Class of 2017 Point Guard Breakdown

Scott Burgess September 15, 2015 @ 11:00 AM

The point guard group is pretty good in the class of 2017. It has stars at the top, followed by D1 depth, and potential players at the small school levels.At the top of the list is Nojel Eastern (Evanston). The 6’4” point guard was sidelined for the majority of the spring and summer with an injury. He should be ready to go for his junior campaign. Eastern has great size for the position along with a smooth game and leadership qualities that are intriguing. He is followed by Alonzo Verge (Proviso West) who is one of the most electric playmakers in the state with the ball in his hands. The wiry guard is flashy with the rock passing, scoring, and weaving through defenders. The lead guards that need to be on mid-major radars start with Evan Gilyard (Simeon). The lefty had a monster summer showcasing his ability to run a team and set others up. Another one that broke out during the live period was Jalen Clanton (Riverside Brookfield) who is a pass first point guard with a high IQ. Defensive minded Willie Herenton (Stevenson), slick passing Josiah Wallace (Marshall), and scoring PJ Pipes (Lemont) each put themselves on the D1 radar. Other prospects that had strong showings during the summer at the position include Octavius Parker (Niles West), Jason Towers (St. Joseph’s), CJ Coldon (Belleville Althoff), Mark Smith (Edwardsville), Keondre Shumacher (Normal U-High), Ramar Evans (Loyola), and Tai Bibbs (West Chicago). The quality at the position continues with a pair of high IQ point guards in Devin Whitelow (Washington) and Aundrae Williams (Springfield Lanphier). Then you have the ultimate wild card in Mahir Williams (Proviso East) who might be the most exciting point guard in the state, but rarely plays high school basketball.