Christmas Break Evaluations: 2021 Guards
The holiday break is over and we are playing major catchup as we have been on the road for the last three weeks. There are a ton of evaluations to get to and we are breaking these up as we…
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Continue ReadingThe holiday break is over and we are playing major catchup as we have been on the road for the last three weeks. There are a ton of evaluations to get to and we are breaking these up as we have more than 150 from the break. Today, we are focusing on 2021 guards we saw.
Shamar Avance – 6’1 PG 2021 – Lawrence North (IN)
***20 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds against Lawrence Central (IN)***
Like Perkins, this was the best Avance has looked for us. His speed and decision making was key in this one because he kept shoving it down LC’s throat all night long and getting points in transition. He knew what he wanted to do every time down the court and was dishing out assists from the jump. He’s not the biggest guard but he’s so quick with the ball in the open floor that you have to get in front of him to stop him. He did show a little bit of a mid-range jumper but most of that work came at the rim including a big open floor dunk late in the game.
Lane Sparks – 6’3 PG 2021 – Greensburg (IN)
***8 points against Southport (IN)***
Lane didn’t have his best game but showed a little bit of what makes him a special player. He had a big steal and layup early in the game and a rebound putback. He handles the ball pretty well. He has a great jumper but didn’t really get to use it in this one. He had a couple great rebound putbacks, one coming late in the game to keep it close. He then added a massive drive and foul that pulled them within 1 with under a minute. Even in just a mediocre game for him, the ability to find ways to help late in the game and make those plays is what makes him a player to watch.
Quimari Peterson – 6’1 PG 2021 – Gary West (IN)
***17 points on 6/16 shooting, 3 rebounds, 4 assists against Hamilton Southeastern (IN)***
Quimari had a bit of an up and down game as he had a tough time finding his spots. He’s a solid lead guard who can drive really well but is maybe a bit more suited as a wing shooter. He feels more comfortable there based on his play. When he looks to drive, he wants to dish it off more than he should. Would like to see him become a lot more aggressive as he has the skill to put up some points. Had some turnover issues but he’s also the only one that you seemed to feel comfortable with handling the ball to make plays.
Khristian Lander – 6’2 PG 2021 – Evansville Reitz (IN)
***18 points against Carmel (IN)***
While this wasn’t the best game from Lander, he looked better physically with how he played. He was elevating much better and seemed to really shoot the ball better. He wasn’t able to really go off in the way Reitz needed him but Carmel executed their game plan flawlessly. His speed was back and when he was looking to get in the lane, he was finishing pretty well. He’s going to have bigger games but he also wasn’t getting a ton of help in this one. Good to see him look physically bak to normal.
Connor Gioia – 5’9 PG 2021 – Carmel (IN)
***8 points against Evansville Reitz (IN)***
Gioia was really good in this game, keeping Givens and Lander in front of him and not allowing runouts that often. He’s not going to produce a ton on offense but he knocked down a big three and had a really tough drive to the rim. He did show that if he need to, he could go track down some rebounds. More of a guy that is just going to find those random ways to score the ball and add value but might never notice until after the game.
Marcus Davidson – 6’0 SG 2021 – Blackhawk Christian (IN)
***18 points against Silver Creek (IN)***
Marcus is a big guard who can really light it up from pretty much any spot on the floor. He was more of a perimeter shooter last year but from what we saw in this game, his ability to get to a spot and get enough separation to hit a pull-up is much improved. Had at least four triples and hit a mid-range pull-up, an up-and-under on a drive and a couple other players on the wing where he had to make a move to pull it off. Still an off-guard but at the right level, he’s a guy that can help on the point.
Connor Hickman – 6’2 SG 2021 – Bloomington South (IN)
***10 points against Culver Academies (IN)***
Connor continues his development as a scoring guard with some legit upside. He’s a fluid athlete with a jumper and has some pretty good handles. Still feel like he is more suited as an off-guard but you could use him a few different ways. He’s improved as a mid-range guy in the last year, showing a few different pull-ups and throwing a floater in there as well. Driving well and using his size and strength to finish. As he continues to put up big offensive numbers on one of the best teams in the state, his stock should continue to soar. Expecting a breakout game or two this year.
Jackson Paul – 6’0 PG 2021 – Churubusco (IN)
***25 points, 6 assists against Prairie Heights (IN)***
Started off slow but picked it up in the second half. Jackson, a scoring guard who can handle the ball and make some plays on offense, showed a little bit of everything. Shot the ball a bit, was able to drive against traffic and finish well. Had a couple nice mid-range pull-ups which are a little bit new for us to see. Has grown a bit and has some added strength.
