5A Playoffs: Top Guards in Chauncey Billups Region

With the playoffs finally here this week, we break down each region to take a deeper look at some of the top players by position. Guard play is a major key in the playoffs and many of these teams have a number of different threats from the backcourt. This piece will look into the top guards in the Chauncey Billups region that has teams like; (1) Rangeview, (8) Boulder, (9) Columbine, (16) Mountain Vista, (17) Fruita Monument, (24) Doherty, (25) ThunderRidge, (32) Arvada West, (33) Highlands Ranch, (40) Lakewood, (41) Dakota Ridge, (48) Chatfield. Rangeview - <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/obi-agbim/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/obi-agbim/">Obi Agbim</a></a> & <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/christopher-speller/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/christopher-speller/">Christopher Speller</a></a> Agbim is a freak of an athlete at the guard position and does just about everything to help Rangeview. He averaged: 12.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.3 SPG this year to help them to a perfect 23-0 record as well as securing the number one seed entering the playoffs. He has good size at 6'3 and is able to jump out of the gym and score from all three levels, leading Rangeview in scoring this year. Speller is having a solid senior season and will be headed to Metro State next year. He averaged: 10.7 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.2 SPG and was very effective inside the three point arc shooting 66%. He plays with a lot of poise on the court and he let's the game come to him. Columbine - Luke O'Brien & Garrett Rogers O'Brien the University of Colorado commit had a sensual senior regular season for the Rebels, he averaged: 25.2 PPG, 12.6 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.5 BPG helping them secure the number nine overall seed entering the postseason. His 25.2 points per game and 12.6 rebounds per game are both career highs as he should be in for a very success career in Boulder. Rogers has had a nice junior season for Columbine, he is the third leading scorer on the team at 8.9 PPG and his 3.3 APG leads them this year. He is shooting 45% from deep this season and ties O'Brien for most threes made on the team and is first in terms of percentage from distance. Mountain Vista - <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/reece-kelly/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/reece-kelly/">Reece Kelly</a></a> Kelly made a major jump his senior season and is a big reason why Mountain Vista got the sixteenth seed this year. He averaged: 18.3 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 2.3 APG, shooting the ball extremely well from deep, at 46% (75/162) on the year. He currently ranks fourth in the state in three pointers made this year according to MaxPreps and is defiantly one of the top shooters to watch out for this postseason. He leads Mountain Vista in both points and rebounds per game and should be primed for a big playoff push. He is a player that can create his own shot and also does a great job of moving without the ball to find open looks. He has been one of my favorite players to watch this year. Fruita Monument - <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/marcus-labonde/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/marcus-labonde/">Marcus Labonde</a></a> Labonde is a player that has seen some varsity time ever since his freshmen year and has grown each year. As a senior he has averaged: 20.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 5.9 APG, 2.5 SPG and is a guard that can score from all three levels of the court. He shot 48% from distance during the regular season (37/77) and 62% from inside the arc going (117/190) on the year. He is crafty around the rim and is able to create his own shot off the dribble. Doherty - <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/schafer-reichart/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/schafer-reichart/">Schafer Reichart</a></a> & <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/aj-guiao/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/aj-guiao/">AJ Guiao</a></a> It's been fun to see Reichart get back into the game after a health scare last year and he is having a great junior season for Doherty. During the regular season he averaged: 13.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.2 SPG, shooting 37% from deep (40/107). He is a strong rebounder for his size and has great vision. Guiao is also a junior who has had a strong season for the Spartans averaging 8.3 PPG, 4.0 APG, 2.4 RPG, 1.1 SPG. He leads the team in assists this year and you can tell that playing in twenty-three games last year as a sophomore was very beneficial for him. He plays in control and has good handles, he will be a guard to keep an eye on going forward. Arvada West - Josh Yago Yago is the senior leader for Arvada West and leads them in just about every category. This year he averaged: 15.5 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.4 SPG and is a player who has made a big jump from his junior to senior season. He had 28 points in a big win over Columbine a couple of days ago. Last year as a junior he averaged: 6.0 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.3 APG playing in all twenty-four games. He is a crafty guard, who has strong handles and is able to score from all three levels of the court. He is shooting 36% from deep, and 53% from inside the arc. Highlands Ranch - <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/yafet-mesfin/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/yafet-mesfin/">Yafet Mesfin</a></a> & Sullivan deGuzman Mesfin has played in sixteen games for Highlands Ranch this year and has been very productive his senior year, averaging: 12.8 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.4 APG for the Falcons. He is a guard that has seen major varsity time since his sophomore season and has only improved each year. He can stretch the floor but does a lot of his damage from inside the arc, shooting 43% from two-point range (63/148). His backcourt partner in deGuzman averaged: 6.5 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.2 SPG during the regular season. He is a guard that does a little bit of everything out on the court to help his team win. Dakota Ridge - <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/taeshaud-jackson/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/taeshaud-jackson/">Taeshaud Jackson</a></a> Wasn't sure were to include Taeshaud at in this list as he has good size at 6'5 and is a force in the paint but plays more of a point-wing position with the ball in his hands often. During the regular season he has averaged a double-double at: 16.4 PPG and 11.8 RPG. To go along with those numbers, he is also averaging: 4.0 APG and 1.9 SPG, leading the team in all four categories on the year. He is a force inside the three-point arc, shooting 56% (127/227) during the year and has over one hundred free throw attempts. He is a highlight waiting to happen in the open court with his high flying nature. Lakewood - <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/michael-bennett/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/michael-bennett/">Michael Bennett</a></a> Bennett averaged: 17.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 3.9 APG, 2.1 SPG during the regular season for the Tigers. The 6'2 junior guard can score from all three levels and is very crafty with the ball. He finishes well around the rim and has great vision. He played in sixteen games as a freshmen and I only expect his game to continue to grow these next two years. He has all the tools to be a good guard. This is a junior heavy team that should be interesting to watch going forward.