HCIAL Under the Radar Guards

<p>The HCIAL has one of the top guards groups in the Garden State, headlined by <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="850664" first="Mark" last="Armstrong"]</strong>. Union City’s <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="850673" first="Maurice" last="Odum"] </strong>led New Jersey in scoring as a sophomore, while <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="850515" first="Justin" last="Glover"] </strong>and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="900328" first="Rayshawn" last="Ford"]</strong> are both D1 guards. The conference is filled with backcourt players who can make an impact at the next level. Here are the top under the radar guards to watch in the HCIAL this season.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1013006" first="Hassan" last="Jackson"], 6’4 SG St. Peter’s Prep 2021</strong></p> <p>The Marauders already have one of the backcourts in the conference in Armstrong and Ford, but the addition of Jackson takes them over the top. The Marist transfer attacks the basket with a purpose and uses his strong frame to draw contact. Jackson scraps for loose balls and moves his feet extremely well on the defensive end. He is a good rebounder for a guard and does all the little things to help his team win. Jackson’s competitiveness on both ends of the floor makes St. Peter’s Prep a tough team to beat in the HCIAL.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1018561" first="Malcolm" last="Eley"], 6’3 SG Hudson Catholic 2021</strong></p> <p>The Hawks have a strong core of guards and Eley is a big reason why. The 6’3 guard is at his best driving to the basket as he is a good finisher and can draw contact. Eley is more than just a slasher as he can knock down open perimeter jumpers and moves well without the ball. He is a solid on-ball defender and fights for rebounds on both ends of the floor. Eley’s ability to do the little things will make Hudson Catholic one of the top teams in the HCIAL again.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="933710" first="Shy’heed" last="Jenkins-Floyd"], PG Union City 2022</strong></p> <p>The Eagles have a big-time scorer on their roster in Odum and they got backcourt help with the addition of Jenkins-Floyd. The Snyder transfer is lightning quick with the ball in his hands and is hard to contain in the open floor. Jenkins-Floyd has a nice handle and is a crafty finisher around the basket. He plays with quick hands on the defensive end and is a solid passer. Union City’s guard duo of Odum and Jenkins-Floyd will be one to watch in Hudson County this season.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="933706" first="DeAvion" last="Ellis"], 5’10 PG North Bergen 2021</strong></p> <p>The Bruins won 18 games last season and they should experience similar success with Ellis returning in the backcourt. The Bloomfield commit is tough to contain off the bounce as he knows how to get into the lane with consistency. Ellis is a good finisher around the basket and is capable of making tough shots in traffic. He is more than just a driver as he has a good release on his jumper. North Bergen may pull off an upset or two with Ellis running the show.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1017193" first="Augustine" last="McGee"], 6’2 CG Bayonne 2023</strong></p> <p>The Bees are looking for a spark in the backcourt and they may have got it in McGee. The Marist transfer is a crafty ball-handler as he uses his change of speed to get into the lane. McGee is a solid finisher around the basket and has a nice mid-range game. He has the length to defend both guard spots and fights for rebounds on the defensive end. Bayonne could make some noise in the HCIAL with McGee making an impact on both ends of the floor.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Other Players to Watch:</strong></span></p> <p><strong>Wendell Moreland, PG Lincoln 2022</strong></p> <p><strong>Alejandro Arango, 6’1 PG Memorial 2022</strong></p> <p><strong>Chris Serrano, 5’9 PG Kearney 2021</strong></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1050399" first="Alex" last="Massang"], 5’9 PG Hudson Catholic 2024</strong></p> <p><strong>Matthew Kinsler, 6’4 SG St. Peter’s Prep 2023</strong></p>