North Dakota Preview: Region 4 Top Guards

Matt Bigelow

September 13, 2020 @ 12:30 PM

It’s never too early for too-early-season. With fall sports and school underway, it’s only a matter of time before the winter sports season is upon us. With that in mind, here’s a look at some of the top guards in Region 4 JaeShaun Shaw, Four Winds/Minnewaukan Shaw is one of the best two-way guards in the region and has been a key cog for a terrific Four Winds/Minnewaukan team each of the last two years. He’s upped his scoring and should do so again as a senior with more opportunities to handle the ball and make plays. He’s a solid shooter and does a great job off the ball with cuts or in transition. And he’s a lockdown defender on the perimeter who can trigger transition opportunities with his pressure. Jayden Yankton, Four Winds/Minnewaukan Yankton has started for two years already and been one of the best guards in the region. Expect him to take his game to another level as a junior and emerge as an all-state type guy. He’s an excellent scorer from the perimeter, he’s got the juice to get out in transition and make plays going downhill, and he showed last year that he’s capable of taking on more defensive responsibility. [player_tooltip player_id="750182" first="Michael" last="Dunn"], St. John St. John is losing four starters including three double-figure scorers, but it returns it’s leading scorer in Mike Dunn, who is going to have an opportunity to put up massive numbers next season. The 6-foot-1 senior guard averaged 14 points per game a year ago and was uber-efficient from 2-point range. If he can get his 3-point shooting to respectable percentages, he’s got a shot to put up 20-plus points per game. Julian Hill, Warwick Hill stuffed the stat sheet for Warwick last year, averaging 16 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. He’s been productive since he started playing varsity basketball and while he struggled with his efficiency as a junior, he’s a player who can take over stretches of a game on both ends of the floor. Ethan Morin, Dunseith Morin put up big numbers as a sophomore for a decent Dunseith team, averaging 18 points, six assists and five rebounds and he’ll have the ball in his hands even more as an upperclassman. Morin’s an intelligent player, makes good decisions and can score from anywhere. He’s an excellent 3-point shooter and a crafty scorer inside. [player_tooltip player_id="750173" first="Grant" last="Romfo"], LEM LEM won 18 games last season and has one of the best duos in the state in the Romfo brothers. Grant emerged as a legitimate go-to scorer last season, routinely putting up 15-20 points per game. His ability to score from everywhere makes him a tough nightly cover, as he’s a strong long-range shooter but also has the explosiveness to get to the rim and play through contact. [player_tooltip player_id="750183" first="Simon" last="Romfo"], LEM The second half to LEM’s dynamic Romfo duo, Simon is a terrific shot-creator for the Cardinals, leading the team in assists while consistently producing double-figures in points. He’s a terrific defender as well, and keys the team on both ends of the floor with his ability to put pressure on the passing lanes and trigger transition opportunities. Tyson Tipton, Harvey/Wells County Tipton was one of the bright spots for a Harvey/WC team that struggled throughout most of last season. He’s one of the top guards in a loaded region, stuffing the stat sheet with scoring, rebounding and assisting. He’s a good slasher and can break down defenders and create shots for himself and his teammates, but he also has to be respected from deep because he can turn it up from beyond the 3-point line in a hurry.