January’s Best Finesse Scoring Guards

<p>You can put an athlete on the floor and see it right away. Defenders know what's coming and still can't stop it. With finesse guys, it's a little harder to anticipate their moves, but just as hard to stop. These players have put in the hours in the gym, perfected different moves, different shots, and have put it all together this season. Here are a few standouts that finessed their way to great January's.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="674427" first="Quin" last="Patterson"] 6’7 (2022) Mount Si</strong></p> <p>Just because I say finesse, doesn’t mean Patterson isn’t strong. It’s actually his strength that helps him be so consistent in the technical aspects of his game. Starting off with his jumper, it is one of the most repeatable shots across the state. Patterson’s shot looks the same for just about every attempt, and it goes in quite a bit too. He’s got the mid-range on lock, can hit the trey just as easily, and do it all while looking right over the defender. When finishing at the rim, he keeps the ball high and away from swiping hands, using either his right or left to put it in. Oh, and he doesn’t just score. He is a hard worker across the board and will make defenders pay if they don’t aggressively box out.</p> <p><strong>Dirk Plakinger 6’4 (2022) WF West</strong></p> <p>Watching Dirk play, you can’t help but wonder if he’s named after Nowitzki. Okay, I won’t make that leap, but Plakinger is Nowitzki-esque from the free-throw line, I can at least say that. He’s hit at least 9 FTs in two of his last three games. He attacks the rim well, can rise up for an easy flush, and can knock down the long-range shot, nearly beating White River earlier in the year with a long three just after the buzzer. What makes Plakinger’s game finesse is his ability to hit so many different shots. He doesn’t seem to have a cold spot on the floor and even though he’s a great scorer, he’s a more than capable passer too. He can fit tight windows where only his guy can get it and has great chemistry with his teammates, resulting in nice lead passes.</p> <p><strong>Jake Meldrum 5’10 (2025) Rainier</strong></p> <p>The Meldrum’s are going to be a problem for the Central 2B League soon enough. Rainier has three Meldrum’s, all freshmen, and all skilled. I had to single out Jake because of his ability to hit tough shots. He’s already so aggressive as a freshman and his confidence shows. He’s strong out of the triple threat, can set up shots before he even puts down his dribble, and has no issue burying shots with a hand in his face. He doesn’t waste good looks, making the most of every touch, is great on the catch and shoot, and has the three-pointer in his bag. All three of the Meldrum’s play aggressive, attacking basketball and they will be fun to watch evolve together.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="931316" first="Chase" last="Collins"] 5’10 (2022) Adna</strong></p> <p>Collins leads the Pirates at 14.9 ppg but has the ability to explode any given night. His game relies heavily on the three-point shot. He averages 3.1 threes per game and has made one in every game so far this season. While the three is a big part of his game, Collins has numerous other shots he can rely on. He’s got a good floater, can piece together up and unders, and his pivot foot is glued to the floor - allowing him to twist and turn for dynamic shots. The one thing that rings true for all of his shots is dependable feet. Chase has a solid foundation on his shots that often leads to good lift on his jumper, probably why he’s such a reliable shooter from deep. He’s got good touch from in closer as well, and this combo of lift and touch lets him hang a little longer than the defender to open up space for the shot.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1270732" first="Luke" last="Brewer"] 6’1 (2023) Tumwater</strong></p> <p>Brewer is quick in everything he does. He’s got a quick shot off the catch, he’s quick off the floor when bursting ahead for layups, and he’s quick to look up over the court when he gets the ball. He’s a scoring point guard, but still a point. He’s always surveying the court, looking for the right play to make, but this part of his game can often lull defenders in to hanging back or leaving a hand down, which leaves the shot open for Brewer. He’s a knockdown shooter who’s always got his head up. He can get to his spots, whether it’s through screens or off the dribble, Brewer is smart about getting defenders on his hip and keeping them there. He’s also money from the free-throw line. There’s effectively no where he can’t score from and his line proves it; 50% 2pt FG, 48% 3pt FG, 85% FT, all while putting up 22.6 ppg. That’s high usage and high efficiency.</p>