2026 UCC Guard Prospects to Watch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The UCC is one of the toughest conferences in the Garden State, but has lost talented players over the last couple of days. Guards <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1595676' first='Jalen' last='Maldonado']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1595763' first='Kareem' last='Anthony Jr.']</strong> transferred out of conference to Bergen Catholic and Arts, respectively. The conference is still loaded with talent who can make an impact this season, especially in the 2026 class. Here are the 2026 UCC guard prospects to watch this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1595673' first='Jalen' last='Grant'], 6'0 PG Roselle Catholic</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Grant ran the show for the Lions' offense last season and should do it again in his junior season. The 6'0 guard has a good handle, which he uses to get into the lane off the bounce and can finish through contact. Grant has a nice release on his jumper and sets his feet before he shoots. He gets his teammates involved in the halfcourt and slides his feet on the defensive end. Grant is a talented guard prospect whose ability to run the offense effectively will help his game throughout the course of the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1595682' first='Jayden' last='Holman'], 6'1 PG Linden</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Holman transferred into Linden from Arts and has the potential to have a strong junior campaign. The 6'1 guard has a good first step, which he uses to blow by his defender and finishes nicely around the basket. Holman can also score in the mid-range and rarely gets rattled by on-ball pressure. He pushes the pace well in transition and uses his length to get deflections on the defensive end. Holman will have the ball in his hands more this season, which will help his development throughout the 2024-25 season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1963393' first='Tyrease' last='Hunter'], 6'3 CG Roselle Catholic</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hunter has the ability to play either on or off the ball, which will make him a prospect to keep an eye on this season. The 6'3 guard attacks the basket with a purpose as he finishes strong around the basket and does not mind contact. Hunter can also score in the mid-range and can knock down open jumpers behind the arc. He finds his open teammates in the halfcourt and plays with good anticipation on the defensive end to get steals. Hunter is a gritty guard prospect whose ability to play on and off the ball is something that will help his stock over the next couple of months.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2342605' first='Trevor' last='Whitaker'], 6'4 SG Union</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Whitaker took a big step up in 2023-24 and is looking to take an even bigger step forward in 2024-25. The 6'4 forward has a smooth release on his jumper and can knock down triples in bunches. Whitaker is more than just a shooter as he can also put the ball on the floor and finish around the basket. He has the length to defend multiple positions on the floor and is a strong rebounder. Whitaker's ability to stretch the floor combined with his ability to defend the ball makes him a prospect to track over the course of the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2342645' first='Kamai' last='Lowery'], 6'1 SG Plainfield</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lowery has the potential to have a breakout season with his ability to score inside and out. The 6'1 guard has a nice first step, which he uses to get into the lane and finish around the basket. Lowery moves well without the ball in his hands, freeing himself for open layups and jumpers in the halfcourt. He is a tough on-ball defender and sets his feet before he shoots. Lowery is a gritty guard prospect who should make an impact at both ends of the floor throughout the 2024-25 season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->