Isaac Vencel – 6’2 SG 2021 – Bloomington North (IN)
***24 points against Scottsburg (IN)***
Vencel is a creative and tough guard who is showing a little more athleticism and strength at the rim. He’s a naturally tough kid that seems to always put himself in position to make plays. He was great running at the rim, catching a few lobs to finish with some nice lay-ins. He’s driving a ton right now but did show he can rip off a jumper in this one. Doing most of his shooting off the catch. If he can get a little bit more going as a shooter and mix in some threes, that would go a long way to rounding out his game.
Garrett Holscher – 5’10 PG 2021 – South Knox (IN)
***12 points against Rushville (IN)***
Garrett is a solid lead guard with some speed and toughness. He’s more of a guy that is going to look to drive right now but while he is smaller, he has quite a bit of strength and loves to play strong in the lane. He had some big plays late that showed that strength including a near charge that he was able to finish and get to extend the lead. Handles are pretty good and he should have no problem staying on the ball long term. Want to see if he can spread the floor and shoot but that is about it so far.
Luke Brown – 6’1 PG 2021 – Blackford (IN)
***29 points against Barr-Reeve (IN)***
Luke is an impressive scoring threat from all over the floor and southern Indiana got to take a look at him in this one as he had an impressive stretch shooting in the middle of the game. His passing looked as good as ever, looking to get into the lane and dice up the defense and get his guys some open shots. His jumper was a little off to start as he was leaning a bit but then locked in and he drilled four straight pull-up threes along with a number of pull-ups in the mid-range. He’s best when he is on the move and he showed again today that size (Hagen Knepp) wasn’t going to bug him. They did lock on him a little bit towards the end that slowed him down but he was still getting any look that he wanted.
Brycen Graber – 6’3 PG 2021 – Barr-Reeve (IN)
***8 points against Blackford (IN)***
Brycen is a tall lead guard who can handle the ball and is under control at all times. He’s not a guy that is going to look to shoot much but when he does, he can knock them down with ease. It should be something he looks to continue to add in more of. Not a guard that is going to beat you with speed but just gets things done and gets you up the floor.
Mason Corsaro – 6’1 SG 2021 – Perry Meridian (IN)
***12 points against Gary 21st (IN)***
Mason is a solid off guard who is going to be best open on the perimeter and looking to shot. Showed that in this game as he hit three first half triples. He has a quick release and great touch. But, he did show that he has some handles. Not really yet as a guy that is going to create along the wing but should be able to with time. Has a good frame with strength already. If that ball creation develops into a useful tool, he should have a few different avenues to get that jumper off.
Reggie McDonald – 5’10 PG 2021 – Perry Meridian (IN)
***17 points against Gary 21st Century (IN)***
Reggie is a lightning guard who can make a difference when he looks to get in the lane. He’s great in transition because no one can really keep close to him so he ends up with some pretty easy looks at the rim. The jumper is a little flat so even though he can elevate pretty well, he still needs to add a little arc to it.
Tyson Chavez – 5’9 PG 2021 – Lowell (IN)
***30 points against Herron (IN)***
Tyson is a smaller guard but has some game to him. Really quick and has tons of bounce for his size, looking to finish above the rim more than a couple times. He’s also a really good shooter and lit it up in this game, hitting 6 triples and finishing with 30 points. He’s not going to grow much more but he has a lot of the attributes that gives smaller guards some room to play at a higher level. He was pretty aggressive and had no problem pulling up on a dime. Quick and high release which should help against more size and length.
Nick Flesher – 5’11 PG 2021 – Andrean (IN)
***5 points against New Albany (IN)***
Nick is a heady lead guard with great strength and a ton of extras in his game. He sees the floor well, can handle pressure and doesn’t make too many mistakes. At times, he can be a really good offensive player who is best shooting the ball but does have some lulls as he’s more of a facilitator. Has the ability to control the pace while still adding offense. Would like to see a little more drive to shoot the ball more as he has the numbers to justify it.
Ty Smith – 6’1 SG 2021 – Crown Point (IN)
***10 points against Chesterton (IN)***
Ty is a tall off-guard who can be creative in the lane. He’s not a big shooter but was so good in the lane early on. He had a nice stretch where he had a little runner and then a floater over a defender. Had a post finish in transition later in the game as well. He’s got some handles but not sure how far out his offense will stretch out to the wing.
Sam Smith – 6’0 SG 2021 – Northridge (IN)
***26 points against Noblesville (IN)***
Sam is a slightly built shooting guard who can absolutely fill it up. He’s got a really quick release on his jumper and has range to half court. Not a big guy so he’s not really looking to drive a ton but does have that ability in transition and space. Did have a nice rebound putback early in the game. He’s probably not a guy that is going to play on the ball a ton but could give you a spell and light it up off the ball. He’s got an elite skill as a shooter and that will draw the interest of a lot of colleges.
