2022 Rankings Update: Top 25 Positional Breakdown – Guards (II)
In the introduction story to our updated class of 2022 rankings, we mentioned the balance we saw – from a positional standpoint – among the top prospects in this class. In this piece we take a closer look at that positional…
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Continue ReadingIn the introduction story to our updated class of 2022 rankings, we mentioned the balance we saw – from a positional standpoint – among the top prospects in this class. In this piece we take a closer look at that positional parity starting with the 12 guards in the Top 25. Below are the second six.
No. 19 Jeremy Dent-Smith Jeremy Dent-Smith 6'0" | PG Gardena Serra | 2022 CA-S , Gardena Serra – One of the smoother and high IQ point guards in this class, Dent-Smith plays with really nice pace in transition and knows how to run an offense. What the 6-foot floor general does best is take the temperature of his team and identifies what they need at any given point in the game. If a basket is needed, Dent-Smith can provide it. If someone else has the hot hand, Dent-Smith will find them. The next step for him is to find that second gear of speed in transition to help his blow-by ability on the break.
Gardena Serra PG [player_tooltip player_id="748747" first="Jeremy" last="Dent-Smith"] is one of the best decision-makers in the 2022 class.No. 20 Jalen Vazquez Jalen Vazquez 6'0" | PG Bishop Montgomery | 2022 CA-S , Bishop Montgomery – Vazquez lost a majority of his sophomore season due to injury and some forgot just how good the 6-foot point guard is. Vazquez is as smooth as they come with the ball in his hands, but has a quick twitch burst that allows him to explode into the paint, draw defenders, and make high IQ passes or crafty layups around the basket. Vazquez is a true floor general type who is capable of running a high-powered offense to a “T.”
No. 21 Daniel Michelini-Jackson Daniel Michelini-Jackson 6'2" | SG Santa Monica | 2022 CA-S , Santa Monica – Jackson jumped onto the scene this season after posting impressive efforts at the Trevor Ariza Tip-Off Classic and Rolling Hills Prep State Preview Classic. The 6-foot-2 combo guard is of the “wired to score” variety and does so in a variety of ways, whether it’s a triple off the catch or off the bounce or a balanced mid-range pull-up. Jackson has the ball skills, vision and passing ability to serve as a secondary ball handler when needed, but he’s definitely much more comfortable putting the ball in the bucket.
No. 23 Ben Shtolzberg Ben Shtolzberg 6'4" | SG Notre Dame | 2022 State CA-S , Sherman Oaks Notre Dame – Shtolzberg had a big season at Notre Dame as the Knights set multiple state and sectional three-point shooting records. The 6-foot-3 shooting guard averaged a team-best 21.2 points per game and connected on 74 of his 205 attempts from deep. Shtolzberg has the size, strength and improving athleticism to play on or off the ball at the high school level, but will need to add some speed with the ball in transition to handle and beat pressure at the next level.
No. 24 Jason Hart II Jason Hart II 6'1" | PG Taft | 2022 CA-S , Taft – Hart is another talented point guard who missed a lot of time this season due to injury. The crafty lefty has the ability to control the pace and tempo of the game and read what his team needs in any given situation. Hart is a high level passer, advances the ball in transition and doesn’t dribble the air out of the basketball in the half-court setting. What he does need to find is a go-to scoring attribute to balance his true point guard mind with a player who is a threat to score.
No. 25 Chance Stephens Chance Stephens 6'2" | SG Riverside Poly | 2022 State CA-S , Riverside Poly – If we put together a list of best shooters regardless of class (which isn’t a half-bad idea) Stephens would be pretty high on that list. The 6-foot-2 shooting guard has deep range from multiple spots on the floor, gets his shot of quickly, and understands how to move without the ball and set up a screen to pin his defender and get an open look. Stephens next step is to tighten his ball skills and add another layer of scoring to his impressive shooting stroke.