Update: SIAA Guards
Tyrell Jones, West Oaks Academy
After scoring 21 points in a loss against Hillcrest, the high-octane Class of 2019 guard catalyzed West Oaks in a signature victory over Charles Bassey-led Aspire Academy in the Amusement Park Classic.
With coaches from James Madison and South Florida on hand to see the well-built Jones, he displayed a dependable beyond the arc game and a scorer’s mentality.
In addition, Jones’ chest to chest defense and pressure all across the court was integral in West Oaks’ game plan to minimize Bassey’s surrounding options.
While Bassey scored a game-best 30 points and put a deft interior skill set on display, Jones and company neutralized the backcourt and negated Aspire’s secondary options an route to the win.
PJ Person, West Oaks
Like Corey Sanders and Andres Feliz and L.J. Figueroa and Sylvain “Frenchie” Francisco before him, Person adapted to West Oaks knowing he would have to sacrifice individual totals for team shine.
The aforementioned Sanders (now at Rutgers and a considerable 2018 NBA draft prospect) and company could have easily scored 30 a night on a less talented team.
For Person, ceding the go-to guy role to teammates (such as the aforementioned Jones and guard Tyrieke Blakeney) has enabled him to show the country just how powerful a defense presence, rebounding guard, and creator he is.
It was Person’s veteran savvy and late game poise that reared its head down the stretch against Aspire, which ultimately helped West Oaks preseve the victory.
This West Oaks team has the depth to feature a different high scores each game.
Person is the spirit of the defense and a stud masquerading as a glue guy, contributing in all statistical categories.
Raymond Dieng, Inspire Academy
The jarringly lame, agonizing, and overused “trust the process” cliche tends to surface when you’ve got a first year program playing a rigorous SIAA schedule.
Yet the play of the Class of 2020 guard Dieng, a transfer via Miami’s Calusa Prep, has pumped promise into a team which has the pieces to be good down the road. Dieng is a bouncy guard who can finish hard at the rim and also grab rebounds notably well.