Vantage 2019 Rankings Breakdown: Point Guards (Part 1)
We’ve now had two years of high school and AAU basketball to break down the 2019 class, and things look much different then our first rankings of them two years ago. While rankings are always subject to change, especially with the reclass and transfer rate as it is, almost all of the players have improved whether they dropped or rose in our rankings.
When taking rankings into consideration, the Vantage Hoops team spends about a month contacting coaches and experts across the state to compile the list. There were over 250 kids we considered for the top 100, and the rankings reflect the next level potential of the prospects. Things taken into consideration include upside, high school production, head-to-head matchups, skill set on both sides of the ball and include intangibles such such as how recruitable a kid is based on grades, attitude and how coachable they are.
We will spend the next few weeks breaking down our new rankings from 2018 through 2020. Here’s a look at part one of our 2019 point guard prospects. Enjoy, and stay tuned for more breakdowns moving forward!
Anthony Harris | 6’3” | Paul VI/Team Takeover 17U (#3 Overall)
Harris has played alongside one of the best senior point guards in the WCAC last year in Aaron Thompson, who’s now a freshman at Butler, and the fact that he’s played with and against some of the best talent in the area means he’s as college ready as any junior in the state. He can play on and off the basketball, make plays for himself and for others and he’s able to accept whatever role his team needs to win. He has great size for a combo guard, he can really stroke it from deep and he has a poise about him in big situations because he’s been in them before. He’s a smart player on both ends of the floor, and he’s poised for a huge season as he teams up with one of the top 2020 point guards in the country in Jeremy Roach at PVI. The two should be able to play off each other really well this year, and expect to see a lot of the top schools in the gym throughout the season for them.
Chase Coleman | 5’10” | Maury/BWSL (#13 Overall)
Coleman’s brother, Matt Coleman, was the #1 player in the state in the 2017 class and is set to start his freshman season at Texas this year, and Chase is heading in the direction of possibly being a high major prospect as well. He is as skilled and smart as any player in the state and he’s continuing to improve as time goes on. He’s growing into his body and filling out, and that has made him much more athletic making him a better finisher around the rim. He has deep range off the bounce, great vision and passing ability to create for others and is a lock down defender with quick hands and feet where he can get under defenders and pressure ball handlers. His high IQ and deep range allows him to negate his size, and the fact that he’s a true point guard makes him a huge impact when he’s on the floor.
Xavier Johnson | 6’0” | Episcopal School/Team BBC 17U (#15 Overall)
Over the summer, Johnson backed up one of the top senior point guards in the country in Immanuel Quickley who’s headed to Kentucky next season. As under recruited as they come, Johnson’s a shot making point guard who has good feel and is a good defender both on and off the basketball. He has a good frame, is an above average athlete and has a high IQ with the ball in his hands. He can score it with ease from all three levels, and he’s a leader that makes everyone better and also makes everyone play hard with his high motor on both ends of the floor. A high academic kid as well, Johnson pulled his first offer from American University of the Patriot League, and he should see more of those high academic schools coming after him the next few seasons.
Evan Buckley | 6’0” | Stone Bridge/DC Blue Devils (#17 Overall)
Buckley isn’t the biggest or most athletic guy on this list, but he is super effective because he sees the game in slow motion and has total control with the ball in his hands. He’s a hard nosed point guard with a super high IQ and the ability to see the game a few plays ahead. His toughness defensively and playmaking ability offensively makes him very likable to coaches and teammates alike, and he’s also capable of making shots from all over the floor off the bounce. He has takeover ability when he needs to, and he’s able to create for himself and his teammates without anything being called or set up for him. He holds eight offers to date, and with his high academics and winning ways he should see his stock continue to rise steadily.
Antonio Bridy | 6’0” | Life Christian Academy/BWSL Dip (#23 Overall)
Some kids are just a natural, and that’s exactly what Bridy is. In transition, he’s phenomenal with his ability to change pace, see the floor and finish creatively around the basket. He has a flash to his game, he’s able to make passes that others aren’t able to make, finish around the basket with finesse with both hands and he makes tough and contested shots that you wouldn’t want other players to take but he makes look easy. The issue at times is that he seems more interested in making the tough plays than the easy plays, but when you let him play through his mistakes he’s going to be one of the best playmakers on the floor. He also has a competitiveness to him that you can’t teach, he wants to play against the best and steps up when he does. He holds an offer from UMES, and if he can get the academics and off the court stuff on the right track he’ll attract a lot of colleges looking for a playmaker.
Ayan Teel | 5’8” | Bishop O’Connell/New World (#24 Overall)
Teel transfers into the WCAC from Maryland powerhouse Riverdale Baptist and should be a nice addition to a Bishop O’Connell backcourt that includes Nebraska commit Xavier Johnson. The knock on him is obvious in his size, but his game is centered around being able to negate that. First off, he has a tight handle in which he can break pressure, and he also plays with great pace allowing him to beat defenders off the bounce. He has a great middle game, as he can hit the floater and pull up off the bounce to avoid shot blockers, and he’s also a finesse finisher around the rim with both hands. He has a high IQ, can stretch the defense with deep range and he’s capable of getting his team into sets and running them to perfection. He sets the tone on both ends, is great in pick-and-rolls and has a toughness about him that you can’t teach. Expect him to be a big time newcomer in the league.