2023 Rankings Update: Rising Guards

[player_tooltip player_id="1235940" first="Alec" last="Noonan"] Current: 12 Previous: 22 Elkhorn South had solid depth this season, but it was Noonan's ability to put consistent pressure on the rim that fueled a lot of their success on offense. He is shifty, he keeps his dribble low and tight, and his footwork doesn't have a lot of wasted movement. He gets to where he wants to go with the ball quicker than most. A lot of his value comes from his ability to effectively play on or off the ball. Noonan is an impressive finisher inside, and he rarely has to force his offense because of his ability to score at several levels. In his first season as a full-time starter, the junior averaged 12.4 points per game on 54/41/81 shooting splits. [player_tooltip player_id="1150945" first="JJ" last="Ferrin"] Current: 17 Previous: 28 In the three Skutt Catholic games I watched this season, Ferrin was the best player on the court for long stretches of each one. His jumpshot is simple and efficient. This makes the Skyhawks point guard a deadly catch-and-shoot threat even against plus contests. Noonan may be most effective as an offensive player when he gets the ball going downhill off a DHO. He has a good floater which he can go to consistently, but he can also get into the paint, stay patient, and pivot until he finds a shooter or cutter. He took a step forward as an athlete and finisher as a junior. [player_tooltip player_id="1052926" first="Carter" last="Tempelmeyer"] Current: 21 Previous: 53 The Lincoln East guard was better in seemingly every aspect of the game in his junior campaign. My favorite thing about is his game is that he swallows up space quickly. He attacks driving lanes as soon as they become available, and he does not waste time or energy with unnecessary steps or dribble moves. He makes decisions very quickly, and he had more counters in his bag as a ball-handler. To be a great finisher at the rim, especially as a smaller guard, you must be able to beat the defender to a spot and get into the body of the big. Tempelmeyer is great at just that. He gets into the air quickly, puts his shoulder into the shot blocker, and creates himself a window to score. He scored 17.9 points per game while shooting 50/42/88 (!) on the season. I moved him up 32 spots in this update, and I still probably have him too low. [player_tooltip player_id="1235941" first="Joey" last="Rieschl"] Current: 29 Previous: 51 Rieschl was one of the best high-volume shooters in Nebraska this season. On over 6 attempts per game, the Creighton Prep guard shot 40% from distance. The versatility of his shot diet makes him such a tough guard. He can run off screens to his right or left, and the time between the catch and his release is lightning quick. Whether he's off balance off the catch, or his shoulders aren't square to the rim, he has the touch and the coordination required to sink it from anywhere. You could probably pick out a shot every one or two games that could be considered a forced shot, but great shooters have different definitions of good and bad shots. Rieschl has the skill and confidence to get consistent high-quality looks, which forces the defense to stay glued at all times or pay the price. [player_tooltip player_id="1199572" first="Zeb" last="Svoboda"] Current: 40 Previous: 83 Svoboda was one of the leaders on a young Omaha Burke team this season. He loves to combine hesitations and crossovers to get to his pullup game. The shooting guard can score in bunches, and if he gets to his spot in rhythm it does not matter how good the contest is. His desire to score sometimes cost the Bulldogs better looks by missing cutters or playing outside the flow of the offense. I do believe that he has the vision to see the floor and he certainly has the touch to make a lot of quick passes off the dribble that he misses. Once Svoboda realizes that sacrificing a few shots in favor of two or three more assists per game, his game will become much easier and his teams will benefit even more from his scoring ability. [player_tooltip player_id="1236326" first="Brooks" last="Kissinger"] Current: 47 Previous: 92 The Class C1 state champions had high-IQ players all up and down their roster, and Kissinger was no exception. He shoots it well, but doesn't settle for jumpers. He is willing, almost to a frustrating degree sometimes, to attack the closeout and swing it to the next guy to widen the advantage. He makes the decision to dribble, pass, or shoot it off the catch very quickly. He was more patient with the ball this season. Kissinger was able to get into the lane, vary his pace, and keep his dribble alive until one of his teammates flashed their own IQ with a cut or relocation. [player_tooltip player_id="1267136" first="Rex" last="Buettenback"] Current: 61 Previous: 104 The Ralston guard put together a complete junior season in which he rebounded well, shot it efficiently, and showed some flashes of playmaking ability. Beuttenback just had good feel for what efficient offense was. If he saw an opportunity to leak out in transition for an easy two, he took it. He did not pass up open shots for more difficult ones, he took the first one. If the defense had to closeout long, he had no issues taking a few dribbles to get inside and make a play. There is a slight hitch in his jumpshot which prevents him from getting it off against short closeouts, but in his first real season of varsity basketball, Buettenback had a ton of success.