Philadelphia Catholic League 2021 Rising Stars: Guards

Jared Nelson June 2, 2020 @ 07:16 PM

Philadelphia is known for producing quality guards. As one class graduates, underclassmen step up into bigger roles. Here are five Point Guards and Combo Guards who made names for themselves in 2019-20 and how we can expect them to get better in the off-season. [player_tooltip player_id="990937" first="Hysier" last="Miller"] - 6’1 PG - Neumann-Goretti/Team Final Miller began the season as a sixth man, but, with his tenacious defense (1.8 s/g) and shot-making (39% from 3), he led Neumann to a PCL championship as a starter. His willingness to do the team’s dirty work (4.8 r/g) kept him on the floor as his offensive game developed. The epitome of a Philly Guard, Miller complimented his physical defense with tough at-rim finishes. As Hysier takes a more focal role in the offense (14.3 p/g), improving his play-making ability (3 a/g) will relieve some of the pressure on him to score, allowing him to continue being a two-way threat. [player_tooltip player_id="990976" first="Dominic" last="Vazquez"] - 6’0 PG - Archbishop Ryan/Philly Storm Vazquez is pass-first point guard who has good feel and can deliver the ball in the post or to shooters on the perimeter with either hand (4.7 a/g). He has average size for the position but, when he’s not setting someone else up, he uses his quickness to get open for threes. Because he doesn’t have the best physical tools, Dominic isn’t able to consistently get in the lane and attack the basket. He’ll make strides in scoring ability (9.7 p/g) as he adds more "sauce" to ball-handling and uses more pick & roll so he can create more space for himself. [player_tooltip player_id="990958" first="Eric" last="Chamberlain"] - 6’0 PG - West Catholic/Mt. Pleasant Bulldogs The shifty, West Philly product was one of the brighter spots on a young team, facing the difficult PCL schedule. Chamberlain put his name on the map by maximizing his tight handle and quick first-step. He routinely creates off-the-dribble so he can get to the rim, draw the defense or pull-up from 3. Despite Eric’s thin frame, when he does get to the rim, he’s able to finish over bigger players using his crafty lay-up package. As he gets stronger, the Burrs PG has to find ways to contribute without the ball if he wants to help West Catholic win more games. Adrian Irving Jr - 6’1 CG - Cardinal O’Hara/WeR1 The past two seasons, O’Hara has deployed a multiple ball-handler offense, with 4 guards on the court at any-given time. Yet, Irving Jr has managed to average 14.3 and 12.7 points in league-play. This 3-level scorer gets to his spots at-will, while flashing the ability to create for others. Defensively, he converts his deflections into steals and fastbreak opportunities where he further pressures the rim. Likely too small to make a living off-ball, embracing his play-making skills will serve him and his team well as they challenge for a league title. [player_tooltip player_id="990985" first="Malik" last="Edwards"] - 6’0 CG - Monsignor Bonner-Archbishop Prendergast/K-Low Elite The Friars combo guard spent the 18-19 & 19-20 behind other talented perimeter players. However, he still managed to put up 14.3 pts/g on the season playing off-ball. Edwards displayed surgical mechanics and footwork from 3 whether he was spotting up, coming off screens, or shooting off the dribble. For his senior season, Malik will likely have to combine his floor spacing skills with the ability to create advantages for himself and teammates as MBAP’s lead guard. How well he’s able to do this will influence his ceiling and theirs.