Class of 2023: Guards Introduction

Continuing on with our class of 2023 rankings content, it is now time for the guards to get some shine. I am impressed with the depth at the guard position for this class. With continued development and growth, there are around 10 current freshman guards that could have a shot at playing Division 1 basketball or Division 2 at the least. Speed kills and this group has it! There are also some more skilled guards that will be noted below. <span style="text-decoration: underline; font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Introducing 2023 Guards:</strong></span> 5’9 PG [player_tooltip player_id="115414" first="Mjracle" last="Sheppard"] (Eastside Catholic HS) - Toughness, aggression and fearlessness are three description words for Mjracle’s playing style. She’s been on Division 1 school’s radars since 7th grade and has continued to see her recruitment gain momentum. 5’5 PG [player_tooltip player_id="115413" first="Malia" last="Samuels"] (Eastside Catholic HS) - A point guard with a scorer’s mentality first and foremost. Malia can drive and score or hit the three ball, but her best attribute is probably her defense. She picks up full-court and gets into passing lanes with the best of them. 5’7 PG [player_tooltip player_id="115402" first="Hope" last="Hassmann"] (Tahoma HS) - Hope put together one of the most impressive freshman seasons out of any player on this list with her nearly 19 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals per game. The skill set is there and she is on pace to become another household name in the state. 5’9 PG [player_tooltip player_id="115419" first="Nikole" last="Thomas"] (Kamiakin HS) - An athlete who’s skill set improved some over the high school season by running the point guard for Kamiakin all Winter. Nikole can play on or off the ball at this stage, but continued development of her ability to play the one was huge for her! She has some Division 1 schools that are already in contact and tracking her progress. 5’8 SG [player_tooltip player_id="115417" first="Isabel" last="Sullivan"] (Eastside Catholic HS) - A lefty guard that can get hot from the outside with the best of them. She is very much a "shooter", but she is more than that when you watch her play several games. Isabel can make plays off the bounce, she has a good handle and can set her teammates up as well. Finished the season with 15 points per game and 39.8% from three. *Feature image 5’7 SG [player_tooltip player_id="115398" first="Angie" last="Cavanaugh"] (Tahoma HS) - Tahoma’s second backcourt standout with a promising future. Angie has a good skill set for her age, as well as the basketball IQ to compete against older players. 5’8 CG [player_tooltip player_id="144538" first="Baylee" last="Young"] (Gig Harbor HS) - The next one up out of Gig Harbor! Gone are Maddie Willett (Cal Poly) and [player_tooltip player_id="20069" first="Brynna" last="Maxwell"] (Utah), but Baylee is ready to fill the void. She has outstanding footwork and gets to her spots on the floor well. Her midrange pull up is strong and Baylee can play either guard position. 5’9 CG [player_tooltip player_id="115410" first="Nevaeh" last="Patterson"] (Davis HS) - Not too many freshman lead their team in scoring, but Nevaeh did just that, regularly putting up strong scoring performances every night. She has a craftiness to her game that is fun to watch. 5’8 PG [player_tooltip player_id="115404" first="Kaylia" last="Jackson"] (Eastlake HS) - Kaylia stepped into a big role as a freshman point guard for Eastlake and I expect that experience to really pay off in the future. She has athleticism and tools to work with that came out in flashes. 5’7 CG [player_tooltip player_id="115397" first="Myana" last="Calloway"] (Hazen HS) - An agile combo guard that excels in the transition game. Myana had a solid freshman season with 8 points and 2 steals per game, contributing at the varsity level each game. I will be tracking her progress over the course of time. 5’7 PG [player_tooltip player_id="115407" first="Rylee" last="Leishman"] (Ellensburg HS) - Rylee got some big minutes during crunch time for Ellensburg throughout the season and that will pay dividends for the future. She is a solid player all around and capable of hitting the outside shot. <em>Others to know:</em> 5’6 SG [player_tooltip player_id="154102" first="Jewel" last="Young"] (Decatur HS) 5’8 CG [player_tooltip player_id="154285" first="Ella" last="Kaleta"] (Bothell HS) 5’10 SG [player_tooltip player_id="154282" first="Kendall" last="Omlin"] (Ferris HS) 5’2 PG [player_tooltip player_id="154273" first="Jersey" last="Huerta"] (Kentwood HS) 5’5 PG [player_tooltip player_id="144537" first="Dulcy" last="Solomon"] (Inglemoor HS) 5’6 CG [player_tooltip player_id="154469" first="Monique" last="Carter"] (Emerald Ridge HS)