Twin Cities Takedown: Saturday's Game-Changing Guards

It's Twin Cities Takedown time here in Minnesota! I was at Maple Grove Middle School all weekend. Here are six guards who stood out and made an impact for their team during Saturday's games.    Logan plays with great speed and finds tons of success in transition. He likes to keep his offense moving at a high pace, and as one of the primary ball-handlers, Logan does well creating shots for open teammates. Whether that comes from high ball-screen action, dribble drives and kick-outs, or even taking his man off the dribble to create his own shot, he has a knack for finding the best possible look for his team each possession. Keep an eye on Logan as he continues to strengthen his guard play.     Pocius is a cool and collected ball-handler at the helm of his team's offense. He slices through defenses at his speed while keeping his head on a swivel. Pocius displays high-level court awareness and seems to be in the right place at the right time often. He can also be a scoring threat from both beyond the arc and through the use of crafty dribble drives. Pocius has all the tools to comfortbaly control an offense and set his teammates up for success.     Triepke is one of many gifted guards for his [program_tooltip program_id='2076003' first='West' last='Central United'] squad. Triepke may share some of the point guard duties, but he moves with great confidence when he's in control. Not only can he be effective as a playmaker, but Triepke knows how to score, too. He can beat you from 3-point territory, attacking on a dribble-drive, or through well-timed basket cuts. Triepke reads defenses well and is an all-around offensive threat.     One aspect of Juba's game that jumped out to me is the nonstop intensity on both sides of the floor. As a defender, his hands and feet are always active as he looks to poke the ball loose and jump passing lanes. His rotations are always on point, and Juba has good defensive awareness. As a playmaker, the lead guard likes to turn defense into offense and push the fast-break, where he sets the table easily for his team. Juba handles his point guard duties well, as he is constantly hunting for a better shot.     Connell is quite the scorer, providing timely buckets all game long. He shoots it with great rhythm and mechanics and doesn't need any breathing room to rise up and let one fly over his defender. I like how he carries himself on the floor. He knows he can fill it up quickly and is always looking to make the defense pay. Connell doesn't force shots either, making it difficult on the defense as he is a willing passer. Given his dynamic skillset as a perimeter scorer and smart playmaker, Connell becomes a challenging cover.     Buaer plays with great poise as a lead guard for his Wisconsin City team. He uses changes in pace and great positioning to cut his way through the defense. He does well when he gets in the paint, and penetrating the interior seems to be his main goal. These relentless paint drives draw the defense in, which helps create easier looks for teammates. Bauer is a smart playmaker, so he knows when it's time to get his buckets, and he does so efficiently.

It's Twin Cities Takedown time here in Minnesota! I was at Maple Grove Middle School all weekend. Here are six guards who stood out and made an impact for their team during Saturday's games.