Summer Rewind: 10 Shooting Guards from Summer Season (Class 4A)
Though the summer season was not what anyone expected heading into the year 2020, high school basketball players still got to participate in a summer season. I wanted to give a rundown of players from the state of Iowa that…
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Continue ReadingThough the summer season was not what anyone expected heading into the year 2020, high school basketball players still got to participate in a summer season. I wanted to give a rundown of players from the state of Iowa that got to play this summer and showed well. Here is the class 4A shooting guards that stood out to me.
Josh Dix Josh Dix 6'5" | SG Council Bluffs Lincoln | 2022 State #149 Nation IA , 2022 – 6’3, SG – OSA Crusaders 16U & Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln High School
The class of 2022 is loaded with perimeter talent, and Dix is one of the best, and arguably the best one of them all. Dix has picked up offers from Northern Iowa, Colorado State, and Drake since the summer season started, to go along with an offer from South Dakota State that he had going into the season. Dix is a really good three level scorer for both OSA and the Lynx. He’s a good shooter with a nice, fluid shot from everywhere on the court. He’s good at getting into passing lanes so that he can get out into transition and finish at the rim. Josh’s dribble drive moves are really good and he uses a plethora of ball fakes, jab steps, and combination moves to get himself to the basket. His dribble pull-up is one of his best attributes on the court where he can take one dribble and pull-up from anywhere inside the 3 point line. Dix will look to add Power 5 offers this upcoming winter with Abraham Lincoln, as there’s definitive interest.
Michael Duax Michael Duax 6'5" | SF Hempstead | 2021 State IA , 2021 – 6’5 SG – Martin Brothers 17U & Dubuque Hempstead High School
One of my favorite prospects in-state in the 2021 class is Michael Duax Michael Duax 6'5" | SF Hempstead | 2021 State IA . He is a stat sheet stuffer, and one that I like to call a “swiss army knife”. Last winter Duax stat line was 21 points per game, 3 assists per game, 8 rebounds per game, 1 steal per game, and shoots it at nice clip of 50% FG percentage. He really likes to get out in transition and can fan out to the 3 point line and hit the open shot, or dive to the basket and finish either at the rim or through contact. Duax is a player who coaches love to have on their team as he just helps make the team better. Once he refines some things in his game he is going to be a steal for Northern Iowa by the end of his college career. He will look to lead his Hempstead team to Wells Fargo this winter.
Steven Kramer Steven Kramer 6'5" | SG Johnston | 2022 State IA , 2022 – 6’6 SG – Kingdom Hoops 16U & Johnston High School
Talking about an off the radar high level prospect in the state, Steven Kramer Steven Kramer 6'5" | SG Johnston | 2022 State IA is that. The junior-to-be has power 5 interest, and is another guard in the 2022 class that has a lot of potential in the state of Iowa. Kramer is a smooth dribbling, lengthy player, who can play positions 1-3. Kramer is a really athletic guard who can finish at the rim and effects the offensive game plan on defense with his ability to block shots around the rim. When I first saw Kramer I was really impressed with his ability to handle the ball at 6’6 and be so fluid with it. He has a nice crossover move that helps him create space between the defender. Kramer will have a bigger role this coming winter on a good Johnston Dragons team and I’ll be looking for him to take a step forward and be the scorer I think he can be.
Jayden Houston Jayden Houston 6'3" | SF Davenport North | 2021 State IA , 2021 – 6’3 SG – Kingdom Hoops/Mid Pro Academy 17U & Davenport North High School
Jayden Houston Jayden Houston 6'3" | SF Davenport North | 2021 State IA was an anomaly to me before watching Kingdom Hoops over the past month, but I’ve come away impressed with Houston’s athletic ability and the way he creates off the bounce. Off the catch he makes really quick moves to attack the close out of his would be defenders and when he gets by his defender he will go finish at the rim with some authority. His quick first step allows him to get in good scoring positions where he is able to pass out to teammates or go hard at the basket. If a defender doesn’t close out to him because they don’t want to get beat off the dribble, he is able to catch and shoot it from the perimeter. Jayden received offers from DII Minot State and Wayne State this summer and will be looking to build off those this winter with the Davenport North team.
Trey Campbell Trey Campbell 6'4" | PG Cedar Falls | 2022 State IA , 2022 – 6’4 SG – Martin Brothers 16U & Cedar Falls High School
I would categorize Campbell as more of a CG type as he is a really fluid ball handler who can get his team into the offense and moves the ball well creating nice flow. After watching some high school and AAU film from Campbell seeing him as a SG made the most sense for me. He’s a scorer and facilitator that takes what the defense gives him. I like when he gets into pick and roll situations with the ball in his hands. He is a guard who can come off and either shoot it, move it, or get downhill and has some nice finishing moves around the basket with some soft touch. When I watch Campbell I see quite a bit of untapped potential that if he can refine some things in his game and be a go-to scorer I could see him playing at the highest level. His length and athleticism are something coaches need to take a look at when looking at this classes loaded perimeter talent. No offers yet for Campbell, but the interest should pick up as he continues to perform at a high level for a loaded Cedar Falls team.
