Six Elite Soph Point Guards

The Class of 2022 is deep at the critical position of point guard. Senior point guards lead teams to the state tournament and yet four of the following five elite PG’s helped thrust their teams to The Glass House. What makes them special? Jaylon Green (Knox Webb) Heady, poised lead guard. Green, like many star sophomores, played alongside more respected and proven players during his sophomore season. Webb leaned on Uriah Powers and [player_tooltip player_id="846006" first="Luke" last="Burnett"] for much of their scoring and rebounding. Green played perfectly within a structured 4-out offense. He didn’t force the dribble. He didn’t over-penetrate and when he did get into the lane, Green made smart choices. His poise at such a young age speaks to a mature demeanor. Kobe Ward (South Side) Developed plenty in the last year, but still played next to some dogs at South Side. His role during AAU season will be substantially larger. South Side is perhaps the deepest team in the state at guard, in particular. Technically, the undefeated and PrepHoopsTN #1 team in Class AA South Side is still alive in the state tournament. Of course, the conclusion of this tournament is tenuous. What Kobe brings to the deck is a refined finish among the trees despite his smaller size. His handle is exceptional for a sophomore. Ward’s shot is smooth and consistent. J.J. Wheat (Clarksville) District MVP as a sophomore! In 10-AAA, a very talented district, Wheat was named MVP. Take the word of the foremost authority on 10-AAA. "Wheat’s composure through his entire career thus far has been something you expect from someone way beyond his years," shared esteemed evaluator <a href="https://twitter.com/931HoopsReport">@931HoopsReport</a>. But as far as his on court attributes, he’s easily one of the best shot creators I’ve seen in a while & it’ll only continue to get better. He’s also grown to love playing defense." Taylor Groves (East Robertson) Advanced to state tournament for the second time in the 21st century. Remember East Robertson High School greats Carlus Groves, Fitz Jones, David Woodard? While this East Robertson High School is not nearly as dominant as those perennial 30+ win teams, they do have a superstar in Taylor Groves. Groves is an incredible dual-sport athlete with D1 potential in both basketball and football. Apparently, football coaches identified this potential extremely early in a sport where coaches often can’t project greatness as far in advance. Already Taylor surpassed 1,000 points in his career. Philip Dotson (Arlington) Elite shooter. Though Houston High eliminated Arlington, AHS and Dotson specifically summoned a special season in Mo Miller’s first campaign. Credit Dotson with continuing to develop his game. A year ago, Dotson earned 2019 PrepHoopsTN Spring Combine MVP and kept improving. His shooting range rivals anybody in the state. An influx of talent to Arlington ([player_tooltip player_id="845992" first="Chris" last="McKnight"] et al.) allowed or forced, depending on your perspective, Dotson’s scoring role was smaller as a sophomore than it was as a freshman. Do not mistake this adaptation for skill stagnation. Dotson’s handle is better than it was a year ago. Importantly, his hands are quicker and his arms are stronger. This enabled him to defend in tight spaces at a better level against the more physically advanced older guards. https://twitter.com/PrepHoopsTN/status/1235676078745751552?s=20 Hayden Ledbetter (Lausanne) Hayden was exceptional in crunch time, namely the TSSAA State Tournament. DII-A Boys All-Tournament Team. Ledbetter really developed his power and body in the last year. There are moments where his passion gets the better of him, but it would be wrong-headed to ask him to play without it. His passion sets him apart from similarly skilled and similarly sized point guards. Gritty. Follow <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewForce8">@AndrewForce8</a> for the latest recruiting coverage.