Class AA: Guards to watch

Courtney Smith September 26, 2019 @ 09:30 AM

Guards in Class AA in Tennessee are just as talented as the guards in Class AAA. The guards in Class AA can compete at a high level, and there will be some guards to watch over the course of the 2019 season. There are some schools that were able to add some nice guards that will make a splash as soon as the season starts. In the coming weeks, I will be making my way to a lot of schools in Class AA to see teams in open gym. As of right now, this list will be based off what I saw last season and over the summer on the AAU circuit. Once the season gets here, this list will be much longer than it is right now. Here’s a short list of guards to watch in Class AA: Jalen Brown, Wooddale (2021): The 6-foot-4 guard is a walking bucket. Brown has always been a walking bucket, and it has been his best strength to date. The Cardinals added Brown before Alvin Miles decided to go back to Whitehaven. Brown will be a boost offensively, playing next to Johnathan Lawson. At Trezevant last season, Brown averaged 20.4 points, 9 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.1 steals a game. If he can repeat last season’s success, Brown could be in the running for Mr. Basketball. Johnathan Lawson, Wooddale (2021): The 6-7 guard/forward has great court vision. Lawson just makes the right play as he did last season at moments as the floor general. He doesn’t force anything. Lawson is one of the most patient players in his class. He and Brown will do wonders together. Lawson is coming off a state title run with the Cardinals. He will not have his brother, Chandler Lawson, this upcoming season, but Brown knows what it takes to win a state title. He did it with Johnathan Lawson at Memphis East as a freshman. Quintavious Bailey, Raleigh-Egypt (2020): Bailey will have to do what he did last season for the Pharaohs and that is score big. At 6-5, Bailey can get his shot off over a lot of defenders. He can get to the basket when he wants to. Bailey is a sleeper for Mr. Basketball finalist. Ty Hurst, Knoxville Carter (2020): Hurst is another lethal scorer who can light it up on a nightly basis. He averaged 17.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.7 steals last season. After picking up an offer from UNC Pembroke, expect Hurst to be extra motivated to end his high school basketball career on a high note. Tyrone Marshall, Pearl Cohn: Marshall is coming off a season where he averaged 16.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 3 steals a game. He will be playing alongside former Brentwood Academy point guard Marcus Fitzgerald, who will bring championship pedigree to the roster. Marshall and Fitzgerald should work well together and be one of the top backcourts in Class AA. Matthew Sells, Livingston Academy (2021): Sells was one of the top scorers in Class AA last season after averaging 23 points to go along with 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals a game. It’s hard to see Sells falling off from those numbers. He’s only going to improve. Edward Lacy, Knoxville Fulton (2020): Lacy has led his team to back-to-back state title games. He’s only 5-7, but he’s speedy and is hard to stay in front of. Lacy is a leader, fighter and believer. Those three traits will have him as one of the most watched guards in Class AA this upcoming season.