Guards to Watch in the Hudson County Tournament

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Conference and county tournament play is starting to hit its stride as the first full week of February is half over. The Hudson County Tournament is set to tip off on Wednesday and will be an exciting tournament to watch. The county is loaded with good guard play as they will look to carry their teams deep into the tournament. Here are the guards to watch in the Hudson County Tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1050389' first='Tahaad' last='Pettiford'], 6'1 PG Hudson Catholic 2024</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pettiford is one of the most dynamic prospects in the Garden State and will display his game throughout the tournament. The Auburn signee has a tight handle, which he uses to blow by his defender and finishes in a variety of ways around the rim. Pettiford has a smooth release on his jumper and can get hot from distance in a hurry. He can find his open teammates in the halfcourt and gets deflections on the defensive end. Pettiford was recently named a McDonald's All-American and is looking to close out his varsity career with a bang.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1395998' first='Nico' last='Peña'], 6'1 CG St. Peter's Prep 2024</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Peña has had a strong senior season for the Marauders as he leads the team in scoring in 2023-24. The 6'1 guard has a good first step, which he uses to blow by his defender off the bounce and finishes nicely around the rim. Peña is more than just a slasher as he has a nice release on his jumper and can get hot from distance in a hurry. He moves well without the ball in his hands and is a tough on-ball defender. Peña is a gritty guard prospect who should make plays at both ends of the floor over the next couple of weeks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Nick Petruzelli, 5'10 PG Hoboken 2025</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Petruzelli has run the offense effectively for the Red Wings, helping them to a 18-4 record this season. The 5'10 guard uses his handle effectively as he can get to the rim off the bounce and finish around the basket. Petruzelli threads passes to teammates in the halfcourt and can also play off the ball. He is a strong rebounder for a guard and uses his quick hands to get steals on defense. Petruzelli is a lead guard prospect to watch in the county tournament as he has four straight games of at least 10 points and five assists.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Edward Lugo, G Memorial 2024</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lugo has been consistent for the Tigers all season and should continue it in the county tournament. He wastes little motion in his release and can knock down triples in bunches. Lugo is more than just a shooter as he can also get to the rim off the dribble and finish around the basket. He plays with good floor vision and has the ability to play off the ball as well. Lugo's ability to play on and off the ball is something that will help Memorial in a big way over the next couple of weeks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2763426' first='Jeremy' last='Polanco'], 5'11 PG Dickinson 2025</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Polanco spearheads the Rams' backcourt and should carry it over in the county tournament. The 5'11 guard has a good shooting stroke and sets his feet before he shoots. Polanco moves well without the ball in his hands, freeing himself for open layups and jumpers in the halfcourt. He rarely forces jumpers and finds his open teammates in the halfcourt. Polanco is a sharpshooting guard prospect who will look to torch the nets in the Hudson County Tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Other Prospects to Watch:</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Noah Shaw, 6'0 CG Bayonne 2026</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2201947' first='Anthony' last='Gonzalez'], 6'0 PG Union City 2027</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jaycob Salazar, G Ferris 2026</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Alex Astudillo, 5'8 PG North Bergen 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jeremy Turnigan, 5'9 SG McNair Academy 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->