Small-School Section 1 Top Guards

It’s never too early for too-early-season. With (some) fall sports and school underway, it’s only a matter of time before the winter sports season is upon us. With that in mind, here’s a look at some of the top guards from the small schools in Section 1 [player_tooltip player_id="957199" first="Ethan" last="Slaathaug"], Hayfield Slaathaug took his game to impressive heights as a junior, averaging 23 points per game for a Hayfield team that reached the section championship game. He’s a volume 3-point shooter and incredibly efficient when attacking the rim. And he’s got the length to bother a lot of people as a perimeter defender. If he can make marginal improvements to his 3-point shooting and free throw shooting, he’s a potential 30-point-per-game guy. [player_tooltip player_id="754315" first="Eli" last="King"], Caledonia King’s a known commodity at this point. He’s an athletic freak and a highlight waiting to happen. It’s a lot more than the dunks. There’s a lot of substance to King’s game, as he’s an elite-level perimeter defender, a heady playmaker and a high-energy guy. He’s got that Caledonia grinder mentality to go with the next-level athleticism and skill. [player_tooltip player_id="957156" first="Austin" last="Klug"], Caledonia Klug enjoyed a breakout season for the Warriors last season and parlayed that into more success this past summer on the grassroots circuit. His shooting will certainly draw a lot of attention - he’s one of the best off-ball bombers in the area - but he’s just rock-solid in a lot of areas. He’s big, strong and active on both ends of the floor. He can guard up or down an opposing lineup and don’t be surprised if he shows more off-the-dribble juice as a senior. [player_tooltip player_id="962256" first="Buay" last="Koak"], Lyle/Pacelli Koak had a monster freshman season for Lyle/Pacelli, averaging better than 19 points and seven rebounds per game. He’s fluid on the perimeter and can score from the arc, the mid-range or at the rim. He flies under the radar a little bit given he’s all the way down in Austin playing in the Southeast Conference, but he’s got all-state potential as early as this winter. [player_tooltip player_id="774776" first="Luke" last="O’Hare"], Rushford-Peterson The Trojans had a bit of a down season last year but don’t be surprised if they are back in the contention mix in Section 1 this winter because of guys like O’Hare and Justin Ruberg returning. One of the better two-way guards in the Three Rivers, O’Hare is a big, athletic guard who is dynamic from the mid-range and in the paint while providing top-notch perimeter defense. [player_tooltip player_id="956149" first="Nolan" last="Stier"], Stewartville Stier plays the “Robin” role well for the Tigers and is a jack-of-all-trades type of player. He’s a good perimeter shooter. He’s got the speed and burst to break down defenders and get into gaps. He’s a good rebounder for his positions and he’s a strong playmaker. And he’s a feisty defender on ball and does a good job putting pressure on the passing lanes. [player_tooltip player_id="567103" first="Kooper" last="Vaughn"], St. Charles Vaughn might be the best pure shooter in the state. The St. Charles lead guard has earned national attention for his shooting prowess and it’s well-deserved. He can fill it up from the 3-point line (and the free throw line which he’s better at getting to than you’d think) in a way very few other guys can. He’s improved as a playmaker as he’s gotten older and he’s a competitive on and off ball defender. [player_tooltip player_id="956160" first="Blake" last="Herbe"]r, Plainview-Elgin-Millville Herber emerged as a legitimate go-to guy last year for PEM, averaging better than 21 points per game plus four assists. He’s as good as anybody when it comes to getting into the paint and either finishing, finding teammates or drawing fouls (he took nearly nine free throws per game last season). [player_tooltip player_id="958799" first="Thomas" last="Menk"], Lewiston-Altura Lewiston-Altura won 22 games a season ago and should be strong again this winter thanks in large part to Menk. The 6-foot-2 junior guard is one of the best shooters in the Three Rivers and has the juice to get to the rim and finish in traffic. Don’t be surprised if he’s among the best players in that league this winter. [player_tooltip player_id="962284" first="Isaac" last="Matti"], Hayfield Matti’s heading into his year as a starter for the Vikings despite being just a sophomore and if you want a breakout candidate in the Gopher Conference, he’s a guy to watch. Matti is a heady playmaker who makes good decisions, and while he hasn’t been asked to score a whole lot over the last two years because of his team’s scoring depth, he’ll have a big opportunity to show that side of his game going forward.