Positional Breakdown: Class of 2021 Point/Combo Guards

Prep Hoops Missouri begins its positional breakdowns by looking at the top Class of 2021 point/combo guards.

Yaya Keita Yaya Keita 6'9" | PF DeSmet | 2021 State #210 Nation MO 6’2″ Kickapoo (4): The multi-talented point guard who led the Chiefs to the Final Four of the Class 5 state tournament. He is a creative bucket-getter with tremendous range from 3-point distance. He is capable of getting his own shot off the dribble at any time. He averaged 20.5 points, four rebounds, 3.3 assists and two steals a game. He has already committed to Mizzou.

Steve Strong 6’1″ University Academy (6): An excellent scoring point guard who can get buckets in bunches while also facilitating the offense and keeping his teammates involved. He has jet quicks in the open court and can break his defender off the dribble while also being able to knock down 3-pointers. He averaged 31 points a game in leading the Gryphons to a Class 3 district championship.

Xavier Sykes Xavier Sykes 5'10" | PG Rock Bridge | 2021 State MO 5’9″ Rock Bridge (25): A lethal little lefty who has excellent scoring ability, but he also made an big transition to a point guard as a junior. He did a good job of walking the fine line between being a distributor and the natural bucket-getter that he is, which he can do from three levels. As a junior, he averaged 17 points and four assists in leading the Bruins to the Class 5 state quarterfinals.

Brennan Watkins 5’11″ Kearney (27): A talented combo guard who has been getting serious buckets since his freshman year. He is a bonafide 3-point shooting threat who does a great job of coming off screens and moving without the basketball. He can also create offense with the basketball in his hands. As a junior, he averaged 23.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists.

Athuai Deng 6’2″ North Kansas City (29): An excellent two way-point guard with good size and length to impact the game at both ends. He is very fluid in his movements when he is advancing up the court. He can drop dimes with his court vision or he can beat his man off the dribble with a stride that covers a lot of ground. He also has a nice step-back perimeter jumper. He averaged 12.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.3 steals as a junior.

Demarcus Sanford 6’2″ Lift for Life (30): A very athletic point guard who fought off early injuries to have a very good junior season. He is an excellent shooter who hits 38-percent of his 3-pointers, but he has also evolved into an fine all-around point guard who can distribute the ball and set the defense. He can also explode to the basket and throw down a dunk. He averaged 10 points, three rebounds and four assists as a junior.

Jaden Monday 5’10″ Van Horn (31): A small, but very skilled point guard with a scorer’s mentality who can put up big numbers. He is a blur in the open court who can get into the lane to score on layups and floaters. He combines his penetration skills with a good 3-point shooting stroke to make him a very difficult cover. He averaged 23 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists as a junior.

Colby Baggett Colby Baggett 6'2" | PG Lee's Summit West | 2021 State MO 6’3″ Lee’s Summit West (38): A talented point guard with good length and size to impact a game at both ends of the court. He is at his best when he’s getting into the lane where he can score and drop off passes to open teammates. He operates well in the open court where he can create turnovers on defense and score in the transition game. He averaged 10 points and nearly five rebounds a game as a junir.

Trevon Love Trevon Love 6'2" | PG Vashon | 2021 State MO 6’0″ Vashon (40): A very creative ball handler with good quickness and the ability to break off defenders and get into the lane. He can lull defenders to sleep and then blow by with burst of speed to to the basket and score. He has good length and will sit down on the defensive end and pick pockets with his quick hands.

Logan Applegate Logan Applegate 6'2" | PG Nevada | 2021 State MO 6’2″ Nevada (43): A very skilled offensive player with downtown shooting range and the ability to create offense off the dribble with nifty drives to the basket. His court vision is excellent and he can find teammates with pinpoint passing. He is also a strong finisher in the paint with either hand off the drive.

Roddy Alexander Roddy Alexander 6'1" | PG Christian-O'Fallon | 2021 State MO 6’0″ Christian-O’Fallon (52): A very athletic combo guard who attacks the rim relentlessly and finishes well in the lane. His improved mid-range jumper also compliments his excellent drives. He is also a willing and tough defender. He averaged 16 points a game to lead the Eagles to a berth in the Class 3 state quarterfinals.

Ilyaas Harris Ilyaas Harris 5'11" | PG Cardinal Ritter | 2021 State MO 5’11″ Cardinal Ritter (55): A solid overall point guard who played a big role in the Lions’ march to the Class 3 state championship. He has good handles and he can operate well in the pick-and-roll. He has a nice mid-range jumper off the screen or he can get downhill for a bucket.

Keashon Petty Keashon Petty 5'10" | PG Parkway North | 2021 State MO 5’10″ Parkway North (61): A speedy point guard who is a blur in the open court. He plays with a lot of pace and is capable of getting into the lane against virtually any defense. Once he gets downhill, capable of scoring with a variety of shots at all kinds of angles. He averaged 18 points a game as a junior.

Ryce Piper Ryce Piper 6'2" | PG Hartville | 2021 State MO 6’2″ Hartville (70): A talented small school standout who led the Eagles to the Class 2 state championship. He has good size and he plays with a lot of poise and savvy with an excellent command of his team. He rebounds well for a guard and will hand out dimes to open teammates. As a junior, he averaged 18 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists while shooting 49 percent from the field.