Five combo-guards to watch in the Centennial League

<p>There have been changes to the world as we know it, and the Colorado high school basketball scene has taken its fair share of changes as well. Typically, we will have already been a few games in determining who we deem as the top teams in the state. Well, good news, we are a couple of weeks removed from the start of the season. With a late start and condensed season, getting off to a quick start is important. One conference that did not see a change and will again be the state’s conference to watch is the Centennial league. Let’s look at a LOADED conference.</p> <h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="965766" first="AJ" last="Scheckenbach"] – Arapahoe</strong></span></h2> <p>Scheckenbach is a glue guy in every sense of the word, but true role players are the team’s most important players because what they provide goes beyond the box score and make teams fit into place. AJ provides consistency and energy. He is one of the hardest workers, has a high IQ and understanding of where to be on the floor, and if there are mistakes made, he is giving his all. For Arapahoe, a season ago, Scheckenbach gave great minutes off of the bench as a relief and provided that spark that the team needed at times. Watching him this summer, he was a player that continued to work on his game and fill in gaps when needed. He will have to be a player that steps up in his senior season and be a veteran presence for a team that won’t have too much experience. He will be one of the Warriors’ most relied on players, so hopefully, he is ready.</p> <h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="608058" first="Julian" last="Hammond"] – Cherry Creek</strong></span></h2> <p>Hammond comes into the season as the No.1 player in the state, and with good reason. Hammond is a three-year starter that will go into the year as the favorite to win the Gatorade Player of the year. The Bruins went 19-5 a season ago, and it was on the back of their top player. The 6’2 do-it-all guard put up a career-best in every single category. Hammond averaged 21.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.6 assists a game. He also made improvements on the floor’s defensive end as he made it a point to go after the opposing team’s best players every game and came away with two steals a game. Hammond is a nightmare matchup for opposing teams because he scores in so many different ways. Hammonds uses his strength and size to score against smaller defenders, shoots lights out from deep, and has an in-between game. Hammond recently committed to state in-state and head to Boulder after his senior year at the University of Colorado, so this will be a year about having fun, scoring plenty of baskets, and attempting to secure a title on the way out. This is Hammond’s conference, and teams will be hard-pressed trying to slow him down each night.</p> <h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Jermaine Vincent Jr. – Cherokee Trail</strong></span></h2> <p>Vincent Jr. is a player that has not gotten much attention, but every single time that I have seen him play, he has impressed me. Vincent Jr. is a guard that plays with poise and scores in bunches. He is capable of mini-runs and makes the right play when he has the ball in his hands. Vincent Jr. is a pest on defense that forces the guard into making errant passes and is a playmaker on the other end. He put up 8.8 points and 4.6 rebounds a game while also dishing out two assists a game. If Cherokee Trail starts picking up wins, I am certain that Vincent Jr. will be a player that we have our eyes on as a player that has been overlooked. Big senior season for him ahead.</p> <h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="618874" first="Josh" last="Lopez"] – Mullen</strong></span></h2> <p>I am expecting one of the biggest jumps in the conference from the Mullen Mustangs this season as they look to avenge an underwhelming year. One of the bright spots from a season ago was combo-guard [player_tooltip player_id="618874" first="Josh" last="Lopez"]. Lopez was a source of consistent production for the Mustangs as he put up a balanced stat line of 8.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and three assists a game. Lopez played well on and off the ball as a knockdown shooter with range and is best with the ball in his hands and contributing. Lopez attacks in the PNR is great in isolation, and can run a halfcourt set as well. As only a sophomore, he showcased a high IQ, which was on display this summer with the Colorado Miners. A year wiser and preparation of what is to come will only put the Mustangs in a better situation for the long haul. With him being in a position where he has the ball in his hands more and will be the lead guard, I expect vast improvements for this team.</p> <h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="916959" first="Jordan" last="Whitaker"] – Smoky Hill</strong></span></h2> <p>Whitaker is as consistent and steady as they come. He is a player that plays at his own pace; he is a calming source for the Buffaloes and is an underrated prospect that stars in his role. If you put Whitaker on a different team, I think he would easily be that team’s go-to player, but he has a great understanding of who he is as a player and what is expected of him. Whitaker does not make many mistakes, has improved as a shooter, and excels with the ball in his hands. He is a player that Smoky Hill goes to down the stretch as he seems to have a veteran-like feel for the game and is never sped up. He averaged eight points and 3.5 rebounds a game as a junior, and with a shakeup and opportunity for him to finally have the spotlight, I expect others to jump on board and see that type of athlete and competitor he is. I expect Whitaker to make one of the biggest jumps in the conference.</p>