Jacob Runyan Jacob Runyan 5'9" | PG Dallas Center-Grimes | 2022 State IA , 2022 – 5’9 CG – Kingdom Hoops 16U & Johnston High School
Talking about loaded 4A teams, have I talked about the Johnston Dragons enough yet? I’m not sure, but Runyan adds another piece to the puzzle for the dragons. Short in stature and probably projects mostly at the PG position at the next level for a lucky program, Runyan showed off good shooting ability this summer and the ability to exploit gaps in the defense to use a nice floater or make the right pass to a teammate. He’s a good ball handler and took care of the ball for Kingdom Hoops this summer season. The thing I liked the most about Runyan is his competitive edge, where you never doubt if he’s going 100% because you know that he is. With an expanded role expected for Runyan this upcoming winter season, I’ll be looking to see him flourish on this team.
Drew Kingery Drew Kingery 6'4" | SF Indianola | 2023 State IA , 2023 – 6’4 SG – Beyond Ball 15U & Indianola High School
The first sophomore-to-be in this list, Kingery is a really impressive prospect. Kingery is a cerebral player who has no problem making the extra pass if needed, but also can take his man off the dribble or shoot it from the perimeter. Drew is a bouncy guard who has some highlights out there from this summer season of him finishing at the rim. He has good touch all around the floor and uses it well inside 10 feet from the basket. Kingery always has his hands ready whether he’s spotting for a 3 point shot, or coming off of a screen. He really makes a killing from the corner spots on the floor where he can make you pay if you leave him open, or looks to drive or move the ball. Kingery has a lot of potential to develop over the next three years, and if he can work on his footwork around screens to shoot he has the tangibles to be a really nice perimeter product that can shoot it at a high clip.
Diondre Taylor Diondre Taylor 5'10" | PG North | 2021 State IA , 2021 – 5’10 CG – Beyond Ball 17U & DSM North High School
Diondre Taylor Diondre Taylor 5'10" | PG North | 2021 State IA was apart of the high scoring offense at Des Moines North this past winter and he show why he nearly averaged 20 points per game this summer. Taylor is a bouncy guard who will surprise you with his athleticism and the way he gets up at 5’10. What makes Diondre dangerous offensively is the way he can move, and change directions/speed on a dime. He’s really quick and his first step can put defenders in the dust. Though he’s probably a projected PG at the next level I like his ability to play the off guard position and take the ball off the catch to facilitate. A college program could get a sleeper in the upcoming class.
Chase Bartlett Chase Bartlett 6'2" | SG Southeast Polk | 2021 State IA , 2021 – 6’3 SG – Kingdom Hoops 17U & Southeast Polk High School
Someone who opened my eyes this summer while watching some of his teammates was Chase Bartlett Chase Bartlett 6'2" | SG Southeast Polk | 2021 State IA . Bartlett is a dead eye shooter off the catch from the 3 point line shooting it at a clip around 40% for his high school team this past season. One game from this summer that sticks out to me, or tournament rather, was the Hardwood Classic Session #2 where Bartlett was confident in his stroke and was hitting contested 3 point shots, or open 3 points shots. It didn’t matter what the defender did it didn’t seem like Bartlett could miss that weekend. When he can gets into a rhythm Chase is someone who could put a crooked number on the scoreboard for his team. Teams in the CIML need to keep watch at where Bartlett is going to be this winter for Southeast Polk or he will easily see an uptick from 10 points per game this season. A really nice 3-and-D prospect for a college program.
Keavian Hayes, 2023 – 6’2 CG – Showtime Hoopers 17U & Sioux City West High School
Playing up one division is pretty hard in AAU basketball, but Hayes was playing up two age divisions with the Showtime Hoopers 17U team. Hayes is a strong, physical guard who uses his body well to get the shot angle he wants. He is more of a scoring guard and impacts the game with his ability to finish at the rim. He shoots a high percentage posting a 56% FG rate last winter for the Wolverines and he will look to build upon a strong summer and a breakout winter this season for Sioux City West. One to watch develop over the next three years.
Keeon Hutton Keeon Hutton 6'3" | SG Sioux City West | 2022 KS , 2022 – 6’3 CG – Showtime Hoopers 17U & Sioux City West High School
I like the way Hutton and Hayes are interchanging parts on both teams they play for, and it’s the reason I have both of them categorized in the off-guard position. Hutton is more of a shooting perimeter player, who likes to spread the love to his teammates. He moves the ball well throughout the offense and doesn’t force many shots, and when he does he doesn’t force bad shots. He likes to shoot it off the catch but is fully capable of taking the defender off the dribble and pulling up for a jumpshot or getting to the rim. Noted by his 2.5 assists per game this past winter, Hutton is a willing passer, who makes the smart play. There is interest at all levels for Hutton at the moment, and he will be looking to add himself to the good company of other 2022 perimeter players in the state this winter for the Wolverines.
Jaxson Young Jaxson Young 6'0" | SG Linn-Mar | 2022 State IA , 2022 – 6’1 CG – Iowa Barnstormers Gold 16U & Linn-Mar High School
Jaxson Young Jaxson Young 6'0" | SG Linn-Mar | 2022 State IA hasn’t played a minute of varsity yet, but will be looked at by many to be a breakout player. The class of 2022 on the perimeter, as I’ve mentioned before, is pretty loaded and having more players like Young emerge can only do the state good. Playing on a Barnstormers team with a lot of moving parts and had mostly not played together before Young had moments that showed me the kind of potential he could have. Jaxson has quick first step with the ball, and whether he decides to get to the hoop or hit his defender with a nice step back jumper is up to him and what the defense gives him. The ball flows throughout Young’s hands as he’s a really smooth dribbler. He can make some tough shots with a contested defender in his face, but also excels at hitting jumpers off the catch. I’m looking to see if Young can turn that untapped potential that he has into quality game performances this upcoming winter.