2025 Guards I’m Excited To Watch This Season (Part I)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The upcoming high school season is about a month away and prospects are getting ready for the new season. Prep Hoops Florida is your year-round source of high school and grassroots basketball coverage from across the state. Here are some 2025 guards I'm excited to see take the floor this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1301734' first='Josh' last='Xiang']</strong>- Xiang along with [player_tooltip player_id='1582446' first='Amari' last='Cummings'] are likely to share the primary point guard duties this season for Bishop Snyder who face one of the toughest schedules in the state this season. Xiang is a true three-level scorer who shows off his smooth release of a jump shot. He is also unafraid to score off dribble drives where he is unafraid to finish at the front of the rim while absorbing contact. Xiang also plays with a ton of versatility on the defensive end of the floor where he can pick up the opposition in the half-court as well as guarding off the ball being active in the passing lanes. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1301706' first='Justin' last='Snell']</strong>- The 6-2 junior guard is the true definition of a floor general where he can score at the front of the rim against multiple defenders, as well as score off the catch. He is very scrappy on the defensive end as well playing with good energy and is very active in the passing lanes. His IQ continues to improve and could have a breakout season this year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1450214' first='Malikai' last='Broffitt']</strong>- The 6-3 junior guard can shoot the ball well from the perimeter as well as off the bounce at the rim. Broffitt plays with superb athleticism and plays with an unselfish knack making the extra pass on the offensive end. On the defensive end, Broffitt plays with good speed and his ability to guard on the ball has continued to improve. Broffitt transferred from Kathleen to Santa Fe Catholic over the summer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1578245' first='Austin' last='Leslie']</strong>- The 6-6 junior guard connects from all over the floor whether it's catch-and-shoot 3's or playing unselfishly on the offensive end. Leslie has a good frame and showcases his strength when he has the basketball in his hands. On the defensive end, he is an active rebounder where he is quick to push the basketball in transition. He has the intangibles to become a top-tier two way player as his defensive game off the ball has continued to improve. He will be a player to keep an eye on the next two years as his recruitment should be getting started soon. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1477728' first='Samuel' last='Shoptaw']</strong>- The 6-3 junior guard does a great job at initiating the offense as he gets players involved and controlling the tempo. Shoptaw can also make you pay the price if you leave him space to shoot from the perimeter as he displays a great feel for the game on the offensive end. He is also very active on the defensive end whether it's guarding on the ball or off he has a burst of energy where he can cover a lot of ground. Shoptaw is also a well above-average rebounder for his size and has great athleticism. Shoptaw currently holds offers from Jacksonville and South Alabama. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->