Small-School Section 8 Top Guards

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">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. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With that in mind, here’s a look at some of the top guards in the small schools in Section 8</span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="567071" first="Sam" last="Votava"], East Grand Forks</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Votava is one of the best points guards in Minnesota’s 2021 class. His game is just so complete as his influence on winning is vast. He averaged 15 points, nearly eight rebounds and nearly six assists plus four steals per game for the Green Wave last season, helping it reach the section semifinals. He’ll have even more offensive responsibility this upcoming season as his team graduated three multi-year starters - so don’t be surprised if he puts up even gaudier numbers as a senior. </span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="567093" first="Elijah" last="Morris"], Perham</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Morris has been a key cog for the Yellowjackets each of the last two years and he’s a perfect encapsulation of why Perham consistently has one of the best teams in the state. It’s all about player development and Morris has evolved from an elite level sniper to a rock-solid overall player. He’s an adept playmaker now. He’s a heady decision-maker. He can create for himself off the dribble and has a calming influence on the game. And when given even a bit of time and space, he’s as good a pure shooter as anybody in the state. </span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="567061" first="Dominic" last="Aguilar"], Fergus Falls</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fergus Falls won 25 games last year and Aguilar had his fingerprints all over the team’s success. The 6-foot-2 point guard averaged 14 points and six assists while providing top-notch defense on the perimeter. Aguilar is smooth off the bounce and can score from the mid-range, finish around the rim or distribute. The Otters reached the section championship last March before the season was canceled and with Aguilar running the show, they’re equipped to have similar success this winter. </span></p> <p><strong>Cameron Spaeth, Ada-Borup</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Consider this one a long-term bet but Spaeth was a solid role player for a top-ranked Cougars team as an eighth-grader and should get a ton of run as a freshman. He showed he can shoot it a little bit, get to the rim and play defense last year and while the Cougars might be headed into a transition year after relying heavily on upperclassmen over the last few seasons, he’ll be a building block. </span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="774908" first="Adam" last="Tonsfeldt"], Barnesville</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tonsfeldt isn’t big, but he’s one of the best pure scorers in the area. The 5-foot-9 senior averaged 22 points per game last year for a Barnesville team that won 17 games. He can fill it up from the 3-point line, and he’s a blur when he can get downhill off the bounce. The Trojans should be a top four or five team in the section and Tonsfeldt is potentially the top individual scorer in the field. </span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="958850" first="Kobe" last="Tomkinson"], Sacred Heart</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sacred Heart has been one of the more competitive outfits in Section 8A beyond Ada-Borup and Cass Lake-Bena and the Eagles should be good this winter with Tomkinson leading the way. He averaged 19 points as a sophomore and showed the ability to score in a variety of ways. </span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="955962" first="Adam" last="Benke"], Badger-Greenbush-Middle River</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">BGMR won 21 games last year and Benke was a key cog in the success, taking his game to an all-league level as a junior. He’s a solid slasher who can play through contact, get to the rim and scorch it from the perimeter. And he’s a feisty defender who gets after people at the point of attack. After winning 21 games last season, expectations should be high for the Gators in 2020-21. </span></p>