Class of 2020: 7 guards to watch at the Prep Hoops Expo

<p>The showcase 250 Expo is this weekend in Colorado and last year there was a great turnout where players jumped on our radars as well as up our rankings. Plenty of those players are returning for another year to show what they have in front of college scouts as well in front of a few our our contributors. Here are seven guards to take a look at as they head into the event, some are ranked and a few will be our first time giving them a look.</p> <p><strong>Kaleb Chaney – Overland </strong></p> <p>You know what you are going to get from Chaney at these events, plenty of energy, immense speed and lockdown defense – there is only one thing, Chaney has gotten even better as an offensive player which is scary because he has honestly been dominant at these events. Last year at the 250 event he really took over and turned a few heads. This year will be about proving he is not only a star role player but a standout that does plenty of things right. Chaney is a speedy, heads up floor general that makes others around him better. He sets the tone on defense and with confidence to now start taking over it appears that he is ready to take a leap and be mentioned with the other top guys heading into their senior season. This is as crucial of a weekend as he has and he is a player that colleges might want to circle ahead of time.</p> <p><strong>Kevin Furuiye  -- Cherokee Trail</strong><strong> </strong></p> <p>It is interesting that Kevin makes this list again because last year this expo I believed was going to be his coming out party. He had a good showing and did plenty of intangible    that led to team success but somehow did not manage to play at Cherokee Trail this season, maybe on the JV team or due to injury. He now is heading back to the expo in hopes of putting it altogether and showcasing that he is ready for a bigger year. From what we last seen, he is a defender that makes plays. He is unselfish with the ball and was knocking down shots, this year he will have to show that he can run the team and put it altogether but is another event that he can stand out.</p> <p><strong>Rasheik Gaddis – Northfield </strong></p> <p>Gaddis is a guard for the Nighthawks who has plenty to prove heading into the event. He is a floor general that needs to get his name out there as a player that wants to be on radars. Based on his last season stats he seemed to have an up and down year as he was looking to find his own. Some games he was aggressive and tried to score, others he was playing defense and playing the passing lanes. This event and season will be about finding a balance and confidence to be able to blend both. Gaddis will have to be aggressive on a Northfield team that can shock a few teams in the Denver Prep League. Gaddis is not a name that we necessarily know so this is a chance to prove himself.</p> <p><strong>Evan Laraby / Alec Laraby – Middle Park </strong></p> <p>We know that they are used to sharing everything else as twins so it is only right that they both get mentioned here. For starters, I have never even heard of Middle Park High School which has me even more excited to have these two come to our event and put on for 3A and the small schools. When taking a look at their stats last season it appears that both were used in many ways as the top guards on the team. With their two leading scorers graduating last season it is up to them both to bring it this year. Evan put up nine points, three assists and just over two steals a game while his brother Alec put up 6.9 points, 2.5 assists and 2.4 steals a game. They have to hope that play translates in a showcase of this magnitude as this will surely be the first time that plenty have heard of the two, specifically on the defensive end. With so many scorers on the court, things such as defense, rebounding and energy goes a long way so it will be interesting to see how they keep this up.</p> <p><strong>Luis Miera – Alameda </strong></p> <p>Miera makes my list of top players I want to watch at the showcase. I am excited to see how his game has progressed since the season has ended and the new things that he has added to his game. Alameda was a surprise team last season as they went 18-7 and he was their best player as he put up 15.3 points and 5.3 assists a game as well. I want to see him continue that style of play against the best players, surrounded by a solid surrounding cast as well as I feel as if he is one of the most underrated guards in the entire state and can pass the ball as good as any guard in the state. We know that he can score the ball in various ways as he shoots the ball well and can create for himself off of the dribble with a great crossover. What is great about him is he relishes the challenge. He does not back down and is a fierce competitor. A great showing from him here will go a long way.  </p> <p><strong>Landon Wallace – Conifer</strong></p> <p>Wallace led the state in assists by a long shot, in fact he was one of the best passers in the entire country at 10.3 a game When he is on the court it is easy to see why guys work just a little bit harder on the offensive end as he is going to make the right play. He has played well in showcases that we have seen him in but still has not shot the ball enough as well as shooting it as much as we would like. We know he is one of the state’s best passers, hopefully he opens up a few more opportunities to show us he can also create for himself as much as others. I want to see an aggressive offensive showcase from him this weekend where he isn’t turning down shots and he is dominating.</p>