Seasoned Vet, But Still A Young Gun; Girard III Lights Out Late to Earn MVP

There's buzz. There's a lot of buzz. Then there's beehive falling off the tree buzz. It's safe to say that his performance in the bright lights and on the highest of stages the last couple years - and even as a grade schooler, if you want to take it back that far - has warranted Joseph Girard III the latter of those three categories. Just a rising sophomore and a few months short of being old enough to get behind the wheel of a car, he's accomplished quite a bit with a basketball in his hands.

MVP of his league? Check. 1st team all-state? Check. Scored 1,000 points? Check... make that 1,300+. Scholarship offers? Check that 3 times, so far. Have a song written about you? Check that too. The next checkmark on the to-do list for JG3: 2016 EST MVP. With his performance over the course of the summer, and especially over a phenomenal stretch in the 2nd half of the 2016 campaign, that officially gets a check as well.

Girard started off the summer turning in some strong games as well. He made things happen as the marquee option on a strong Young Guns team, yet impressed many with his ability and willingness to create for others and make the extra pass. There goes the knock about him only being able to score. However, he turned it to another level after the NCAA Division I evaluation period was over. Over the league's final 3 weeks, JG3 pumped in just under 29.2 PPG - 175 points over 6 games. This included a week where he scored 72 points over 2 games, dropping 35 and 37 in back-to-back outings. He also hit 36 threes on the season, an EST single-season record.

And the most impressive thing about his statistics? He didn't force it. Girard averaged 5.6 assists per game as well, along with 4.7 rebounds. He never played a game to see how many points he would end up with. The intensity level was always high on both ends. Most high-level scorers will relax on the defensive end, either by guarding a weaker player or not putting forth much of an effort. He wasn't most high-level scorers. Joe took the challenge of locking up on defense and showed the complete arsenal.

3 Division I schools - High Point, Albany, and George Washington - have officially extended scholarship offers. Attention is coming from scores of others. The knocks about his stature are heard, and still heard often. However, Girard has been making up for it the last two years - and showed so this summer, especially - by doing nearly everything else right. What's perhaps the best attribute to his game that despite the accolades listed above, he works and plays with the edge of someone that has the world to prove wrong. Drive like that is why his success looks sure to be far from short-lived.

Most Valuable Player
Joseph Girard III
6'1" G
High School: Glens Falls, Class of 2019
AAU: City Rocks EYBL
EST Team: Young Guns

Lights out shooter whose game has grown into being a dominant all-around player. Open looks are nearly death sentences, and he can create his own shot as well as create for others. Deceptively good defender with quick feet and quick hands. Has a motor that few can match; desire to win often is the catalyst behind driving his team to a win. Averaged 23.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 5.6 APG, and 1.6 SPG in the summer league, and his 397 career points in EST make him the league's all-time leading scorer. Currently holds offers from High Point, Albany, and George Washington with Syracuse, Michigan, and Notre Dame among a long list of schools actively recruiting.