Underclass 6A/5A Bigs who stepped up in January

January was a massive month for some of the state's top young backcourt talent. While upperclass players often lead the headlines, these five underclass combo guards stole the show with their scoring, playmaking and leadership. From huge scoring nights to lockdown defense, here is a look at the young Bigs who stood out and dominated the court this past month.    Wade is still full of upside and has that massive ceiling. He's been leading his team to wins and having a solid season as expected. In January, it was another solid month where his team went 7-1, and he averaged 11.1 points a game. But with him, that is secondary as his real impact is on the glass and protecting the rim. He was getting near double-digit boards in each game and averaged 2 blocks a game in that stretch. He's not allowing anything easy at the rim. He's using all of his 6'7 frame, and this was a year of growth and being how he fits. Looks like he's passing the test.     Cache is a big prospect with high upside, and we're starting to see how it looks when he feels comfortable. He's an inside presence who is starting to demand the ball. He's starting to read and react to where the defense is coming from and finishing over the top of guys. He's also a physical freshman who uses his body, and that helps get him into ideal situations. His impact as a rebounding paint protector has also improved as we get into the best part of the season, and this is a stretch that is trying for him, but he's learning. I am curious to see him come along, but from what we've seen from him in January, we have reason to believe that February will be just as solid for the 6'7 freshman big.     You have to admire the battle in this young Denver East squad, which is still competing and coming up with some league wins despite being undersized and undermanned. They're dealing with injuries and still figuring out ways to battle, and a guy who has really stepped up as we've gotten into league play is 6'6 forward, [player_tooltip player_id='2978674' first='Kanen' last='Marshall']. Marshall has checked off a lot of boxes and has answered the call for the Angels. He's been battling inside; he constantly knocks down the 3-ball and stretches the floor, and he battles on the boards. He's been putting up double figures in games, he has great hand-eye coordination and is grabbing tough passes and finishing, and seems to hit big momentum-changing shots. He's a prospect who continues to rise for me and is getting better.     Teter is a 6'7 sophomore who has the chance to turn heads and is starting to with his play. He's a small school standout that we hope to get eyes on this summer and Fall. Right now, however, he's playing well. He's putting up 13.2 points and 12.7 rebounds a game. He also just had one of the top stat lines in the class when he had 25 points, 21 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals in a close win against Miami-Yoder. He's a game changer on both ends of the floor and has his team in a great spot. He's stepped it up in January, and he's very intriguing.     Dawson is St.Mary's 6'7 man in the middle, and he's in the middle of his best stretch in his sophomore year. He's been a consistent scorer in games as he finishes on the block, has soft touch in the paint, and good footwork. He's a mobile big man who runs the floor, keeps the ball moving, and has moments when he looks dominant. We're ready to see that be an every-night occurrence and for him to start overpowering defenders and forcing his way to the FT line. He has the size to really take over games, and at moments he does, but let's make it regular. He's averaging 11.1 points and 5.6 rebounds a game as a sophomore and believes he can up that. Now's the time to show it as his team seems to be looking for that spark. Solid January for Kiesan.

January was a massive month for some of the state's top young backcourt talent. While upperclass players often lead the headlines, these five underclass combo guards stole the show with their scoring, playmaking and leadership. From huge scoring nights to lockdown defense, here is a look at the young Bigs who stood out and dominated the court this past month.