Hardwood Classic II: Class of 2021 Point/Combo Guards

<p>Prep Hoops Missouri take a look at the top Missouri Class of 2021 point guards from last weekend’s second session of the Hardwood Classic in Kansas City:</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="824131" first="Brennan" last="Watkins"] 5’11" Marcus Denmon Elite: Tough, competitive guard from Kearney who displayed his three-level scoring ability as always. He is one of the premier 3-point shooters in the state, but his drive game is solid and he is constantly moving without the ball, which makes him very difficult to defend. </p> <p>Connor Arment 5’10" Team YOBO: A slick ball handling guard from Barstow who helped YOBO to the championship game of the 17U division. He did a nice job of setting the table with his passing ability as he found open teammates in their comfort zones. When it was time to call his own number, he had the ability to create his offense with his handles and a 3-point stroke that was butter.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="824128" first="Xavier" last="Sykes"] 5’9" Team GoL1ve: An exciting little bucket-getter from Rock Bridge who did a nice job of balancing his potent offensive ability with playmaking and facilitating. He has the ball handling and quickness to create his own shot at any time and he has the deep 3-point shooting range to go along with it. He can stop on the dime and change directions at any time.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="824136" first="Colby" last="Baggett"] 6’3" Team YOBO: A long, athletic point guard from Lee's Summit West helped his team to the championship game with consistent play at both ends of the court. He really gets down hill well with his quick first step, plus he can maneuver his body into tight spaces in the lane. He also knocked down a few 3-pointers to keep defenders honest.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="824213" first="Mason" last="Ballay"] 5’11" Missouri Flight: A very solid floor leader from Mount Vernon who brings toughness and fearlessness to the position. He will attack the basket and get into the land of the trees and combine it with his excellent shooting range from 3-point territory.</p> <p>Khai Howard 6’0" Team Invictus: A thick-bodied combo guard from Webb City who was fun to watch during the event. His pace was excellent as he looked to push the ball at every opportunity. He has the ability to score and make play for his teammates with equal effectiveness. His strength enables him to get into the lane while he can knock down perimeter jumpers.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="824178" first="Ryce" last="Piper"] 6’2’ All-Missouri Attack: A very smooth floor general from Class 2 state champion Hartville who plays a very poised and controlled game. He's an excellent 3-point shooter who can also score, but he is very unselfish in how he plays. He displayed very good court vision with several nice dimes. He also moves well without the ball to get himself in the right spots all the time.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="986528" first="Crishawn" last="Haggard"] 6’0" Missouri Flight: A quick and athletic combo guard from Hillcrest who did some exciting things on the court. He got downhill and got some nice buckets on acrobatic drives in the paint. He is also under control with his handles and a good step-back jumper from 3-point range.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="824175" first="Ilyaas" last="Harris"] 6’0" Carroll GoL1ve: A solid point guard from Class 3 state champion Cardinal Ritter College Prep who had some very nice moments during the weekend. He was very good at picking his spots of when to be aggressive on the offensive end. He was very effective in the pick-and-roll as he can get downhill or pull up behind the screen for the perimeter jumper.</p>