Eric "Easy" Ayala (Wilmington, DE)
The Class of 2017 was so loaded with combo guards that we decided to break down the top performers into two sections. First we will talk about the players that made their spotlight debuts, were under the radar or been away from the scene for a while.
Class 2017 Top Combo Guards (Fresh Faces)
Eric Ayala (Wilmington, DE)- Ayala put together a spectacular showing yesterday. He had all facets of his game flowing in rhythm. His jump shot was wet from behind the arc and when defenders tried to close out on him he breezed right past them. Eric seems to be playing in slow motion but his hesitation dribble and crossover still appears to be very effective. Many felt he played like the top guard in the class yesterday. He also earned a nickname introducing Eric “Easy” Ayala. He makes the game look so easy.
Quade Green (Philadelphia, PA)- The explosive guard made his showcase debut and didn’t disappoint. He has a flair for the game that doesn’t take away from his effectiveness. He was difficult to contain off the dribble and also in traffic. Once he gets going he’s capable of reeling off buckets very quickly. His names will ring bells for a while.
Ezra Swell (Rumson, NJ)- I initially pegged Swell as a spot up shooter until I saw him demonstrate a mean crossover move on the baseline that excited the crowd. He has a sneaky type of game that he let loose once he became more confident in this event. We will watch how he develops over the years.
Chase Lewis (Ewing, NJ)- While few players attempted to go hard on the defensive end, Lewis made it his business to lockdown opponents. He moved his feet well and concentrated on their waistline. On offense he did his usual damage by slashing and finishing in transition. This kid continues to work hard to get better.
Malik Velmar (Dover, DE)- It took Malik a little while to get accustomed to the showcase style of play but in his final game he finally got comfortable and let the ball fly. He connected on five treys and had the gym roaring. He’s a player you don’t want to catch fire from the perimeter if you are the opponent.
Qadir Burgess (Philadelphia, PA)- Burgess is another one of those strong Philly guards that are always in attack mode. His skill set is still a little raw but his strength and mid range shot still makes him have an impact on this level. He definitely has the Philadelphia blue collar type style of play.
