SEC Guards in the Middle of Breakout Seasons

<p>The 2021 season has been filled with disruptions with winter storms and the pandemic. The abrupt nature of the season has still allowed for players to burst onto the scene, especially in the tough SEC. Here are the SEC guards in the middle of breakout seasons.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1036729" first="Zakai" last="Zeigler"], 5’10 PG Montclair Immaculate 2021</strong></p> <p>Classmate <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="850513" first="Jayden" last="Brown"] </strong>has also been stellar for the Lions so far this season, but Zeigler’s play over his last two games earns him the nod. The lightning quick guard is averaging 24.5 points, 7.5 assists and six steals per game in those games as he is proving his ability to run the show. Zeigler is nearly impossible to keep out of the lane with his tight handle and is a crafty finisher around the rim. He is a good passer and might have the quickest hands in the entire Garden State. Zeigler is an absolute pleasure to watch on the floor as he is having a breakout year for Montclair Immaculate.</p> <p><strong>Naceiar Kirksey, CG Shabazz 2022</strong></p> <p>Shabazz is having a resurgent season with Kirksey leading the charge. The junior guard is on a scoring tear as he has eight straight games with at least 20 points. Kirksey is at his best attacking the basket and does not mind finishing through contact. He is a good rebounder for a guard and gets his hands on balls on the defensive end. Kirksey has been stellar for Shabazz all season long and could wind up on an All-Group team if he keeps it up.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="850674" first="David" last="Olaniyi"], 5’10 PG Newark East Side 2022</strong></p> <p>The Red Raiders needed someone to step up on the offensive end and Olaniyi has answered the call. The 5’10 guard is averaging over 20 points a game as he excels at getting to the rim. Olaniyi can finish through contact and has a good shooting form from deep. He is an underrated passer and is a pesky on-ball defender. Olaniyi is having a breakout year for Newark East Side, which should lead to an even better senior season for him.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1027934" first="Gavin" last="Kreitz"], 5’9 PG Seton Hall Prep 2022</strong></p> <p>The Pirates are a staple among the SEC’s elite with Kreitz helping to run the offense smoothly. The Ridge transfer has a sweet shooting stroke and does not need a lot of space to get his shot off. Kreitz is more than just a shooter as he can also score in the mid-range and can run the offense in the halfcourt. He is an underrated defender as he recorded three steals in his last game against Payne Tech. Kreitz has that he is capable of big scoring games with a 31-point performance against Wall, which puts Seton Hall Prep in good shape for next year.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="900311" first="Bakir" last="Cleveland"], 6’4 SG University 2021</strong></p> <p>The Phoenix may have only played four games this season, but that has not stopped Cleveland from playing at a high level. The 6’4 guard is a play-maker with the ball in his hands as he recorded a 20-point triple-double last week against Newark East Side. Cleveland is at his best attacking the basket as he is a good finisher and does mind making tough shots through contact. He is a strong rebounder and has the ability to defend multiple positions on the floor. Cleveland and classmate <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="900296" first="Janaie" last="Coates"] </strong>have both been having breakout years as University is fighting in a tough SEC American division.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Other Players to Know:</strong></span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1050410" first="Khalid" last="Sanders"], PG Newark Tech 2024</strong></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="902757" first="Jalen" last="Robinson"], 5’10 PG Columbia 2023</strong></p> <p><strong>Vernon Lee, 6’1 CG Bloomfield 2021</strong></p> <p><strong>Bahki Rogers-Robinson, 5’10 PG West Caldwell Tech 2022</strong></p> <p><strong>Zahree Brown, 5’10 PG Newark Central 2022</strong></p>