CUMMING, Ga. — Ah yes, we’re back in action, folks. The travel season is officially here. There’s something comforting about stumbling into a gym, bleary-eyed, at 8:30 a.m. to parents vigorously debating foul calls with refs. 

The Opening is the event that ushers in spring and summer basketball in the south.

A weekend as traditionally exciting as this is always bound to provide plenty of talking points. This is all about the guards though. 

The Opening had no shortage of talented guards who used the weekend to start to build their spring stories. 

Here are five that caught my eye: 

Adrian Taylor - Sewer South - 2029 

Is there a greater compliment in basketball than a baseline of onlookers stoically saying “that’s tough” after a player makes a play? That happened often when Taylor took the floor. He can go out there and get a bucket when his team needs one. Taylor excelled at getting to the rim, playing through contact and converting difficult shots at the rim. He looks like he’s next up in a program that has produced its fair share of good guards. 

Armond Smith - Sewer South - 2027

To the elder Sewer South team. A crystal ball would predict that Smith will be featured in plenty of these kinds of articles this spring and summer. He is dynamic with the ball. Smith showed three-level scoring and blitzing speed. He gets down the court so fast. Taylor also looks like he can be a pest on defense with good hands to poke the ball free from opposing defenders for a pick six. 

Beaty Terrette - Georgia Legacy - 2028

Terrette opened some eyes over the weekend. He’s a productive source of offense whether that comes from his scoring or his passing. Terrette can go on a heater and rattle off several buckets in a row from different spots on the floor. A good shooter, he can hit from three, and he can get downhill and make things happen at the rim. 

Chisimdi Agbasi - Gold Elite - 2028

An opposing coach talking about face guarding a player in the first half is an indication that someone is cooking. Agbasi drew that kind of attention when he seemingly couldn’t miss from 3-point range. His initial scoring output was five 3pm. Then, he started to use his strong frame to get downhill and to the rim. Agbasi put on scoring clinics throughout the weekend and looks like he has a chance to be one of the better bucket getters in the 16U division of the OTR Circuit

Xavier Barber - Norcross Heat - 2028

Barber got his 16U year off the ground with good momentum. He’s a quick, elusive guard with a knack for maneuvering through tight spaces. Barber has a layup package that features crafty, creative, tough finishes. He does a lot of damage in the paint or at the rim. While he can take on the brunt of the scoring load, Barber looks to put his teammates in advantageous situations. He’s a willing passer who does a great job of communicating his court vision to his teammates. 

Josh Tec has been covering prep basketball in Georgia and nationally since 2020. He has served myriad roles as a writer and evaluator, including editor-in-chief. Tec has a degree in journalism from Georgia State. Follow his work on X (Twitter) @_joshtec.