Under the Radar 2023 Guards (Part 1)
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While there’s a lot of emphasis by college coaches put on the shoe circuit teams, and for good reason, there’s always a lot of talent on independent AAU teams, especially in a state like VA. In this series, we’ll take…
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Continue ReadingWhile there’s a lot of emphasis by college coaches put on the shoe circuit teams, and for good reason, there’s always a lot of talent on independent AAU teams, especially in a state like VA. In this series, we’ll take a look at some of the top 2023 prospect at each position that don’t play on a shoe circuit team. Here’s a look at part 1 of the guards.
Jaedon Harris Jaedon Harris 5'11" | PG John Paul The Great | 2024 State VA | 5’10” PG | Circle Sports
Harris is one of a number of true floor generals on this group, as he isn’t the biggest or most athletic but he’s highly skilled and intelligent and he is very unselfish as a playmaker while still being able to score the ball. He makes the simple play whether it’s ball reversals or pitch aheads for easy buckets, he can touch the paint and collapse the defense for kick-outs and he can make shots from all three levels. He’s efficient and makes his teammates better with the ball in his hands.
Nasir Coleman | 5’9” PG | District Basketball Club HGSL
Coleman had a breakout junior season leading Patriot to the state semifinals and an undefeated regular season, and now he’s running the show for a talented DBC team full of under the radar players. He’s a slippery guard with good quickness and shift off the bounce, he can set others up and picks his spots to score the ball and he brings great energy on both ends of the floor. He’s a winning type of guard that negates his size with toughness.
Sam Brannen | 6’0” PG | BWSL Gold
Brannen is a player I’ve been impressed with for quite a while now, and the way he can both run the show and move off the ball to make shots is great for a team that’s looking for a dual threat guard. He runs the pick-and-roll with great execution and makes great reads, he can make shots both off the bounce and off the catch from deep and has a good midrange game and can finish over bigger defenders too. He’s highly skilled and very cerebral in his game and makes great decisions.
Stylz Gardner Stylz Gardner 5'11" | CG Peninsula Catholic | 2023 State VA | 6’0” CG | Team Loaded 757
Gardner is the type of player who may not look the part at first glance, but the fact is when he gets it going he can straight up fill it up with the best of the best. He’s a smooth combo who can handle it and creates space well off the bounce, he can drill it from deep and gets hot quickly and he has good craft as a finisher and a shot creator. He’s the type of guy whose game elevates with the competition and he can surprise you even if you know he can hoop.
Reuben McEachern Reuben McEachern 6'1" | PG Carmel | 2023 State VA | 5’10” PG | VA Havoc
When it comes to winning guards who will do whatever it takes to help their teams, McEachern is one of the first that comes to mind in the Richmond area. If he’s playing with other talented players he’s the type that can set the tempo and the tone, he makes great hustle plays and defends the ball well and he can score it when he needs to off the bounce. However, he also showed on a young Carmel School team this high school season he’s able to score it in bunches and efficiently and can be the go-to guy if he needs to.