Unsigned Spotlight - The Point Guards

We're almost half-way through February, which means we're nearing the end of the high school basketball season in the northeast.   With that in mind, this week we'll take a look at 10 prospects from across New England, at each positional group, that remain unsigned or uncommitted at this point in time.   Today, we'll start with the Point Guards.   [player_tooltip player_id='2546888' first='Shuto' last='Sakihama']   The St. Thomas More guard, a former Merrimack commit, is arguably the top lead guard still on the board in New England. He has elite floor vision, can make any pass in the book, and does a great job of getting a piece of the paint off the bounce. He's a capable scorer that shows some craftiness in the paint and the ability to stop on a dime and elevate into his jumper in the mid-range. On top of that, he is a terrific on-ball defender that shows good instincts, quick hands and feet, and the ability to force a lot of turnovers.   [player_tooltip player_id='2396740' first='Avery' last='Sutton']   The Hillhouse guard, one of the top players in the CIAC, is a big, 6'5" lead guard that has tremendous defensive versatility. A good athlete with long arms, he's capable of defending any spot on the perimter, impressing with his ability to move laterally to keep opposing ball-handlers out of the paint. Offensively, he has a good feel for the game as a facilitator, knowing when to get the ball to his teammates and when to pick his spots as a scorer. He makes good reads out of ball screens, can see over the defense as a passer, and has the ability to score at multiple levels.   [player_tooltip player_id='2325870' first='Yusuf' last='Dakane']   The Pomfret guard, one of the best sub 6' rebounders in the region, Dakane is a blur in transition with the basketball in his hands. Built like a running back, he has a compact frame that allows him to play through contact while maintaining a low center of gravity. He uses a quick first step to get by the initial defender and is an impressive finisher around the rim, showing both strength and athleticism. He's an improved shooter that can consistently knock down shots in catch and shoot situations, and, on top of that, is a solid open floor defender that's willing to guard the length of the floor.   [player_tooltip player_id='2634089' first='Darius' last='Ajakaiye']   The Wilbraham & Monson guard, a dynamic defender, Ajakaiye has all the intangibles needed to be a lockdown perimeter defender at the next level. He has quick hands and feet, moves well laterally, has the strength to fight through screens, and isn't afraid to use his voice on the defensive end of the floor. Offensively, he does a nice job of navigating through tight spaces with the ball in his hands and has shown the ability to makes good passes on the move. He can score at the rim over size and does a nice job of sliding off the ball and scoring off cuts and movement.   [player_tooltip player_id='2546906' first='Theo' last='Moore']   The Bridgton Academy guard, a breakout prospect this winter, Moore has been terrific in the second half of the season. Somewhat off the radar in Maine, he's put together a string of solid games against high level competition, proving to be ultra-competitive, tough, and skilled. He isn't afraid to guard the other teams best perimeter option, mixes it up in the paint for rebounds, and is willing to give his body up to take charges or dive on loose balls. Offensively, he scores at all three levels and makes good decisions with the ball in his hands, rarely turning it over.   [player_tooltip player_id='2546919' first='Asher' last='Abeles-Tierney']   The St. Luke's guard, a heady floor general, Abeles-Tierney has good burst and impressive vision with the ball in his hands. A pass first, score second guard, he does a nice job of making plays in the half-court, using a strong handle to get into the paint and find teammates for easy scoring opportunities. A capable scorer, he finishes in a variety of ways around the rim and has shown the ability to slide off the ball and consistently knock down shots from behind the arc. He's able to stay in front of opposing guards on the perimeter and always has his head up to start the break.   [player_tooltip player_id='2396734' first='Jasaad' last='Fenton']   The Holland Tech guard, one of Boston's best scorers, Fenton is a big time competitor that doesn't back down from anyone. A quick, change of direction guard, Fenton is able to get into the teeth of the defense whenever he wants off the bounce. He turns the corner hard off of ball screens and knows how to get to the rim to draw in the defense and spray it out to shooters. He's a microwave scorer that can get hot in a hurry from behind the arc. Defensively, he plays with a toughness bigger than his size, guards really well in space, and creates plenty of steals and deflections.   [player_tooltip player_id='2532462' first='Jayden' last='Johnson']   The Leominster guard, a versatile two-way prospect, Johnson is capable of impacting a game in a variety of ways. A long guard that's at his best in the open floor, Johnson has good athleticism and burst, allowing him to make plays in space and finish with length at the rim. He makes good reads as a passer, often finding the roller in ball screens, and can consistently knock down shots from behind the arc. Defensively, he guards multiple positions, applying plenty of pressure to opposing ball-handlers while also making an impact on the defensive glass.   [player_tooltip player_id='1578541' first='John' last='Hilaire']   The Tolman guard, one of the fastest players end to end in Rhode Island, Hilaire plays with terrific energy on both ends of the floor. A lefty that plays predominantly with the ball in his hands, Hilaire is under-sized but makes up for it with great defensive instincts and the ability to create seperation on offense. He does a nice job of occupying opposing ball-handlers space, using his quickness to cut them off and create turnovers. Offensively, his quickness causes problems for the opposition and he does a good job of using his dribble to create space and then elevate into his jumper.   [player_tooltip player_id='1532456' first='William' last='Oden Tann']   The Manchester guard, a terror in the open floor, Oden Tann gets up and down the court as quick as any guard in the region. He has good length at the guard spot and makes plays in passing lanes that lead to runouts and easy baskets. When he can play in space, he does a good job of attacking the rim and finishing with length over bigger defenders. He has some wiggle off the bounce, can knock down shots in catch and shoot situations, and shows a willingness to attack the rim and play through contact. As he adds strength, his ability to score at all three levels should only continue to improve.

We're almost half-way through February, which means we're nearing the end of the high school basketball season in the northeast.