All-State Camp: Mentally, Physically Tough Guards

A confident player can fit in anywhere. Here are some players who through the security derived from a battle-ready body, or from past winning success, or maybe just bright-eyed optimism, played assertive, aggressive, tough basketball from the guard positions as the Bank Hoops All-State Camp.

Deric Murray is a scholarship guard from Ann Arbor Pioneer.

Javon Anderson  5-10  Jr  Lansing Waverly: Powerfully built and stays low exploding off screens and into the lane where he was athletic enough to make hanging, unorthodox shots. Rebounded. Not a natural creator but shared the ball.

Denver Cade  6-2  Jr  Buckley: He was often stuck in a lineup with the camp’s most egregious blackhole, which isn’t ideal for a rhythm shooter who needs touches. Then on his first good look of the scrimmage session, Cade knocked down a three-pointer. Still kept working hard off the ball rebounding and on defense.

Ian Clancy  6-1  Jr  Indian River: Did a lot of ball-handling for his team. Was more of a facilitator, pass and screen away and not likely to see the ball back. Has the talent if he puts it in attack mode. Smart, made the right play. Quick to the floor for loose balls.

AJ Crawford  5-11  Sr  New Haven: A transfer from Cousino who gives New Haven a more traditional driving guard that they didn’t have last season. He seemed to live at the rim piling up points. Good defender on the ball. Mixed in some passes which should be more common options in the high school season with Romeo Weems and Eric Williams on the wings.

Rochester Stoney Creek junior Nate Davis is an athlete on both ends of the floor, a slasher and defender.

Nate Davis  6-2  Jr  Rochester Stoney Creek: Catching TDs on Fridays, then he came into camp and shut down some of the most dangerous guards in the state. Long, bouncy and scrappy, playing low with active hands even quick, smaller point guards couldn’t get around him. His own scoring is largely predicated on his quick first step. Athletic, entertaining style of play makes Davis at times seem like a clone of Ann Arbor Huron senior Alec Anderson. He’s going to Emory, and Davis also has the academic chops to play at that kind of school.

Henry Goldkuhle  6-3  Fr  Traverse City Central: He’s grown six inches in the past year so while he played physically, it wasn’t necessarily executed with strength. Got pushed off his dribble as such. Length and timing, challenged another freshman from this list, James Wilburn, defensively at the rim and won the majority of the matchups. Versatile, as Goldkuhle can block shots (helpside or on the man) or rebound, then advance the ball. Heads up passer on the break. Hit the top-of-key 3. Similar in toughness and overall game to another Northern Michigan freshman guard who was at our Underclassman Camp, Glen Lake’s Reece Hazelton.

Jermayne Golidy  6-4  Sr  Muskegon: Versatile, relentless scorer from an 80s time warp who is more crafty and skilled than athletic. Shot has a low release point but is money from the arc when given time. Hit pull-up 3s off the catch and dribble. Take that away and Golidy will still cobble together 20 points because he knows the glass and angles from mid-range, can finish chest-to-chest and has bounce on the offensive glass. Those points in conjunction with shot selection and defense will determine a lot of college coaches’ verdicts.

Cole Kleiver  5-11  Jr  Williamston: Plays with swagger. And backed it up, as in Kleiver’s first game his first two touches resulted in him burying three-pointers. Great coming off screens as he can attack or shoot. Not a true breakdown creator off the dribble but will keep it moving and throws nice basic balls on the break. A pest on D who competes on both ends. Similar to another Mid-Michigan guard, Jake Bullock, who became an All-American at Aquinas.

Lamar Lee  6-0  Fr  Muskegon: Good teammate who was patient, moved the ball, and knocked down his own shots when stepping into them. Moved off the ball. Well built for his age, would be a varsity player a lot of places already.

Logan LePage  6-3  So  Corunna: Active, wants to make things happen, it just can lack some polish. Competed on the glass against older players. Took advantage of matchups and hit some tough shots posting up. Not a ball-handler yet, often left dribbling to nowhere.

Matt Loney  6-3  Jr  Frankfort: Like Nate Davis, in the midst of a standout football season but the kind of kid who always has time to get in a hoops run. True team player who enjoys others’ success, and his passing and energy helped in the breakout performance of Loney’s camp teammate, Lakeland center Cass Phillips. Loney defends, rebounds, finishes with energy and an unending wingspan. Will need to keep adding weight and diversifying his offense.

Matt Malcolm  6-3  Jr  Plymouth Christian: While his jumper wasn’t falling in the games we saw, Malcolm is a plus athlete and able to contribute in other ways, defensively, pushing the ball on the break and most likely with his big hops on both ends of the glass. Upright as a ball-handler, more of a wing than guard at this juncture.

Dominique Marr  6-3  Sr  Adrian: Played low with the ball. Explosive, unorthodox lane scorer off the dribble. Nice first step kept pressure on his defender. Kicked for 3s when not scoring himself.

Deric Murray  6-4  Sr  Ann Arbor Pioneer: Big-time defensive potential, pushing smaller guards off the ball out on the floor, or blocking forwards’ shots inside. Patient combo guard who compensated for shot volume with athletic finishes. Fast the pace, the more dangerous he became. Had a bunch of and-one finishes. When the shot is falling as well, easily one of the best available 2017 guards in Michigan.

Max Perez  5-8  Fr  Hudsonville: This young player learning to play guard from Eric Elliott is a scary proposition to the O-K Red. He makes this list because unlike a lot of savant point guards he puts up weights as well as shots and his confidence grew as Perez finished at the rim again and again. Stayed sharp off the ball and wasn’t a sieve on D. Good vision turning the corner needs to use the simpler passing options more often.

James Wilborn  6-4  Fr  Mt. Morris: A lot of confidence for a freshman. Hit a flurry of three-pointers. Then as that hand cooled Wilborn took to the drive, with a nice first step and an attack mindset. Used his size on the glass. Better interior than perimeter defender and like so many young players needs more consistent focus.