Colorado Top 250 Expo: 2022, 2023 Point Guard Standouts

Over the course of the week I will be highlighting some of the players who stood out at the Colorado Top 250 Expo held at Gold Crown gym in Denver, Colorado on September 12th. The talent pool was loaded and every single game deserved my full undivided attention, but with 5 courts of great games, it was hard for me to catch them all. That being said, I was really impressed overall with how hard the young men played, and thought that a few performances deserved to be highlighted. First, I will talk about some of the Point Guard play at the expo. It does not take a stretch of the imagination to understand why I put so much emphasis on the PG position. Simply look back at all the successful college teams, at any level, D1, D2, D3, NAIA, JUCO and so on, they all have one thing in common: STRONG POINT GUARD PLAY.   [player_tooltip player_id="759278" first="Jaeton" last="Hackley"] - 6’0" Jaeton is an impressive prospect for multiple reasons, but what jumped out to me was his command on floor. There was zero question about who the PG was, and the team gelled quickly under his leadership. I loved the fact he would guard the opponent’s best player whenever possible, and his nose for the ball demonstrated his high BB IQ. His change of pace and tight handle allowed him to control the tempo of the game (You will hear me talk about this a lot, it is an essential skill for PG’s). His ability to break down defenders and create for other players made his teammates better, which is the mark of a true PG. I am looking for this young man to have a monster season this fall.   [player_tooltip player_id="921101" first="TaRea" last="Fulcher"] - 5’10" Here’s what jumped out at me about TaRea, he just doesn’t make mistakes. With his tight<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Fulcher1-1.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-1203937" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/05/Fulcher1-1.jpg" alt="[player_tooltip player_id=" width="222" height="195" /></a> handle and being so solid with the ball, his decision making comes easy. I love his ability to break down defenders off the dribble and create opportunities in the paint, be it his float game, kicking for easy looks, or finishing at the cup, I know for a fact that college coaches emphasize players who can get the ball into the paint and make good things happen. With his low center of gravity and quick burst of speed, TaRea just plays the game faster than anyone else on the floor.     [player_tooltip player_id="918903" first="Jeremiah" last="Coleman"] - 5’11" I love tough, hard-nosed, gritty point guards, and Jeremiah is all that and then some. If a point guard demonstrates he isn’t afraid to get in the mud and do the dirty work, usually his team follows suit and becomes tougher as a unit. Jeremiah showed me he compliments his tough defense with his smooth pull up game and soft touch in the paint. The lefty showed he can stretch the floor out to 3 as well, but I thought he was at his best when he got in the paint for pull ups and floaters. He dropped a couple dimes and hit teammates for open jump shots showing his floor vision is terrific. I love his burst of speed getting out in transition and seems to be able to get down the length of the floor in 3 or 4 dribbles, blowing by transition traffic.   [player_tooltip player_id="918902" first="Elijah" last="Knudsen"] - 5’10" <img class="alignleft wp-image-1281635" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/14-Elijah-Knudsen.jpg" alt="" width="237" height="158" /> At this point, Elijah is a score-first point guard, and rightfully so. As one of the best shooters in the state, and reigning 4A POY, the whole gym is surprised when he misses. As he prepares for the next level he will have to learn how to make his teammates better and work together as a unit. He showed me he is on the right track and impressed me with his ability to use screens in Pick and Roll action and create easy shots for himself and for his teammates. I loved that he wasn’t forcing any plays. He read the defense and took what they gave him. Combine his quickness and athleticism, (highlighted with his two foot tomahawk dunk down the lane, making all watching lose their minds), and I love the track Elijah is on to become an impact PG at the next level after graduation.   [player_tooltip player_id="1139553" first="Gavin" last="Hershberger"] - 5’10" I loved Gavin’s ability to play with his eyes up and on the floor at all times. He does a great job seeing the floor and waiting for plays to develop away from the ball. He uses change-of-pace and speed bursts to get anywhere he wants on the floor, even under full court pressure. Again, the ability to control the tempo of the game is very high on my list of PG must haves, and Gavin has a terrific pace and composure to his game. He also showed me he creates easy buckets for his teammates and can make passes arrive "on-time, on-target", making the job of the shooter that much easier.   [player_tooltip player_id="921098" first="Aliou" last="Diallo"] - 5’10" <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/Screen-Shot-2021-09-13-at-5.02.29-PM.png"><img class="wp-image-1282306 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/09/Screen-Shot-2021-09-13-at-5.02.29-PM.png" alt="" width="190" height="211" /></a>The PHTop250 event was the first time I have seen him play and immediately I noticed Aliou’s body control and ability to manipulate defenders is absolutely terrific. I loved how he was able to get defenders on his back, slow down, then separate quickly exploding into the paint. A sneaky ball hawk in transition, he had multiple steals and deflections on defense, and proved to be an excellent defensive disrupter to the opponent. His open-court speed turns turnovers into easy scores the other way, and he can single handedly create runs of 6-10 points for his team with the havoc he creates. He showed me his confidence in his shooting ability pulling from deep range late in the day, and I was impressed by his quick trigger and how effortless his mechanics are. I am looking forward to seeing Aliou this coming season, as he gave me an excellent first impression.