Senior Guards Preview – UIL Class 5A

With the 2021-22 Texas UIL season fast approaching, Prep Hoops Network previews several players in the 5A conference for this next season. This article focuses on guards in the senior class. Check out more senior player previews by region and position here.

Jah Gulley Jah Gulley 6'0" | PG Lockhart | 2022 State TX – 6’0″ – PG – Lockhart

Gulley is a patient and methodical point guard with an ability to score from anywhere on the court. He can hit the dribble pull-up jumper with ease from midrange and 3-point territory with his quick release and strong base. He gets to the basket at will and contorts his body in almost a Kyrie-like fashion to find any angle possible to finish the layup around taller defenders. He is also a more than willing passer, finding his teammates on fast breaks and on his dribble drives. Entering his senior season, Gulley is looking for more ways to round out his game, specifically focusing on his strength and size this past offseason, as well as, increasing his shooting range off the dribble. He is a driven player, recently stating that “with the added size I plan on there not being an aspect of the game I can’t dominate.”

Kasai Burton Kasai Burton 5'10" | PG Sherman | 2022 State TX – 5’10” – PG – Sherman

Burton is a shifty and quick ball-handler with a knack for finding his teammates in the right spots and at the right time. He may be undersized but he understands how to use his body to create space against taller defenders and then quickly attack the seams at the right moments for an explosive finish at the rim or a quick dump-off or dish out to a teammate. His energy on the court is contagious and he shows strong leadership running the offense for his team, which he wants to continue to emphasize in his senior year, “being more vocal…on and off [the] court.” This offseason, Burton continued to refine his game, working on his size and explosiveness, and really focusing on “getting to [his] shots faster and creating for others faster on fewer dribbles.”

Cris Villarreal – 5’11” – PG – McCollum – Grassroots: FAOT/Elevate

Villarreal is an elite playmaker that seems to have eyes on the back of his head with first-class court vision and basketball IQ. He has strong ball-handling skills that allow him to patiently penetrate defenses, bending them to his will, and then finds the open man, hitting them with perfect passes in ways that stun the defenses he manipulates. His finishing ability is almost as crafty as his ball-handling and passing skills, where he can spin, euro-step, hop-step, or pull off some other flashy move to the basket and get the layup with ease. He can also hit from 3-point range, completing his total offensive package. With a complete offensive game, Villarreal’s focus this offseason was on the defensive side of the ball, mentioning to Prep Hoops that he has been “working a lot on [his] defense and trying to get all [his] teammates on the same page.”

Devin Peters-Teague Devin Peters-Teague 6'0" | PG Carrollton Newman Smith | 2022 State TX – 6’0″ – PG – Carrollton Newman Smith

Peters-Teague is a multi-sport athlete playing basketball and football at Carrolton Newman Smith high school. His aggressiveness from playing football shows with his fearless drives to the rim, taking contact, and finishing over bigger defenders. He has the ability to hit from long range off the dribble and can create his own shot. He is a solid defender, as well, positioning himself well to intercept passes and provide the necessary help when needed.

Jack Francis Jack Francis 6'2" | SG Austin Anderson | 2022 State TX – 6’2″ – SG – Austin Anderson – ATX Future

Francis is a fantastic shooter from all spots on the court and has a soft touch around the rim that allows him to score against any defender that is thrown at him. He has smooth euro-steps and behind-the-back moves that allow him to get to the basket without using much force and his quick and high release on his shot makes him a very difficult player to defend. He shows promise on the defensive end, as well, with active hands and good timing on blocks. His main points of emphasis coming into his senior season were “getting stronger and faster,” and he is looking to further improve his offensive arsenal with a special focus on his shooting off the dribble.

Jarmaine Mason Jarmaine Mason 5'11" | PG Pflugerville Weiss | 2022 State TX – 5’11” – SG – Pflugerville Weiss

Mason is an elite shooter that can hit his shots from anywhere on the court, either off the dribble or on a catch-and-shoot. He is not exclusively a shooter, though. His talent from 3-point range draws defenders out towards him, but then he has the IQ to take his man off the dribble and drive towards the basket where he can finish with the best of them. While he may have relied more heavily on his 3-point shot-making skills in recent years, Mason will continue to strengthen and refine his body to get in the paint more often, noting that he’s “been much more focused in the weight room than [his] previous years.” He is also taking on more of a leadership role coming into his senior season, looking to be “a better vocal leader to [his] teammates, just communicating as much as [he] can on the floor.”