Senior Guards who Could Spark a Playoff Run

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>USE CODE “baxley30” FOR 30% OFF THE FIRST PURCHASE OF ANY SUBSCRIPTION</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When the playoffs tip off, steady guard play often decides who survives and who goes home. Senior guards bring leadership, shot-making, and the composure to control tight fourth quarters. Around the state, these veterans have the experience and skill to spark a deep postseason run for their teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44","player_evaluations_0_player":["2399114"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":0,"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-698f4f2ba2f92"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='2399114' first='Trenton' last='Parker'] and Georgetown High School are a potential dark horse team in the Lower State of Class AAA. Parker brings a good, physical frame to the floor in his minutes. He's a two-sport athlete who has started to see some football recruitment as of late, but his work on the hardwood is far from finished. Trenton likes to get his teammates involved on the offensive end of the floor and can finish when in close. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44","player_evaluations_0_player":["2430899"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":0,"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-698f4f2ba2fb4"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Khalid, alongside his brother Khalil, makes up one of the most dynamic backcourts in all of the state. He puts up an impressive 13.8 points, 3.1 assists, and 2.3 steals a night with an excellent frame for playing through contact on both ends. Sherman also plays with a bit of an edge, and Loris seems to play their best basketball when the game is tight. Keep an eye on this Lion team to make a push for the 3A State Championship with this golden group of talent. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44","player_evaluations_0_player":["2541528"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":0,"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-698f4f2ba300b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Despite having some struggles in region play, the Vikings look set in a playoff position because of a solid RPI. Patterson Jr is one of two on his team who are above 10 points per game, but he is often the guy who will turn to after possessions break down to create something out of nothing. He is more than capable of creating off the dribble against even the best of the defenders, but he'll need to tighten up the assist-to-turnover ratio in order to spark a Spring Valley run. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44","player_evaluations_0_player":["2529301"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":0,"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-698f4f2ba3041"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">When you watch T.L. Hanna, it is the bigs that jump out at you, but guards like [player_tooltip player_id='2529301' first='Ali' last='Sannoun'] will determine how far they go in the playoffs. Ali has shown major strides as a facilitator this season, improving his assist per game average to 4.0. A lot of teams will look to press the Yellow Jackets in order to get them out of a rhythm and make their guards handle it, but when Sannoun is on the floor, you just feel a little more confident in their chances. Keep an eye on Ali to potentially earn more attention from college coaches this postseason, especially if Hanna are able to go on a run and play against other elite competition. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44","player_evaluations_0_player":["2885526"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":0,"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-698f4f2ba3076"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Sitting at 23-2 overall and 11-0 in region play headed into their final regular season game, the High Point Academy Grizzlies are one of the clear contenders in Class AA. They fell just short in the Upper State Championship a season ago, but the addition of Deylen to the mix could get them over the hump in 2026. Whitaker is one of several high-level playmakers on the High Point Roster, and his ability to create steals, score at the rim, and set up his teammates all show up on the stat sheet. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44","player_evaluations_0_player":["1679968"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":0,"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-698f4f2ba30e0"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Spartanburg will be a lot of Upstate people's pick for an early round upset and a potential run through the playoffs. This is because of how many close games they've played in, especially hanging around against the big dogs in that region. Seniors like Bell-Boyd are an important piece of the fold, and he has excellent quickness and a tight, low-to-the-ground handle, which can help the Vikings against high-pressuring teams. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44","player_evaluations_0_player":["2175527"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":0,"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-698f4f2ba3115"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jamison is a 1A Senior Guard to watch in the postseason. North finished 4th at 8-6 in a very competitive region and could get hot despite not having home-court advantage. Ashton is a huge part of their success, as he leads the team in points per game at 19.7 and steals per game at 3.7. Having a two-way guy like Jamison is crucial in Class A, and in order for the Eagles to beat some of the best in the state they will have to force and capitalize on turnovers. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44","player_evaluations_0_player":["2425413"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":0,"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-698f4f2ba3126"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Rounding out the list of senior guards who could spark a playoff runis [player_tooltip player_id='2425413' first='Jaylen' last='Heyward']. The Landsharks finished at 6-2 in region play with a three-way tie for the #1 Seed. They have a nice mix of senior leadership and underclass talent, so it will be on guys like Heyward who have been there before to show the youngsters the standard. Jaylen likes to use his size and athleticism to get downhill, but he can also defend multiple positions on the defensive end. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->