2023 Guards in Big Roles

The very deep class of 2023 has a host of guards who will be tasked with scoring big points but also running offenses. Today we feature several of these guards.

Brandon Dean Brandon Dean 5'10" | PG South Plainfield | 2024 NLG  | 5’11” | G | South Plainfield

Dean is a high scoring guard who was the leader for South Plainfield, leading them to a 23-6 record. He’s talented ballhandler as a lead guard who can also score at multiple levels with a soft touch jumper and explosive first step to the rim. He scored over 600 pts last winter, including 37 vs Spotswood, 36 vs Pingry and 24 vs St Joes and Colonia. He has a great chance to break the SPHS scoring record, currently held by 2005 alum Marquis Jones(1,436 pts). If the ‘Rona season was a full one, he probably would have broken the record already, if not been there in December. He’s a scholarship level guard.

Sutan Fitzpatrick Sutan Fitzpatrick 5'10" | PG Covenant College Prep | 2024 State NJ  | 5’10” | G| Newark East Side

Fitzpatrick got a good taste of being a go-to-guy as a junior after gaining experience as an underclassman. Solid ballhandling skills and can shoot it from deep. He can break defenders down off the dribble and get at the rim as well. Top games as a junior vs Columbia(27), Pemberton(23) and Caldwell(22).

Matthew Nervi Matthew Nervi 6'1" | PG Scotch Plains-Fanwood | 2023 State NJ     | 6’1” | G | Scotch Plains-Fanwood

Nervi was the man in the backcourt for SPF last year. He’s got a great understanding for the game and his basketball IQ of how to be a scorer as a lead guard is impressive. He can get up the floor in transition and can also pull up. He runs fast breaks to perfection and has a great head fake that makes defenders jump through the roof. Academic D3s should super interested in Nervi, who is very coachable from what we have seen of him. He had 24 vs Union Catholic and 21 vs Summit as top games last year. He could make an All-County run as a senior.

Chris Venturoso Chris Venturoso 6'3" | SG Lacey | 2023 State NJ   | 6’3” | G | Lacey

One of the top players in Ocean County. He went over 1,000 pts as a junior. A player who can score at multiple levels–He can hit shots from deep, attack the rim or play back to the basket if needed. He also crashes the boards hard. He kept Lacey competitive almost single-handedly last year. He had 33 vs Lakewood and 26 vs Mon Don as his top games as a junior and should be highly sought after by D3 programs.

Dylan Csik Dylan Csik 5'10" | PG Middletown South | 2023 State NJ   | 5’10” | G | Middletown South

Csik is one of the top returning seniors at the Bayshore this coming year. He showed a wide skillset as a junior. He can attack the basket against bigger players but can also pull up or step beyond the arc. He has a high basketball IQ, a good prospect with good ballhandling and passing skills. He paced the Eagles junior and will be tasked with even more this year. He had 25 vs CBA, 20 vs SJV and 21 vs RBR last winter and could be an All Shore player this year.