2026 & 2027 guards to keep an eye on this offseason

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are some of the top freshman/sophomore&nbsp;guards from this season. These are the players to watch&nbsp;during the offseason and next season. They're all intriguing players to watch. They all play the game at an advanced level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2275986' first='KJ' last='Fauske'] 5' 10" Seton Catholic </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>KJ shows a lot of upside shooting the ball coming off his sophomore season with Seton Catholic, where he averaged 10 points a game on 45/42/77 shooting splits. He does a good job of getting his feet set to shoot, whether coming off a pin-down, elevator, or flare screen. He knows how to space the floor off the ball, whether he's relocating to find his shot or creating space for another teammate to attack downhill. Seton Catholic lost in the play-in game of the 4A State playoffs this past season. I'm excited to see him progress these next couple of years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1570942' first='Tillman' last='Huish'] 6' 1" Gilbert </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tillman has a solid first step when attacking downhill and knows how to use his frame to seal off defenders/shot blockers. He also shot the three at 43% on a little over 100 attempts. Defensively, he is aware of rotating off the ball, averaging two steals a game. Overall, he does a little of everything, averaging 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists on 47/43/73 shooting splits for a Gilbert team that fell short in the first round of the 6A State Playoffs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1900362' first='Colby' last='Jessup'] 6' 2" Valley Christian </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Colby has a wiry build for a guard, which he effectively uses on the defensive side of the ball. While it may not show up in the stat sheet, he plays smart on defense and doesn't get baited into fouls too often. Offensively, he handles the ball well and runs the offense at a good pace. He shot 47% from the field and 44% from three on a Valley Christian team with a few seniors ahead of him on the scoring chart. That said, I project his role/usage to increase next season with the departure of this year's senior class. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1986796' first='Peyton' last='Lubash'] 5' 9" San Tan Charter</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Peyton is a prolific scorer who uses his elite ball handling to get into his shot off the dribble or attack downhill, where he has a good touch around the basket when finishing. The attention Peyton draws gives his teammates more opportunities to score. This past season, Peyton helped San Tan Charter come out on top in the 2A State Championship, dominating every team in their way. Peyton had eighteen 20+ point games this season with San Tan Charter as a Freshman. Keep Peyton on your radar. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2404557' first='Tyson' last='Dobbins'] 6' 2" Desert Christian </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Tyson was the top scorer on a Desert Christian that fell short in the Semifinals of the 1A State Playoffs, averaging 20 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, as well as 3 steals and a block. He produced that statline on 50/39/75 shooting splits. Tyson does a good job of attacking closeout and getting all the way to the rim or being able to get off a runner when necessary. Shooting wise he has a quick release and is good about getting his feet set. Defensively, he has active hands, plays smart, and doesn't find himself out of position. Tyson is a good all around guard that does just about anything. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->