Five 1A guards who have stood out in the first few weeks

<p>Most teams have played at least three games at this point, with some playing as many as six. With it being a condensed season, players must get off to a hot start. Here are five guards that have turned heads so far and have shown up. </p> <h2><strong>Josh Duran – Antonito</strong></h2> <p>Duran is a natural scorer that understands how to put the ball in the basket. He uses his speed and athleticism to blow-by defenders, gets to the rim and scores with ease, and is capable of knocking down the 3-ball as well. Duran is coming off of a season where he was one of the best scorers in 1A and is following that up with another sensational year; the wins just are not coming. Duran is giving his team a bit of everything as he leads the team in essentially every category. Duran is averaging 24 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 8.3 steals a game. The steals are No.1 in the entire state, and opposing guards do not feel comfortable at all with him around. Duran has had a remarkable last two seasons; the wins just have to start coming soon.</p> <h2><strong>Joey Cornell – Elbert</strong></h2> <p>The senior guard had a solid junior season and, through four games, is off to an even better senior year. Cornell can light it up from anywhere on the floor, and opposing teams have learned the hard way. Cornell is averaging 20.5 points and 7.0 rebounds a game. Cornell has it going from deep, shooting 52% from beyond the arc, attacking the rim, and has a good feel in the paint. His team has been a bit up and down, but he has had a constant. He seems to be doing everything in his power to get wins, and his teammates are relying on him to have a big year. He’s certainly delivering.</p> <h2><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="969430" first="Kade" last="Hankins"] – Dove Creek</strong></h2> <p>Hankins is only a sophomore but has shown that he can lead a team. Hankins is the heartbeat of the group, and they move as he moves. Opposing teams throw the top defenders and give him different looks, and he still manages to score the basketball when he wants. He stood out as a freshman and is again lighting up scoreboards as a sophomore. Hawkins has a great understanding of the game, knows where he wants to go, and capitalizes. He is averaging 19 points and 6.8 rebounds a game, and I do not see him slowing down anytime soon. He is a 2023 player to keep an eye on. I would like to see if his game translates.</p> <h2><strong>Jaden Jordan – De Beque</strong></h2> <p>De Beque is a 1A powerhouse at this point, as all they do is win, win, win. This year it is no different as they are off to a 5-0 start. The Dragons already have one of the best scorers in the state to lead the team but have been getting reliable and solid production from point guard Jaden Jordan, and he has not disappointed. Jordan was a contributor to De Beque in his junior season but has been on a tear in senior year, resulting in easy wins. Jordan is averaging a double-double of 17.0 points and 10 rebounds a game. He scores with relative ease, finds open teammates, and remains aggressive with the ball. He is a player to watch that is off to a great start.</p> <h2><strong>Coletin Mazerall – Simla</strong></h2> <p>Mazerall is one of the best guards in all of 1A, and the senior guard is a freak athlete that understands how to take over in games. Mazerall plays basketball, football, runs track, and plays baseball and is a standout in all of them, and it is all shown on the hardwood. On the season, Mazerall is averaging an impressive 16.6 points a game while also dishing out 9.6 assists a game, which is the top in 1A by a wide margin and amongst the top in the entire state. Mazerall rebounds (5.6 rpg) really well and is locked in defensively at 4.6 steals a game. He is the team’s best player and has been a reliable player all season long that deserves credit.</p>