July Sleeper Watch: Guards (Part 1)
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With the live periods right around the corner, we at Vantage Hoops will be previewing under the radar guys to keep a watch on across the state. Today, we will look at some of the best slept on guards in the state who should see their recruitment pick up with a good July.
- Timon Jones | 5’11” | Team Richmond Garner Road
Jones is one of the few ball handlers on a team with great size, and when he gets going he can be a menace on both sides of the basketball. He’s a dog when guarding on the ball, and he’s able to get underneath and pressure ball handlers the length of the floor. He’s a shot maker from all three levels, and excels at making tough shots and shots through contact. His ability to change the game in spurts is criminally underrated.
- Rahim Jenkins | 6’0” | River City Reign
Jenkins had a huge spring with RCR, and followed it up with a big June where he averaged 23 points per game in six games at the LC Bird Summer League. He’s a dynamic athlete, can play on and off the ball and is a dual threat offensively as he can score it in bunches and set up teammates for easy baskets as well. He’s a scholarship level player who will benefit a lot from this July not only in recruitment, but in preparing him to takeover the defending state champs backcourt this winter.
- Darius Hines | 5’10” | Team Takeover Orange
Hines is an old school pass first point guard with a new school flare. He has great range off the bounce, is very efficient in the middle game with a number of pull-ups and floaters and he controls the pace from the very beginning of the game to the final buzzer. He takes care of the basketball, sees the floor tremendously and can score in bunches, but does so efficiently. Expect for him and his fellow backcourt mate Matt Urbach to be very highly recruited targets in July, as both are good players and good students.
- Shyheim Gilkerson | 6’0” | New World VA
Gilkerson is a lightning quick guard that can impact the game in a number of different ways on both ends of the floor. He has a quick first step both out of the triple threat and off the bounce, is an absolute blur in transition and when he gets in the lane he can either finish or find others for easy baskets. He can stay in front of ball handlers, run and jump guys in press situations and simply changes the pace of the game whenever he’s on the floor.
- Ray Ward | 5’8” | Team Thrill VA
Ward may not be big on paper, but he plays like a giant for his size. He’s athletic, tough and isn’t afraid to stick his nose in there defensively or go up among the trees to finish in traffic. He’s a dog in every sense of the word, and he always plays to his strengths. In an uptempo system he can really make an impact on both ends of the floor, and while he may not look like it he’ll be the toughest guy on the floor no matter who else is out there.
- Keyshawn Jefferson | 5’11” | Hard 2 Guard
Jefferson is an old school guard that plays with pace and has great vision. He isn’t the quickest or most athletic guy, but he gets to his spots well, creates for others and plays with a high IQ when he’s engaged in the game. The lefty can stroke it off the bounce, uses angles off the glass in the midrange and simply makes everyone around him much better.