Parker Cartwright Was The Top Point Guard At The 12U NationalsBasketball Spotlight spent sevral days at the 12U AAU Nationals and we got a chance to see most of the teams in action. For the next couple of days we will bring you the top players we saw by position. This is not a national ranking this is just a ranking of how the players performed at this event.
12U AAU Nationals Top 10 Point Guards
1. Parker Cartwright (ARC Gorillas)- The California Kid P-Funk got our nod as the top point guard in this event because of his stellar play and quarterbacking his team to the Final Four. In terms of potential Parker is in good shape because he has a very fundamentally sound game and showed shoot up in height which will be scary.
2. Bruce Watkins (Team Melo)- Watkins impressed me with his size and the way he controlled the tempo during his games. He has some unique presence on the floor, dribbles with his head up and demonstrates good court vision. Bruce has a feel for the game that can’t be taught. Remember this name and where you heard it first.
3. Tyler Ulis (Ohio Basketball Club)- Ulis sets the table for OBC and that’s a good thing. He runs the sets like a true coach on the floor and will venture into the land of the giants (the lane) despite his pint size frame. He doesn’t force the action which usually accounts for meaningless turnovers.
4. Justin Jenifer (DC Blue Devils)- Jenifer is a clever ball handler and is probably the most accurate outside shooter on this list. His passing ability and court vision is very mature for this level. Justin has become a household name and looks deserving of the attention.
5. Cornell Johnson (Arkansas Mustangs)- Johnson doesn’t have to dominate the rock because the Mustangs have other guards but that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t stand out as a floor general. Cornell looks very good in the open floor setting up teammates with sick no look passes. The southpaw has serious swagger.
6. Quentin Snider (Kentucky Tarheels)- Quentin continued his good play from the Jr. All American Camp. He dribbles both ways comfortably and gets a kick out of dishing to teammates. He likes setting up defenders with deep crossovers and slicing in the lane. He has some star quality that showed make his name ring bells in the Blue Grass State.
7. Tiquan Givens (Gauchos)- The Gauchos are loaded with guards so Givens doesn’t usually get his just due. I was very impressed with his play in Virginia. He played aggressive on the ball defense and ignited the fast break every time he got a chance. He usually makes good decisions with the rock.
8. James Cunningham (Ct. Kentucky Warriors)- When James is on his game helps the Warriors click on all cylinders. The stocky guard uses his frame to get past defenders and understands how to shield shot blockers when arriving at the bucket.
9. Frederick Lee (Arkansas Mustangs)- Lee teams with Johnson but could also be regarded as a point guard because he handles the pill at times. He caught our attention with his defense, long range shooting and heart. He plays with a lot of spunk.
10. Cedric McFadden (Future Players)- McFadden make things difficult for defenders because of his low dribble and quick change of direction. Teams try to trap the Future Players but Cedric has the speed and ball handling to beat the defense himself. He also keeps his scorers happy with nice feeds.
