5A SIC Preview 2020-21: Best Guards

<p>The 2020-21 season will give a great look at all of the talent across the 5A SIC at the guard position. As the season closes and teams buckle-down for a run at the state championship, many teams will turn to their guards for leadership and guidance. The 5A is full of guards with lots of experience and the desire to win. Continue reading for my top 5 guards in the 5A SIC in no particular order.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="919663" first="Jaden" last="Hansen"], 2021: </strong>Hansen looks to lead the Rocky Mountain Grizzlies to another appearance in the state championship in the 2020-21 season. Hansen has proven himself to be one of the best players in the state with his ability to score from anywhere on the court. Jaden is a crafty guard with the ability to slice through the defense <span style="font-size: 1rem;">on his way to a tough finish at the rim, or a smart kick out to the open shooter. Hansen plays to win and consistently finds a way to score or put his team in a position to win, even on off nights. I expect Jaden to lead the Grizzlies this year while shouldering a lot of the scoring responsibility, which he is more that capable of doing.</span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="554730" first="Whit" last="Miller"], 2021: </strong>One of the best players in the state, Miller will look to help the Brave get back to their winning ways and a state tournament run. Miller has great size for a guard and uses his length to create open shots for himself or finish over taller defenders. One of Whit’s greatest strength is his passing ability. He can penetrate all the way to the rim before making a smart read to kick out of a double team to the open man for an easy shot. Miller always makes the right reads and knows when he needs to take over a game. I expect Whit to take over for the Brave this season as he increases his scoring capacity and continues to put his teammates in a position to be successful.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="969588" first="McKay" last="Anderson"], 2021: </strong>McKay will be a great point guard for the Meridian Warriors heading into the 2020-21 season. Anderson has proven himself as a pass-first point guard with the ability to knockdown the open jumper as well. Meridian likes to play an uptempo game and McKay is the engine driving the team. McKay always makes the right pass and has a tight handle which allows him to be deadly out of the pick-and-roll. On a kick out, he has the ability to hit the open jumper making defenders close out and allowing him to drive-by and find a dish. The Warriors will be looking to make a deep run at the state tournament this year behind Anderson running the squad.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="919667" first="Cooper" last="Lumsden"], 2021: </strong>Timberline looks to regroup this season for a return to the state tournament. Cooper is a talented guard for the Timberwolves and has the ability to score at all three levels. He finishes well at the rim and can get there with ease from anywhere on the court. Cooper has a good-looking jumper and has deep range when he chooses to shoot from deep. Averaging 10.5 ppg last season, Lumsden will look to boost his scoring averages and his shooting percentage while leading the Timberwolves this upcoming season.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="921078" first="Bayler" last="Perrin"], 2022: </strong>Perrin was a spark off the bench for the Mountain View Mavericks last season and will look to carry more of the load this season. Last season, Perrin came off the bench to produce a 29 point performance against Skyview and has the ability to score in bunches. Underestimated for his size, Perrin plays with plenty of heart and wills his way to score and create for his teammates. Perrin draws lots of contact on his way to the rim and gets to the foul-line consistently. I expect Bayler to improve his shooting percentages this season while also increasing his assists all while leading the team on their quest for a run at the state tournament.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="969596" first="Cade" last="Randall"], 2021: </strong>Randall returns in 2020-21 to help lead the Kuna Kavemen on their journey for a state title. Last season, Randall’s shooting ability was on full display and he is showing no signs of slowing down. Cade has great footwork and is always ready to shoot when he catches. His quick release and high release point help him get the ball up over taller defenders in a hurry and allows him to create his own shot. Away from the ball, Randall moves constantly as the Kavemen run lots of sets to get him free for an open shot and a near-guarantee of 3-points. I expect Randall to look for his shot even more this season and to lead the Kavemen on offense as they make a jump to the 5A in 2020-21.</p>