Hudson County Tournament Guard Prospects to Watch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The second week of February is half over and county tournaments are in full swing. The Hudson County Tournament tipped off on Tuesday and will be full of guard prospects who should have big tournaments. Here are the guard prospects to watch during the Hudson County Tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1411410' first='Keith' last='McKnight'], 6'6 SF Hudson Catholic 2025</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McKnight has been playing at a high level all season long and should carry it over into the county tournament. The Quinnipiac commit attacks the basket with a purpose as he finishes strong around the basket and can make shots through contact. McKnight uses his size to see over his defender and rarely gets rattled by on-ball pressure. He is a solid rebounder and has the length to defend multiple positions on the floor. McKnight is a talented guard prospect who should continue to fill up the box score over the next couple of weeks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1609109' first='Richie' last='Rosa'], 6'0 PG St. Peter's Prep 2026</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rosa has taken a step up this season as he leads the Marauders in scoring this season. The 6'0 guard has a tight handle, which he uses to blow by his defender and finishes in a variety of ways around the basket. Rosa can also score in the mid-range and has a good release on his jumper. He finds his open teammates in the halfcourt and makes it tough for his man to get to his spot on the floor. Rosa is a crafty guard prospect whose ability to control the offense effectively makes him a guard to watch in the county tournament.</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 has been a steady presence in the backcourt this season for the Rams as he's helped lead them to a 16-4 record. The 5'11 guard has a quick first step, which he uses to blow by his defender and finishes nicely around the rim. Polanco has a good touch in the mid-range and has a nice release on his jumper. He threads passes to his teammates in the halfcourt and gets deflections on the defensive end. Polanco has five games with at least 10 assists and should add to that total during the county tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2421336' first='Lamir' last='Boxley'], 6'2 SG Hoboken 2025</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Boxley has the potential to play on the wing as well, making him an intriguing prospect to watch. The 6'2 guard is at his best attacking the basket as he finishes strong around the rim and is unafraid of drawing contact. Boxley sets his feet before he shoots and makes opponents pay for giving him space behind the arc. He fights for rebounds on both ends of the floor and uses his quick hands to get deflections on defense. Boxley is a tough guard prospect who does whatever it takes to help his team win games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Noah Shaw, 6'0 CG Bayonne 2026</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Shaw has the ability to play on and off the ball, which will help him throughout the county tournament. The 6'0 guard has a clean release on his jumper and can get hot from distance in a hurry. Shaw moves well without the ball in his hands, freeing himself for open layups and jumpers in the halfcourt. He has a solid handle and is an underrated passer. Shaw has four 20-point games this season and has the potential to add to that total during the 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>Julian Castro, PG Snyder 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1628300' first='Fernando' last='Badillo'], 6'3 SG Union City 2026</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Byron Vanterpool, 5'11 CG Memorial 2027</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Salim McKnight, SG Lincoln 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ayden Rivera, 5'7 PG North Bergen 2026</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->