Marcus Davidson – 6’0 SG 2021 – Blackhawk Christian (IN)
***9 points against Columbus North (IN)***
Marcus is a scoring guard who just needs a second to get his shot off. With this as the second time we have seen him this year, he looked better with his creation to get to his jumper this time around. He’s got some strength and toughness so if he has the right matchup, in the middle of the floor he is going to excel. This wasn’t the easiest matchup Columbus North’s guards but he was still able to make some plays to help win this game.
Blake Barker – 6’2 PG 2021 – Columbus North (IN)
***24 points against Blackhawk Christian (IN)***
Blake is a tough guard who was big when he needed to be in this one. When Blackhawk was trying to pull away, Barker looked to get to the rim as quickly and often as possible and didn’t leave any points out there. He’s a really dynamic guard as a guy that can be so physical and overpower defenders, shoot at a high level, and be that floor leader you want. He has a great feel for time and the game so when things were getting tough, he was able to get every runout because he knew that was an area that they had dominated all game. He didn’t show as much of his shooting in this one but still put up a ton of points. His shot isn’t the prettiest but it goes in at a really good clip and is repeatable. Might be a combo guard at the higher levels he will be looked at but not sure that hurts his value.
Brevin Cooper – 6’0 PG 2021 – Northview (IN)
***19 points against Casey-Westfield (IN)***
Brevin is a lightly built lead guard with a really good perimeter jumper. Has some height but lacks weight on the frame right now. Has a really quick release that can be a little flat at times but is still landing in for him. He was great early on when he was looking to play spaced out on the wing. Not sure he’s going to be a guy that will drive and really create in the lane a ton right now but he does have the handles to play with and could be good in some matchups. Plays tough and is only going to get stronger.
Jalen Clark – 6’0 SG 2021 – North Central (IN)
***14 points against Homestead (IN)***
Jalen is a long, slender guard that really stepped up in the second half. He hit a pair of really big threes in the third quarter, looking good on his release and with some confidence. He’s not a guy that is looking to take a lot of shots but was pretty comfortable with those. He also added in a couple layups in transition within that stretch and when it is all working, he is really tough. Just need to see more of that kind of production, even if it is spanned out over an entire game.
Isaiah Moore – 6’0 PG 2021 – Fort Wayne North (IN)
***27 points on 10/22 shooting against Richmond (IN)***
Moore is a smaller guard who has some real ability as a scorer. Slashes well and has a thin frame that plays well against defenses. Thought he had the handles to play on the ball and really has a good mount of length to defend on the ball. He does lack the strength on the frame now and will need to see that develop in the future. Jumper is a little too much of a push shot right now so it looked like his ability to repeat delivery was tough even though he did make a couple.
Austin Ezell – 6’1 PG 2021 – Brebeuf Jesuit (IN)
***11 points on 4/10 shooting, 3/8 from three, against Bishop Dwenger (IN)***
Austin is a tall lead guard that has a nice scoring mentality. He’s not overwhelming with his approach but does well to always fill up the stat sheet. He’s great from the wing as a catch-and-shoot guy, looking to pull up at a moments notice. He’s also really good as a point guard who can split defenders and dish off at a high level. Really like his motor and the speed he plays with. Always seems to be up tempo and really have that pace that makes others around him step up a bit.
Jalen Blackmon – 6’2 PG 2021 – Marion (IN)
***36 points on 13/21 shooting, 6/12 from three, 4 assists against Cathedral (IN)***
Jalen is a big time scoring guard who continues to put up some big time numbers. He was great all game long until he got hurt late in the game. But, he was still 13/21 from the field and made 6 triples. Started a little slow but quickly took off and shot Marion into this one. He’s not a guy that is reliant on one part of his game but is definitely dependent on his jumper for his confidence. You can see him start to feel better in the second quarter of the game when he hit 2/3 from from deep and then pushed himself and needed with 20 in the quarter. He won’t be a fit for every team because he is much more of a scoring guard that can play the point so just depends on what you need but could play either spot on the floor.
Jalen Johnson – 6’1 SG 2021 – Cathedral (IN)
***12 points on 4/7 shooting, 5 rebounds against Marion (IN)***
Jalen is a solid off-guard who can really do a lot on the wing. He was great as a shooter in this one, hitting all of his points off of perimeter jumpers. He was 4/7 from the field, all shots from three. But, he adds a lot as a defensive player and a rebounder. Is big enough and athletic enough to really play tough against other guards and quick enough to beat them to all areas of the floor. So, when you need him to play on other guys, he can switch and do it at a high level. His upside is interesting, especially if he grows.