There are several valuable guards on this roster, which includes Josiah Hill and everything he brings to the table. Few guys on the team have seen their stock rise as much as him over the recent months, and that’s likely due to his steady, reliable production. Hill knows how to run the team with poise while applying pressure as a penetrator and perimeter shooter. He gets others involved as a playmaker and defends the point of attack with energy. Hill clearly has the tools to be a college-level guard, so it would be wise for coaches to get involved before his inevitably productive high school season.
It’s easy to see the appeal with guys like Jaelin Smith and Jayon Connor. Smith continues to make strides as an athletic shot-maker with length, toughness, and physicality. He’s able to operate as a versatile cog offensively and exploit mismatches against various types of opponents. Smith is also capable of defending multiple positions and rebounding at a quality rate. Meanwhile, Connor is trending up as much as anyone on the roster. He’s a strong, explosive, versatile piece who can do a variety of different things on the floor. Connor has shown the ability to score from all levels, but is arguably at his best when applying pressure at the rim. He has excellent defensive tools and a strong nose for the ball as a rebounder. Connor is already a versatile two-way piece, but it’ll be interesting to see how much more his game progresses over the next six months.
Given the value of perimeter shooting, guys like Max Van Weerdhuizen and Brady Bennett should be obvious targets for college coaches. Weerdhuizen is a knockdown shooter with the ability to spot up or make plays with the ball in his hands. He hits a high percentage of his jumpers off the catch, but also forces opponents to respect his ability to hit shots off the bounce or set up others as a playmaker. He plays with consistent energy on defense and fights for extra possessions whenever possible. Meanwhile, Bennett is another reliable shooter who continues to develop with the ball in his hands. He possesses great size and the ability to operate from multiple positions on the court. Bennett is a solid athlete and utilizes his body well to pursue rebounds and defend bigger opponents. In addition to this group, expect coaches to lay groundwork with this entire roster.