2023 Guard Rankings (16-9)
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As we look at the first class of 2023 rankings in the state of VA, we will break down the positional rankings by guards, wings and big men. While we label prospects by six positions as far as point guards,…
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Continue ReadingAs we look at the first class of 2023 rankings in the state of VA, we will break down the positional rankings by guards, wings and big men. While we label prospects by six positions as far as point guards, combo guards, shooting guards, small forwards, power forwards and centers, I like to put some of them together to simplify things and do rankings based on the three main positions.
Today, we take a look at part one of the guards rankings, looking at some of the top point and combo guards in the sophomore class.
16) Stark Jones Stark Jones 6'3" | CG Cave Spring | 2023 State VA | 6’2” | Cave Spring (#47 Overall)
Jones was a standout off the bench for Roanoke Catholic last year, and transfers to defending state champs Cave Spring which needs to replace their backcourt and he should fit in perfectly. A combo guard with great size, Jones is a lock down defender with good feet and quick hands, is quick off the bounce and a good athlete and can finish in traffic when he gets in the paint.
15) Amari Gray Amari Gray 6'2" | CG Life Christian Academy | 2023 State VA | 6’1” | Life Christian (#42 Overall)
Gray was a standout last year at LC Bird before he transferred to defending state champs Life Christian Academy where he decided to reclassify to the 2023 class. A strong guard that plays with a good motor and has great feel, Gray is a downhill attacking guard who can finish at the rim and make plays for others, and he’s a terrific rebounder for his size and position on both ends.
14) Aiden Filipiano Aiden Filipiano 6'2" | CG Catholic | 2023 State VA | 6’2” | Catholic (#41 Overall)
Filipiano is part of a young and talented core at Catholic, and he’s the perfect type of high level glue guy that makes his team better by making winning plays on both ends. He’s a high motor and high IQ guard that uses his size to make plays on the defensive end, he can shoot it and make plays for others off the bounce and he’s a good rebounder at his position as well.
13) Samuel Brannen Samuel Brannen 6'0" | CG King’s Fork | 2023 State VA | 5’11” | Norfolk Collegiate (#37 Overall)
Brannen had terrific moments as a freshman as he helped NoCo to the state finals last year before they fell to Blue Ridge, and he’s going to have a bigger role this year and looks ready to take on the lead scoring role as well as the main ball handler. The combo guard is a very skilled scorer and a knock down shooter from deep, he has a great work ethic and he has a good IQ and doesn’t force things on the offensive end.
12) Troy Giles Troy Giles 6'0" | CG Hargrave Military Academy | 2023 State VA | 6’0” | Smithfield (#35 Overall)
Giles is one of the more underrated guys in the 757 as he doesn’t play at the biggest school, but he came into a good Smithfield team and started immediately from the jump and showed a ton of potential already. A smooth lefty that’s dynamic off the bounce and has good feel, Giles can impact the game on both ends of the floor, he can play both guard positions and he’s a good shooter from deep as well.
11) John Awoke John Awoke 6'2" | PG Hayfield | 2023 State VA | 6’2” | Annandale (#34 Overall)
Awoke made a huge splash last year as he was named First Team All Conference and District, and Second Team All Region as a freshman. A highly skilled scoring guard with good size and athleticism, Awoke is shifty off the bounce and able to create space with his handle, he can score it from all three levels and he brings it on both ends to set the tone.
10) Robby Matos Robby Matos 5'9" | PG Blue Ridge | 2023 VA | 5’8” | Virginia Episcopal School (#23 Overall)
Matos came into a young VES team and made an immediate impact as a partial starter and sixth man last year, and his role is only going to grow and he’s only going to get better with time. A lightning quick lead guard with a great first step and end-to-end speed, Matos is a handful to guard off the bounce and brings it on the defensive end where he can guard the ball the length of the floor and make ball handlers uncomfortable.
9) Ryan Hite Ryan Hite 6'3" | PG King's Fork | 2023 State VA | 6’2” | King’s Fork (#21 Overall)
Hite is a very intriguing prospect that has great physical and athletic tools as well as a good skillset, and it’s just a matter of getting more opportunity as he plays behind one of the top point guards in the state. He’s grown and filled out physically and is an explosive finisher, he can make shots from deep both off the catch and off the bounce and he’s a big time defender as well.