Fall Rankings Review: 2024 Point Guards
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The featured image is of Lauren Walsh (2024) of Penn High School. Last Friday, September 23rd, we released the Fall rankings update for the Class of 2024. There were a handful of new additions, a lot of players who raised…
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Continue ReadingThe featured image is of Lauren Walsh (2024) of Penn High School.
Last Friday, September 23rd, we released the Fall rankings update for the Class of 2024. There were a handful of new additions, a lot of players who raised their “stock”, so to speak, so subsequently a lot of movement throughout the list. I wanted to take this time to circle back and address all of the ranked prospects, position by position. Below is a look at 35 point guard prospects who make up 20.0% of the rankings this time around, with analysis on a handful to “keep an eye on” detailed at the bottom.
KEEP AN EYE ON:
Obviously with a #4 overall state ranking, people are going to “keep an eye on” Reagan, but there are two main reasons I listed her here. First, if you’ve followed social media, her recruiting interest has really picked up. Recent offers from DePaul, Iowa State, and Missouri State speak volumes about her strong play this Summer. And second, I will be curious to see what kind of leadership role she now takes on with the departure of Ashlynn Shade Ashlynn Shade 5’10” | SG La Lumiere Prep | 2023 State #33 Nation IN . Reagan is primed for a big year with the Lady Millers, and she should be fun to watch all Winter.
Elle has always been one of those wait-and-see prospects, because she has continually grown and added strength to her frame. Look for her to take that next step this year, after averaging 9.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in 2021-2022. She has tremendous length, she’s a fairly fluid and smooth athlete in all directions, and she can play on or off the ball offensively. She has a steady handle, a solid feel for the game, and she can initiate/run offense. She can also knock down an open rhythm jumper, and she’s versatile defensively.
Lauren moved to Indiana from North Carolina last Fall, and she provided an immediate boost to the Penn backcourt, averaging 5.8 points and 2.7 assists per game. I have yet to see her in-person, so I’m sure I have her a little low at #62 overall, but that should change in time. She is long, wiry-strong, quick, fast, and athletic. She is a really nice ball-handler, creator, and distributor, plus she can get to the basket and complete different types of finishing moves. She has the potential to be a nice on-ball defender at the next level as well.
Sydney has come from a long line of siblings who have gone on to succeed at the collegiate level, either on the basketball court or in a track & field stadium. Her high school coach is actually her sister. Sydney is extremely long, she’s very wiry, and she’s a fluid/smooth athlete with some burst. She glides around the floor effortlessly, she is a playmaker in the open court, and she has really nice touch from the perimeter (and the charity stripe as well). With her length and athleticism, she could be a nice defender at the next level.
Highlights
I touched on this at the end of July, but Mariah had about as good of a run in Louisville July 5-12 as anyone probably did throughout that first “live” week. She isn’t very tall, but she is extremely tough, hard-working, and hungry. She has a nonstop motor and is constantly in motion, she will do all of the “little things” a team needs to be successful, plus she’s skilled with the ball. She runs a team well, takes care of the ball, and gets it where it needs to go, while also providing shooting/scoring herself. And she’s a problem defensively.
Like Lauren Walsh (above), Molly is someone I have been limited on in my ability to see them regularly. However, she is a nice-sized ball-handler who does a little of everything well. She is a willing and capable facilitator, she doesn’t force the action much, and she doesn’t take a lot of bad shots. She plays with a nice motor and some toughness, plus she’ll rebound and get after it defensively. As a Sophomore, she averaged 11.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 2.3 steals per game, while shooting an impressive 50% from the field.