Ten MIAA Guards to Watch this Winter

As Thanksgiving quickly approaches, so to does the start of the MIAA basketball season.   With that in mind, we wanted to spend the next few days profiling some guards, wings, and forwards to watch in the MIAA this winter.   Today, we'll start with 10 guards you should know before the season tips.   [player_tooltip player_id='2546964' first='Isaiah' last='Andino']   A lead guard at Methuen, Andino is a talent with the basketball in his hands. He has a quick first step, knows how to change speeds and direction off the bounce, and does a good job of scoring with length at the rim. He has a chance to be one of the better scorer-facilitator guards in the state, while also shutting down opposing ball-handlers on the defensive end of the floor.   [player_tooltip player_id='2341365' first='Tim' last='Civello']   A big combo guard at BC High, Civello is one the state's top perimeter shooters. With great positional size, he's able to get his jumper off against most defenders. He does a good job of moving without the basketball, can score coming off screens, and has begun to leverage his shooting into driving opportunities. He could be one of the top scorers in the state this winter.   [player_tooltip player_id='2786790' first='Cole' last='Craffey']   A crafty scoring guard at Oliver Ames, Craffey knows how to take control of a game with the ball in his hands. He's a big, powerful guard that has an explosive first step, can finish through contact at the rim, and has the ability to finish plays with authority in the open floor. He's skilled, competitive, and tough; traits that will allow him to make an impact on both ends of the floor this season.   [player_tooltip player_id='2546769' first='Matt' last='Gaffney']   One of the winningest guards in MIAA history, Gaffney has the chance to lead Malden Catholic to a 4th state title in a row this winter. The Navy commit is a true lead guard that does whatever it takes to impact winning. He's grown as a scorer, knows how to operate as a facilitator in the half-court, and is a terrific decision maker in transition. A unique talent, he'll do whatever is asked of him to win another state championship.   Javi Lopez   A crafty scoring guard, Lopez burst onto the scene as a sophomore at Central Catholic. The ball should be in his hands a lot this winter as he's proven himself as a three level scorer that doesn't get sped up, rarely turns the ball over, and can make plays late in the shot clock. He can bully smaller guards, take big defenders out to the perimeter, and knows how to spray it out to shooters off the bounce. Might be the best junior guard in the state.   [player_tooltip player_id='2951416' first='Javihan' last='Martinez']   A stat sheet stuffer, Martinez had a superb sophomore season last winter for St. Mary's. He's capable of scoring the basketball at all three levels; showing the craft to score at the rim, the skill to get it done in the mid-range, and the shooting ability to score from behind the arc. Add to that his ability to make an impact on the glass, operate as a primary ball-handler and facilitator, and defend the opposition's best scorer, and you have one of the state's best all-around guards.   [player_tooltip player_id='2547016' first='Brendan' last='McDonald']   A dynamic playmaker, McDonald is one of the state's quickest guards end to end. The Somerset-Berkely guard has elite speed with the basketball in his hands, next level quickness and burst in small spaces, and the playmaking skills to create for others in the half-court and in transition. He's really developed his perimeter jumper and does a great job of keeping opposing ball-handlers out of the paint on the other end of the floor. He'll be one of the top playmaking guards in the MIAA this winter.   [player_tooltip player_id='2696665' first='Colten' last='Pacheco']   A big time shooter, Pacheco teams with McDonald to form one of the state's best backcourts. If McDonald is the creator, Pacheco is the scorer; he gets it done at all three levels, but thrives as a perimeter shooter in catch and shoot situations. He's improved as a driver and does a good job of leveraging his shooting to ope up driving lanes. One the other end of the floor, he does a great job of creating turnovers off deflections and steals. The junior is another two-way standout to watch.   [player_tooltip player_id='2633107' first='Tzar' last='Powell-Aparicio']   A dynamic combo guard at Lowell, Powell-Aparicio is a big time scorer that plays with some flair on the offensive end of the floor. He's shifty, knows how to get downhill off the bounce, and has some sneaky bounce as a scorer around the rim. He's not afraid to be vocal, plays with a high basketball IQ, and has really improved as a perimeter shooter over the last year. Expect him to be one of the top scorer-steal guys in the state.   [player_tooltip player_id='1532454' first='Caden' last='Sullivan']   A two-way standout at Franklin, Sullivan will play a lead role this winter after being a complimentary piece on last year's state runner-up team. One of the hardest playing guards in the state, the Endicott commit is a terrific rebounder from the perimeter, can guard and shut down multiple positions, and makes the winning plays that don't show up in the box score. He'll help win a lot of games this winter in an attempt to get back to the state final.

As Thanksgiving quickly approaches, so to does the start of the MIAA basketball season.