Top 5 Columbus City League Junior Guards

<p>By the time a player is a junior in high school, he or she should be coming into their own at this level by being more cerebral on the court and more disciplined off of it. This is where good habits can form and bad habits can get exposed by better high school players. Add on top of that being a guard and being responsible for getting your teams points either by passing or scoring the basketball, and that is a cause for basketball stress in a player. The Columbus City League class of 2022 is stacked with guards who have multiple skillsets and can flat out get it done on the court for their team and off the court for themselves.</p> <p><strong>5. LB Towns- Linden McKinley:</strong> End-to-end, Towns is the fastest player in the Columbus City League with the basketball in his hand, his cross-country skill going hand-in-hand with that. Towns’ blazing speed is matched with his passing skill, he has anticipation with his passing and can deliver bullet passes if needed or he can lighten it up and put a sweet bounce pass right on the money to cutting players. His deep shooting is streaky but his ability to get to the rack is undeniable and once he has a step on his defender, he has a really good floater in the lane and can hit the mid-range jumper with consistency. Towns is a hound defensively, although undersized, he pressures the basketball and can create steals with his on-ball defense. With the loss of [player_tooltip player_id="918966" first="Chance" last="Groce"], this young man will have more on his scoring plate and if he can increase his scoring numbers then fans should not be shocked if the Panthers are back in the Columbus City League championship game next season. </p> <p><strong>4. [player_tooltip player_id="809608" first="Robert" last="Dorsey"] III- Northland:</strong> A strong, physical young man who is the best defender in this class, Dorsey uses his strength to his advantage. On defense, Dorsey slides his feet very well and forces ball handlers into tough shots. There are not many guards who can bully him around, whether on the perimeter or on the block trying to post him up. Dorsey can also score if called upon, with an undeniable will to get to the rim and put the ball in the basket. He is not the greatest shooter from deep but he can keep the defense honest with his jumper. In transition, Dorsey is faster than a person would think from his build but this kid can fly down the court and attack the rim with decent athleticism. Dorsey will be called upon to score more this upcoming season if he want to help the coach Sean Taylor and the Vikings get back to the top of the Columbus City League north.   </p> <p><strong>3. Aaron Lawson- Eastmoor Academy:</strong> Lawson had the most impactful summer training and it showed in all his outings over that time. The 5-foot-10 Lawson gained muscle and improved the consistency of his three point jumper. This young man began to impress this writer at the end of last season as he was instrumental in the Warriors playoffs victories with his defense, ball handling and passing. He is serious about his game and every time he stepped onto a court, he was intent on proving that he was an elite guard, playing his heart out with a relentless motor and a drive to make his team better. Defensively, he has strong hands and uses them very well to deflect passes and get steals. In transition, Lawson can run the floor and fill lanes as a cutter or he can lead the break and get the ball to the open man or finish it himself. For the Warriors this season, it is his team and he will have to carry his summertime into the winter if Eastmoor Academy has a chance to win the Columbus City League south.   </p> <p><strong>2. [player_tooltip player_id="809627" first="Dan" last="Wagner"]- Africentric:</strong> The smooth lefty is a three level scorer that is skilled in every offensive way. He can get to the rack at will with a lightning quick first step and an uncanny ability to finish in the lane once he gets there. Wagner can shoot from deep with the best of them which makes defenses worry about how to guard him. This young man plays at his own pace and does not allow the defense to dictate what he is going to do. Defensively, Wagner plays with a high motor and smothers the ball handler while being able to not foul. A bulldog on the court, he is known to be an even better young man off the court and even better than that in the class room. Alongside the most talented team in the Columbus City League south, Wagner and company have a chance to make some real noise not only in the city league but also the state of Ohio. </p> <p><strong>1. [player_tooltip player_id="921776" first="JJ" last="Simmons"]- Beechcroft:</strong> The best guard in the 2022 class has everything a true point guard needs; Simmons is quick and explosive along with excellent handles and good defense. Simmons gets in the paint whenever he wants with a great first step and excels in the paint with his scoring and passing ability, it helps that he has that beast [player_tooltip player_id="967166" first="Amani" last="Lyles"] to finish his paint passes. He nails jumpers with consistency both from mid-range and from deep while still being able to control the offense at his own pace, keeping the offense alive. His coach, who is also his father, mentioned that he will voluntarily take the opposing teams best offensive option even when he is not initially assigned to that player. Simmons is strong and physical and that allows his to shrug off defenders on his way to be the hoop. This young man was on the path of guiding his Cougar team deep into the playoffs before the Covid-19 pandemic hit in this city and he hopes to continue his stellar play into this season. </p>