Senior Sensations: Top 2023 Guards from Winter

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>VT's class of 2023 is stacked with strong guard play. We've got high-level facilitators, tons of shooting, and defenders who really grind. This crew is flush with skill, IQ, and athleticism. Dig in!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2313016' first='Sawyer' last='Ramey'], 5'10 PG - Fair Haven Union High School </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The kid does it all. He's a premier offensive player, able to absolutely control the game with his facilitation, shot creation, and 3-level scoring ability. It balances evenly and he describes himself as a pass-first PG who loves making plays for others. Then on the defensive end, Ramey is cunning and high IQ. He defends the ball well and of the ball he disrupts offenses with his anticipation and quickness, plus he tracks down rebounds intuitively. From there, he's off to the races, and in transition he's an utter problem. Sawyer has all the tools, the intangibles, and is a natural hooper. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cooper Diego, 6'2 G - Spaulding High School</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A true combo-guard, Cooper is comfortable at the 1 and the 2. When facilitating, he's able to get the offense flowing and is a good reader of ball screen coverages. Moreover, he feels just as effective, if not more so, at the 2. His off-ball movement is sly and quick as he cuts into the paint, relocates on drives, and comes off screens for catch-and-shoot jumpers and drives. And defensively, Diego guards 1-3 with his combination of length and athleticism, and off the ball he's a savvy helper and rotator. Cooper is all there. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sam Sweeney, 6'2 G - Champlain Valley Union High School</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sam is a high-level swingman who can handle the rock as well. Offensively, Sweeney's off-ball movement keeps defenders guessing. He's able to create space and get to his spots well as he cuts and comes off screens. With the ball in his hands, Sam is balanced and in the flow of the offense. He knocks down open jumpers, hits the post and cutters with smart passes, and can create offense with ball screens. On the defensive end, he guards all perimeter positions and has nice anticipation to deflect passes, slide into help position, or rotate in a scramble. Sam's feel is intuitive and flowing. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Trevon Bradley, 5'8 PG - Winooski High School </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The crafty southpaw is truly an offensive juggernaut. Bradley facilitates well and gets guys into spots, but his ability to create offense out of iso and ball screen scenarios is top notch. With his 3-level scoring, defenders have to respect his shot all over the floor, and since he demands all that attention, he's able to thread passes to wise cutters and screeners or dump passes as he penetrates the second layer. Then defensively, he's aggressive and agile both on the ball and off. Tre is highly skilled, and I love his poise/demeanor on the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ronnie Riby-Williams, 6'0 G - Montpelier High School </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ronnie quickly became a favorite of mine to watch. His effort is always at 100% and he plays with a passion not everyone shares. Plus, he impacts winning in substantial and myriad ways. First, Ronnie defends at an elite level. I've seen him guard 1-4 and take high-level players out of the game at each of those positions with full court pressure and post defense. Moreover, he has the strength and verticality to rebound with the bigs. From there, he's a blur in transition. In the offensive halfcourt, he's an adept and highly efficient slasher, a wise passer and decision maker, and a fantastic mover off the ball. Ronnie's impact on winning is among the best in VT. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1585138' first='Sharif' last='Sharif'], 6'2 G - Rice Memorial High School</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sharif is a natural born bucket. With the ball in his hands, Sharif is able to get downhill with ease. It doesn't matter if it's isos or ball screens, with his handle he gets in the second layer where he finishes with pull-ups, athletic finishes on either side of the cup, and kick outs + dump passes for easy buckets. Or Sharif will create space on the perimeter and rise up into his 3-ball. Moreover, he moves well off the ball and is efficient off the catch. Then defensively, Sharif has the length and athleticism to guard 1-3. Sharif gets after it and can fill it up in a hurry. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Alex Provost, 5'11 PG - Champlain Valley Union High School</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A true floor general, Provost knows how to run the show. He controls the game with strong situational awareness and a good sense of tempo, choosing wisely when to push the ball or slow down. Alex keeps the offense running smoothly with his facilitation and ability to score in the second layer. Then defensively, he knows how to take teams out of rhythm. He pressures guards with agility and footwork, and off the ball he's a disruptor with his help rotations and anticipation in the passing lanes. High-IQ and composed, Alex is a coach on the court. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->