Rankings Update: 2020 Top Point Guards
With the updates a few weeks back we continue to explain what went into breaking down our top five guards in the state. This was a position that had plenty of parity but there were also a name or two…
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Continue ReadingWith the updates a few weeks back we continue to explain what went into breaking down our top five guards in the state. This was a position that had plenty of parity but there were also a name or two that jumped in here. Check out our reasons why.
Kobe Sanders –Chaparral –
The top point guard spot in the state goes to Sanders who has the competition closely breathing down his neck. He is the No. 6 overall player in the class and his change of pace makes it difficult for defenders to stay in front of him which typically leads to the right play. What separates Sanders is winning. He is a proven winner that does whatever it takes to get it done and has been doing it ever since he was a freshman. He has adapted every single year but has not taken the back seat as the leader for a talented group in his young career. He shoots the ball well, finishes with either hand, sets his teammates up and brings it on both ends of the floor. Kobe is a high IQ guard that rarely makes mistakes, he values the ball and with the game on the line he is a closer. This past season he averaged 16.3 points a game as the leading scorer for a solid Chaparral team and I am confident that those numbers will rise this upcoming season under the new regime as he picks up a few offers along the way. This shall be Sanders’ best season yet and with such a strong class from the guard spot he will have to continue to bring it if he wants to remain at the top.
Quentin Rock – Smoky Hill –
Not putting Rock at the top overall point guard spot was a coin flip decision as him and Sanders are both regarded as the top point guards in the state. Think of it as a 1A and 1B as Rock is the No.7 player in the class. What it came down to it, the deciding factor was opportunity. While Rock is one of the best two-way guards in the state as he has the ability to score the basketball whenever he wants to and plays the passing lane as well as any other guard in the state, prior to this season he has filled in his role as a distributor as he had one of the best scorers in the state for the past few years as a teammate in Kenny Foster. Now with the keys to the offense and the Senior leader to yet another talented group that will have to go through the gauntlet that is the Centennial league all signs point to him having his best season yet. Rock has added a piece to his game every single season and continues to get better. Freshman year it was the shooting, then the defense sophomore year, then the assisting last season and now in his final season with all eyes on him it appears he has added the athleticism with countless highlight dunks to begin the summer. With colleges starting to come on and a bit of interest his way, this has to be the season that Rock puts it all together and shows exactly what separates him. When he is on and taking care of the basketball there are not many players that can change the outcome of a game as he can. This should be HIS year over at Smoky Hill.
Ty Foster – Lincoln –
I truly believe when it comes down to it that Foster is the best perimeter defender in the entire state. He is in your face full court for the entirety of the game, he relishes the moment and takes on the challenge of defending the best player no matter the size. Not many guards have the ability to defend multiple positions as he does and it is his heart and determination that pushes him ahead of the pack on that side of the ball with great on-ball defense, ability to come up with help side blocks and his play is contagious. On offense he is also starting to come into his own as a smooth guard that runs the offense and stays on the attack. He gets others involved and is a floor general that does not do too much. Foster is a player that is known on the national scene with the work that he puts in in the summer and that also has a lot to do with how we positioned him as a top-10 player in the class. His two-way capabilities and likely team success that Lincoln should have coupled with his grassroots takeover that he has done and will do was enough to put him as a top three guard in the class.
Hezekiah Swanson – Overland –
Swanson is who I had pegged as a top-3 perimeter defender in the state for the past few seasons. While Swanson seen it, all come together as a more complete player this past season as he averaged 13.2 points and amongst the top in the conference in assists per game (5.3), make no mistake about it he is a veteran. He is one of those players that it seems as if he has been playing for so long because he was around and on the scene for a couple of years but the thing that truly stands out is his evolution. This was going to be a pretty big summer for him that I truly believe would of separated him even more but he got injured, I feel as if he will come back into this season determined to pick up where he has left off and add even more as he is now the No.15 player in the class, a significant jump from previous years and it is due to his continued progression on both ends of the floor.
Christopher Speller – Range View –
Speller is a combo-guard that has the size that none of these other guards on the list has. He is 6’5 and has a nice feel for the game with a high basketball IQ. He does not turn the ball over, understands mismatches and either attacks it or gets it to the open man. Speller analyzes the court each time down and then makes his decision and rarely puts himself in difficult positions.
Range view will head into the upcoming season as state champs and a big reason for that was the play of Speller as he was balanced averaging 11.5 points, 3.4 rebounds to showcase his ability to help in other areas due to his size and also led the team in assists per game (3.4). What I will like to see this upcoming year is for Christopher to takeover in more games on the offensive end as he is a capable scorer that can get it done in various ways. He has the size to shoot over defenders but also gets to the rim as easy as any other guard in the state. He will be asked to do a ton this upcoming year and the No. 16 player in the class, state championship MVP and fifth best guard in the class should be open to the opportunity to defend the title.