Hardwood Classic Point Guards on the Rise

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last look at the Hardwood Classic in KC. Here is a group of point guards who showed they are ready for big things (in alphabetical order):</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1965570' first='Preston' last='Dinh']</strong>, 5-foot-7 guard, 2025, Wichita Southeast, PE34:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dinh doesn't let lack of size prevent him from impacting the game. He's quick and strong for his size. His low center of gravity and tight handle allow him to penetrate and dart through defenses. He is a pesky on-ball defender, pestering opposing ball handlers. Dinh can run an offense at a high tempo, which plays right into the strengths of his athletic teammates with PE34.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1414200' first='Isaiah' last='Handy']</strong>, 5-foot-10 guard, 2025, Junction City, SSA (pictured):</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Handy is a bulldog at both ends of the floor. His rock-solid build and toughness is perfect for playing through contact. He gets into the paint on the bounce and makes unselfish passes to shooters. He's an effective rebounder by clearing space and holding his own against bigger players. He pushes the ball in the open floor and effectively passes ahead on the break. Handy showed in KC that he can knock down the deep ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1962887' first='Amare' last='Jones'], 6-foot guard, 2025, Washburn Rural, SSA:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A rising star point man, Jones ran the show effectively for SSA over the weekend. He's a shifty ball handler who slices through defenses to finish or dish. He showed quick spin dribble to leave defenders off balance. When he isn't triggering the offense, he cuts without the ball to catch and score on the move. Jones is quick, fast and athletic, and he is has the ball handling skills to be a top point guard.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1756354' first='Quevon' last='Purucker']</strong>, 6-foot-1 guard, 2024, Salina South, SSA:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Purucker will be a senior and is well established on both the varsity and club scene. Why is he listed on a list of “risers?” Two reasons: 1) his team won just one game last year and stands to improve drastically, and 2) he has yet to receive the attention his athletic game and leadership deserve. Purucker isn't big, but he's surprisingly explosive. He can really get up, really run, and really disrupt defensively. He averaged 13 points, 5 boards and 2 assists last year. Even better, he's a mature, unselfish leader. Look for him to earn a lot more accolades for a big senior season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jamon Wilson</strong>, 5-foot-10 guard, 2025, Highland Park, VWBA:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There will be a “changing of the guards” at Highland Park, and Wilson will be one guy who should get a bump in playing time. Of the Scots' returners, Wilson is probably the most traditional point guard. He looks to get his teammates involved and prefers to dish to open shooters than force up shots. He's rugged and solidly built and can play with a ton of pace. He's just as impactful defensively as he is with the ball in his hands. He gained great experience on the Highland Park team that placed third in 5A, so he's experienced and unfazed by elite competition.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->