Top Combo Guards in 2021 (Part 1)

<p>Today, we take a look at the guards across the state who are able to play both on and off the basketball. The term "combo guard" used to have a negative connotation to it, but now the way the game has evolved it has become common to have multiple ball handlers and shooters on the floor, making the combo guard very valuable now. We take a look at part one of the top CGs in VA, with a look at seven of them here.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="697111" first="Angelo" last="Brizzi"] | 6’3” | Highland School</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Brizzi-Angelo.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1024719" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Brizzi-Angelo-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>The Villanova commit took the VISAA by storm last season as he helped Highland to the state semifinals before dropping a heartbreaker to Norfolk Collegiate. His recruitment took off after that, and for good reason as he’s one of the most lethal scorers in the state both on and off the basketball. The lefty lead guard is a guy who has deep range off the bounce and extreme confidence in his ability to make those shots, and he has a great understanding of his game and how he can get to his spots and score it at a high clip.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="798682" first="Elvin" last="Edmonds"] | 6’2” | Hopewell</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Edmonds-Elvin-MVP.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1023817" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Edmonds-Elvin-MVP-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>Edmonds has been one of the most productive guards in the Richmond area over the past three years and has reached many milestones including the 1,000 point mark as a junior. Over the summer he committed to Patriot League powerhouse Bucknell, and he seems like a perfect fit both on and off the court in the Patriot League. Edmonds is a high IQ guy with a great skill set both on and off the basketball, he has deep range and is extremely consistent from deep and he’s a very hard working kid both on the court and in the classroom.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="687573" first="Kenard" last="Richardson"] | 6’3” | Life Christian Academy</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/09/Richardson-Kenard-LCA.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1055491" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/09/Richardson-Kenard-LCA-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>Richardson may get the nod for the most improved guy last year on this list, as his decision to reclassify and head to Life Christian paid off as he won the state championship, was awarded VISAA D3 Player of the Year honors and committed to Iona with new Head Coach Rick Pitino. Richardson is the type of guy you have to love when you watch him play because he takes no plays off, he’s a tough competitor and he brings it on both ends of the floor. He showed improvement in his ability to create for himself and others off the bounce last year and he showed a little more bounce and quickness to his game as well.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="798688" first="Jaylani" last="Darden"] | 6’3” | Norview</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Darden-Jaylani.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1024415" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/Darden-Jaylani-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>Darden has had a steady climb throughout his high school career and really blossomed last year as a leader in helping Norview to the Class 5 State Championship. The 6’3” lefty is what I like to call a utility guard, someone who can play and impact in the game in numerous ways. He’s extremely long and uses that length to make plays defensively, he plays under control and makes great decisions with the ball in his hands in transition and he’s improved a lot with his ability to shoot the ball from deep over the past few years.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="957951" first="Kobe" last="Jerome"] | 6’3” | Blue Ridge</strong></p> <p>UC Riverside got a steal in Jerome who came to Blue Ridge last year and was the perfect glue guy for an already stacked team that won the VISAA D2 Championship. Jerome is a guard with good size and thinks the game very well, and he routinely makes the right play and has a skill set that will help any team win games. He’s an excellent passer with both hands, he can make shots from deep and defensively he’s great both on the ball and off the ball where he makes great rotations and is good for taking at least a charge a game.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="798735" first="Erik" last="Prosise"] | 6’1” | Trinity Episcopal</strong></p> <p>Prosise is in a good spot for a big senior season this year after Trinity loses their top three scorers from last year’s team in [player_tooltip player_id="543745" first="Henry" last="Coleman"] (Duke), [player_tooltip player_id="687567" first="Burke" last="Smith"] (Boise State) and [player_tooltip player_id="798685" first="AJ" last="Williams"] (Oak Hill). The new situation should fit well for Prosise who is a scoring guard that can fill it up in bunches both on and off the basketball. He’s deceptively strong and quick off the bounce, he can knock it down from deep with consistency and he plays hard on both ends of the floor.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="697128" first="Mac" last="McDonald"] | 6’3” | Collegiate</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/McDonald-Mac.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1034582" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/McDonald-Mac-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>McDonald is one of the most under recruited guys in the state and I think Patriot and Ivy League schools should be all over him right now. He’s evolved over the years from a stand still knock down shooter to a scoring guard that can create for himself and others and has great confidence in his game. His shooting ability is still his strongest point but he’s worked on his wiggle off the bounce and he’s an expert at finding contact and getting to the free throw line often for easy points.</p>