Indy Top 80: Top Guards
Phenom Hoops rolled out the Indy Top 80 event on Saturday at Lawrence Central High School in Indianapolis and with it, some of the best and brightest from the Indiana high schools ranks entered the doors at the polished gymnasium. There were already college commitment that laced up their shoes, others who are nationally recognized recruits, and also a bunch of unknowns that broke out due to their play and production. Out on the perimeter, it was Grant Gelon, Kyle Guy, Dionte Raines, Justin Thomas, and Mateo Rivera that all shined in Indy.
Grant Gelon, SG, Crown Point High School, 2016: Getting another look at Gelon, the 6-foot-5 guard brings good size to the backcourt and should fit well in Bloomington next winter due to his deep ball. He has perfect rotation and accuracy on all of his attempts and is able to get the release off quickly. A contested hand in his face isn’t an issue when it comes to hitting yet Gelon is more than just a shooter; he can make the appropriate pass off the perimeter, can develop into a secondary ballhandler, and should pair nicely with Curt Jones in the backcourt next year at Indiana.
Kyle Guy, CG, Lawrence Central High School, 2016: There just aren’t many more entertaining guards throughout America than Kyle Guy. The 6-foot-2 guard scores the ball from deep, facilitates in the half-court, and is constantly engaged on both ends of the floor. However, that isn’t where his entertainment value comes from. It is in his no-look but precise passes on the go, deceptive throw down dunks at the basket, and killer breakdown moves off the deck. There is a lot of value with Guy, thus the reasoning for his inclusion into our top-50 of the 2016 HoopSeen rankings, and the future Virginia guard only solidified his standing as a productive and versatile guard who can play on and off the basketball now and at the next level.
Dionte Raines, SG, Anderson High School, 2016: When it comes to athleticism, no one topped the mark that Raines displayed on Saturday. The 6-foot-3 guard is an absolute killer on the break and threw down highlight dunk after highlight dunk that made many in attendance ooh and ahh. The senior guard can make the appropriate pass off the bounce and has a good looking jumper that he can convert out to beyond the 3-point arc whenever his feet are set. With a long body type and good energy, Raines looks to be a solid sleeper out of Anderson High this fall.
Justin Thomas, PG, Pike High School, 2016: Tough and competitive is the name of the game with the Indianapolis native. Lacing up his shoes for the always successful Pike High bunch, Thomas displays a quality physique that he uses to get to the basket and can score the ball at all three levels on the floor. More of a score-first guy with the ball in his hands, Thomas can carry his squad at times on the scoreboard. However, the senior guard can also create for others on the drive and kick and shows good value as a sturdy presence at the point guard spot within the senior ranks.
Mateo Rivera, PG, North Central High School, 2017: Nothing is going to strike you immediately about Mateo Rivera. The 6-foot-1 guard isn’t the quickest of guys around, isn’t the most athletic of guys around, and isn’t a drop dead shooter from off the perimeter. When it comes to making the right play, taking care of the basketball, and running his squad in the backcourt, Rivera’s value comes to light. The younger brother of D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera, the star guard at Georgetown heading into his senior year, the 2017 guard plays a very mature game and though he has yet to see much of a college recruitment thus far, that should all change where the more you watch the junior, the more you become a fan of what he can do for you at the lead guard spot.