Impressive Guards & Forwards from Week 1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The basketball season for the higher classes in Louisiana is finishing its second week. Week one got off to a smoking start with jamborees, opening season contests, and tournament games. There were a ton of players who stood out during week one and we will take a look at which players were impressive during the opening week.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1105592' first='Colossians' last='Mason-Jones'] (6'0" | BTW (S'port) | 2024)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mason-Jones opened the season how he played all summer.....gunning. He led the Lions by scoring 17 in their opening win versus Loyola. It was not just that he scored 17, it was how he scored the points. Mason-Jones scored at all three levels and he used his handles to create opportunities for himself and others. He displayed senior level leadership that should bode well for him and the Lions all season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1697930' first='Jacob' last='Stewart'] (6'0" | Huntington | 2024)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Raider senior point guard has shown leadership on the hardwood beginning this season. In the jamboree against Southwood, Stewart displayed that he is a hard-nosed defender along with a good mid-range scorer. His ability to pull up and consistently make his mid-range jumper shows he knows how to get to his spots and be effective. Stewart's leadership and defense should help the Raiders as they attempt to make it back to Marsh Madness. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1388006' first='Lavion' last='Owens'] (6'3" | Carroll | 2024)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At the Southwood Hoopfest, Owens showed why he was a member of the all-state in Class 3A. His ability to rebound and score in the post kept the Bulldogs within striking distance in their loss to Bossier. Owens is highly active on the offensive boards and knows how to create space to score as well. If Carroll returns to Marsh Madness, Owens will be one of the reasons why. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1892515' first='Keyshun' last='Johnson'] (6'2" | Bossier | 2024)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As Bossier tries to defend their state title, they need players to step up. [player_tooltip player_id='1892515' first='Keyshun' last='Johnson'] is one player who showed that he is ready to take on the challenge. His game against Carroll was masterful. Johnson displayed his ability to be a rebounding guard while making free throw line jumpers with his consistency. His perimeter defense is also highly effective. Johnson can play both ends of the floor and is a key to the Bossier repeat efforts. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1479625' first='Broderick' last='Brooks'] (6'3" | Zachary | 2024)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The silky smooth guard from Zachary displayed how much his game has improved in their win over Rayville in the Southwood Hoopfest. Brooks showed all parts of his game. He is a player who can rebound and push, shoot from deep, and facilitate the offense. His ability to drive opened up lanes for him to drive and dish. Brooks is an all-around player who only seems to be getting better. Zachary will definitely benefit from his play. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After week two, we will look at other impressive preps on the hardwood. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->