Louisiana 2018 Rankings: Best Available Guards
Terry “TJ” Collins 6’3 G Bonnabel (Mid-Major/JUCO)
If you need an absolute bucket getter, TJ Collins is right up there with the best that the state of Louisiana has to offer. He is averaging over 23 points per game so far this season, but what I’ve been most impressed with is the way that he has been passing so far this year, averaging close to 8 assists per game. He has a young team around him, and he has put a premium on getting them the ball in spots where they can be successful, and it has definitely helped Bonnabel prepare for the playoffs. TJ is going to be right on the edge of being a D1 qualifier, and if he qualifies he has a number of mid major D1 offers, but if not, he will be an incredible JUCO player before he transitions to D1 in a couple of years.
Tyrece Radford 6’3 G McKinley (Mid-Major/JUCO)
The easiest way to describe Tyrece Radford is a dog. He is as tough as the come on the basketball court, and he is going to make a great lead guard at the next level. He can get into the paint and finish as well as anyone in the state, and his shot from the outside continues to look better every time I see him. Radford is another kid that if he had the grades, he is a no brainer mid major D1 kids, but it doesn’t seem like he is going to have the grades to be eligible. It sounds like right now he is trying to decide between going JUCO or trying to go to a prep school and get his grade situation sorted out there.
Jonathan Cisse 6’2 G St. Thomas More (Low Major/D2/NAIA)
The next three guys are all a step down from the top two, but they aren’t far behind. Cisse is a combo guard that plays just as well off the ball as he does on ball. He shoots it well from the outside, but he finishes at the rim better than you would expect from someone with such a skinny frame. He plays at a slower pace than most coming out of Louisiana, but don’t mistake that for lack of athletic ability, because I’ve seen him get plenty of chasedown blocks in transition. In my opinion, I think that Cisse is right on the edge between being a low major D1 or going to an elite D2 program.
Parker Edwards 6’3 G St. Paul’s (Low Major/D2/NAIA)
Edwards is the only player on this list that has a D1 offer and is without a doubt eligible, but still has yet to commit. He is an absolute knockdown shooter, and although he is an above average ball handler, I don’t see him handling the ball very much at the next level. He is a surprisingly good defender on the ball, but is known to get a bit lackadaisical and inattentive off the ball. I could definitely see him taking the offer to Southeastern if nothing else comes along, but I can also see him going the D2 route at the end of the season.
Eli Mouton 5’10 G Ascension (Low Major/D2/NAIA)
Of everyone on this list, I think that Eli Mouton is the most underrated and under recruited, and it’s easy to see why. It is real tough to get a D1 or D2 scholarship as an undersized guard that plays for a small school, but don’t be surprised in a couple of years when he is making an impact on a college team. He is an absolutely elite offensive talent, averaging over 25 ppg, and should have 7-8 assists every game. It seems like he is leaning towards taking a prefered walk on spot at a D1, recently taking unofficial visits to UL Lafayette, and Memphis, but he still hasn’t completely made up his mind if someone were to come in last minute.