a variety of situations at the Super 16.

Jhailin Mann   - AFB Freedom  - Quick, hard nosed guard attacks aggressively with the dribble to get to the basket and score the ball. Came through with 23 point point for AFB against USAD at the Super 16.

Melvin Deleon - AFB Freedom - Scrappy sharp-shooting guard is a defensive pest who provides a consistent flow of energy to his squad. Scored 16 points against the DE Hornets at the Super 16.

Cameron Champa - Selfless guard with moxy plays with intensity from the back-court; chasing down loose balls and rebounds like a maniac while serving as a pesky on-ball defender and knock-down three-point shooter.

Off-Guards

Jason Stanley - NY Rens - The shooting guard created offensively for the Rens throughout the weekend at the 16; getting to the rim and hitting shots from the perimeter while making momentum swing plays on both sides of the ball and in-transition.

Dominic Jones - Metro Boston - Long-athletic guard with fluid quick strike ability on both sides of the ball stuffs the stat-sheet in bunches and has the ability to break down the defense with the first-step long-stride blow-by. Gets into the passing lane for steals/deflections, blocks shots on the trail, grabs rebounds or finishing at high-altitude, and will knock down shots in a variety of situations.

Brandon Monheimer - New England Playaz - One of New England's top shot-makers in the age-division has the ability to break your back from downtown along with an uncanny feel for getting himself clean looks in a variety ways. Has caught fire on numerous occasions in recent weeks.

Paul Durkee - BABC Gold - High-IQ wing scorer fills it up from deep while distributing and scoring the ball craftily off the drive. Has an old-school ability to get buckets from the mid-range in wide-variety of situations. Plays crisp team ball and has a good feel for utilizing the weapons around him.

Miko Johnson - NY Rens - Knock-down shooter converted on field goals from the long and mid-range throughout the weekend and then showed nerves of steel in the semis when he knocked down a trio of charity throws with 11 seconds left to give the Rens the victory over the Playaz in the Super 16 Semis.

Ben Eke - New England Playaz - After an impressive first-look performance at the Boston Breakout, the smooth off-guard looked good again at the Super 16; scoring efficiently within the flow of the offense in a variety of situation while coming up with plays in the open-floor and defensively over the course of the weekend.

John Packard - CMASS Swarm - Technically sound wing-guard with a nice feel and deep-range knocks down shots from all over, handles the ball and sees the floor well and will get to the basket or into the lane off the dribble-drive. Moves well off the ball to get himself open-looks, busts out with defensive rebounds to lead the break, and has a knack for getting into the passing lanes on the defensive end. Has put up huge scoring numbers for the Swarm this spring.

Tyler Burton - BABC Black - Lengthy swing-guard with strong fundamentals plays a variety of roles effectively and has become increasingly effective attacking with the dribble. Prospect to watch as he continues to grow and get stronger.

Alex Batista - Boston Bobcats - Strong, quick, athletic guard from Bridgewater-Raynham High School was the driving force for the Bobcats throughout the weekend; registering a near triple-double in a monster performance to put his squad over the top in the semis over a tough All For One Squad.

Max Bonney-Liles - SNH Saints - Roving trigger-man with back-court length led the Saints in scoring with 18 points per game at the Super 16 while hitting numerous clutch-shots for his shots. Continues to raise the level of his ability to attack with the dribble.

Stay tuned to the New England Recruiting Report for the next two days as HoopRootz will continue their Freshmen Focus Series with a look at the best wings and frontcourt prospects they've seen in recent weeks...