Week 7 Sleeper Guards

<p>These guards may not be household names amongst the state but they bring a level of toughness, IQ, and a variety of skills needed to win games at the next level. Check out some of these guards who we fell are under the radar. </p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Clayton Marek 5’10 PG/SG Vestavia Hills  2022 </strong></span></p> <p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Marek is a guard that plays with grit, a high IQ, and a purpose whenever he’s on the floor. He does a fantastic job of complementing his running mate [player_tooltip player_id="971994" first="Win" last="Miller"] with his well-rounded game and ability to be the glue guy for the Rebels. Marek took on every defensive assignment and consistently forced players into contested shots. In addition, he showed an ability to stay in front without fouling at a high level. Offensively, he picked up easy baskets in transition by filling the lane, putting back rebounds, and operating off the ball with backdoor cuts. He also served as a secondary ball-handler and initiated the offense when needed. </span></p> <p><span data-preserver-spaces="true"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="725152" first="Wilder" last="Evers"] 6’3 SG Oak Mountain 2022</strong></span>  </span></p> <p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Evers is an efficient shot creator with size and athleticism. At 6’3 he does an excellent job of using his size when driving, finishing around the rim, and taking advantage of mismatches. Evers plays at a poised pace and always seems to be in control whenever has the ball in his hands. He uses his strength well to get to his spots on the court. He also can operate as a stationary shooter and make a high percentage off of catch and shoot situations. </span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Myles Johnson Florence 6’3 SG 2022 </strong></span></p> <p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Johnson is a Defensive minded guard with strength, size, quickness, and tenacity. He fully embraces taking on the opponent’s best player and uses his high IQ to disrupt anyone he defends. He Does an excellent job of timing dribbles and poking the ball loose from ball handlers. He also uses his quick hands to cause deflections and steals when contesting passing lanes. In addition to his quick hands, Johnson has a substantial frame for a guard and can often bump smaller ball handlers off their angle when driving to the basket. Very rarely is he beat off the dribble and takes pride in his defense. Offensively he plays to his strength and embraces contact at the rim. He drives well and slashes to the basket when he sees an opportunity. </span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Jaden Nixon 6’3 CG Autaugaville 2023</strong></span></p> <p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Nixon is a smooth combo guard who can catch fire quickly from deep. He excels in catch-and-shoot situations and shows nice mechanics when releasing the ball. He has excellent elevation, backspin, follow-through, and a high release point -making his shot hard to block or contest on closeouts. Whenever he gets a rhythm he’s one of the best shooters in the state. He does a good job setting the table for his teammates when operating the offense. He understands score, time, and pace and usually makes sound decisions with the ball. </span></p> <p><span data-preserver-spaces="true"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>TQ Richardson 6’1 PG Hoover 2022 </strong></span></span></p> <p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Richardson is a solid guard who plays with a three-or-key mentality. He does an excellent job of finding efficient shots whenever he’s on the court. He’s a competent shooter from deep and uses this to set up his drives to the basket. He also shows an ability to turn the corner and get to the basket with ease. He does a nice job of using the glass and having a soft touch when finishing at the hoop.</span></p> <p>https://twitter.com/TQ15020483/status/1466218165332029443?s=20</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>