Top guards from last week
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I was busy traveling all over the state this week, catching four games between Monday and Wednesday. In this article we’ll look at the top guards I saw in games including Westerville Central @ Olentangy, River Valley @ Shelby, Painesville…
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Continue ReadingI was busy traveling all over the state this week, catching four games between Monday and Wednesday. In this article we’ll look at the top guards I saw in games including Westerville Central @ Olentangy, River Valley @ Shelby, Painesville Riverside @ Strongsville and Medina Highland @ Brunswick.
A steady high school guard, Ronnebaum made shots from the outside and was efficient from the floor for Olentangy as they battled for 32 minutes with a talented Westerville Central squad. Ronnebaum is best used off the ball but showed some ability to create for himself when attacking a closeout or driving and dishing to a teammate. Ronnebaum was also a standout at the Bleacher Republic Fall League and continued his impressive play on Monday.
A deadeye shooter, Smith came out firing with 16 points in the first 10 minutes of action for his team. Working hard off the ball, running off screens to get open, Smith was comfortable firing from well beyond the 3-point line. Smith then was double teamed and face guarded the rest of the game and had to be more comfortable as a passer for others. I was also impressed with the impact defensive plays he made, including a couple blocks and deflections. Smith projects as a wing guard who will receive scholarship interest from Division II and NAIA schools, with Division III programs making him a high priority this spring and summer.
Fox was getting buckets against Strongsville, scoring 30 efficient points in a crucial road victory for the Beavers. Fox showed impressive touch with both hands around the rim, finishing off one or two feet at the basket. I also was impressed by the outside shooting ability of Fox, knocking down a couple deep 3-pointers. Expect Fox to have numerous small college offers by the time he wraps up his senior season.
Taggart also stood out for Riverside as they continue their early unbeaten season. A downhill slasher, Taggart is really good off the dribble drive game getting to the rack and either finishing or dishing to a teammate. Not much of an outside shooter, Taggart did knock down a circus shot from 25 feet to end the first quarter and one wide open mid-range pull-up. I was impressed with Taggart’s control when attacking the basket, playing off two feet and using his strength to finish. I expect Taggart to be high on the lists for OAC schools once they start recruiting the 2024 class in depth.
An off shooting day for Wypasek, but it was his ability to create for his teammates that earns him a spotlight in this article. Numerous times Wypasek would drive to the mid-range or paint area only to be met with help-side defense from Riverside, Wypasek almost always made the right read and got tons of open looks for his teammates. While he usually averages more points than what he finished with on Wednesday, the passing was what really stood out to me in this contest.
One of the most skilled freshman point guards I’ve evaluated, Drexler is a stud as just a freshman for the Blue Devils. Recently scoring 38 points in an overtime game against Wadsworth, I decided to check out what all the hype was about, and I was not disappointed. Drexler opened the game with a deep 3-pointer, the first of about 12 for the Blue Devils in the first half alone. I was also impressed with the feel for the game that Drexler showed, being in control when attacking the hoop, shielding the ball from shot blockers when going up around the basket, using pass fakes to get open lanes to drive and finish. Drexler plays the game with much more maturity than his age or grade suggests. This will be one of the top point guards in northeast Ohio for years to come and college coaches will soon know his name. For Drexler, the biggest area of improvement will be filling out physically by spending time in the weight room getting stronger and more explosive. I still think he could grow a few inches in the next 12-18 months, which would really help his college recruitment level.