Five guards to watch in the 5A Jeffco 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 and 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. Other changes include new teams in leagues across the state. Here, we take a look at the 5A Jeffco League.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="917027" first="Garrett" last="Rogers"] – Columbine</strong></h2> <p>Rogers was an important player for the Rebels last season that opened up the floor and gave teams a different look. Rogers was a reliable scorer that was the perfect complement to one of the state’s best players, and when he was on, he was on. Rogers was the team's point guard who got the team in their sets, ran the offense and put his teammates in positions to score. He played off of the ball and knocked down 3-pointers at a 42% clip. Having a guard who can take care of ballhandling duties and shoot lights out makes opposing teams decide how to defend the proper way. He put up 8.5 points a game and led the team in assists(3.2) and steals (1.7) a game. This year he will have to step up and display that he can be an explosive scorer and saw from him this summer in showcases and tourneys. This is a big year for Rogers, who has the chance to be the best shooter in the conference. Eyes will be on him, so he must get off to a great start.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="770411" first="Dylan" last="Carter"] – Chatfield</strong></h2> <p>Chatfield might not have had the kind of season they wanted a year ago, but they certainly were among the most entertaining teams in the state. Chatfield’s leading scorer from a season ago heads into senior season ready to turn some heads and prove he belongs. Carter averaged 12.0 points a game as he found ways to dissect the defense, shot well from beyond the arc hitting 56 3-pointers on the season at a 43% clip, and found the open man. Carter is a small guard that plays above his size, is a natural scorer and also was a consistent force despite being the focal point of opposing defenses. If he is able to continue to shoot the ball the way that he does with a bit of help elsewhere, Chatfield can be a team that stands out and turns some heads this season.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="770409" first="Amondo" last="Miller"] – Valor Christian</strong></h2> <p>This will be [player_tooltip player_id="770409" first="Amondo" last="Miller"]’s league and with the way that he has seemingly been converted to point guard, there might not be a guard in the state that can slow him down. He will go for some big games this season, and Valor Christian will be the favorite with him being the top dog in the conference. Miller has sprouted to a legit 6’5, and any weakness that we thought he had in his game, he has put in the work to address it. Miller averaged 12.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists a game as a junior on a team in the Final 4 after a 20-6 season, and I think he rises in every category his senior year. Miller dominated on the AAU circuit for the Colorado Miners as he scored with ease, improved as a 3-point shooter, and showcased great court awareness.  Miller was lethal in the open court, and being able to add more to an already polished game with his size makes him one of the state’s best. Miller is a player that should garner some DI attention by year's end, and it is a big year for him upcoming.</p> <h2><strong>Tristan Alward – Columbine</strong></h2> <p>Alward was a guard who was often overlooked but did the dirty work for the Rebels. Alward played on and off the ball and was willing to make sacrifices for the team's betterment that not many other high school players would. Plenty of what Alward does goes beyond the stat-sheet as he will make the extra pass, set a hard screen, dive for a loose ball, and all of the small things that make for a great role player. He played a bit of combo-guard in his junior season as he put up 5.2 points, 2.2 assists, and 3.7 rebounds a game. No matter if Alward scores or not is what makes him a valuable player but all of the contagious things that put the team in positions to win. He has a winning attitude and gives his all, and the Rebels will need his leadership this season.</p> <h2><strong>Addison Reddinger –Lakewood</strong></h2> <p>Reddinger is a multi-sport athlete that brings the gridiron tenacity onto the hardwood and has a switch when the season begins. Reddinger began the year on a tear in his junior season as he could not be denied at the rim, was dangerous in the open court, and makes sure to get to his spots. Reddinger has an excellent feel for the game and knows how to put the ball in the basket. Later in the season, he started to make it work in other ways, such as helping out on the boards and assists. He put up 8.5 points, three rebounds, and two assists a game and will have to find ways to be more consistent as Lakewood will need to be at his best if they plan on making some noise in a leveled Jeffco league this season. Reddinger is one of the better guards in the league, it just has to be on a more consistent basis, and it starts in a couple of weeks.</p>