Northern Illinois True Point Guards: Part 2

When looking at the Point Guard position, I personally feel like a player can fit into one of two categories: Scoring Point Guard or True Point Guard. To me, a True Point Guard is a player whose first look isn’t to score, but rather gets teammates involved, takes care of the ball, controls the offense, and plays sound defense. While some of the players listed here can score as well, I consider them to very much fit the definition of a True Point Guard. <strong>2022 Anna Schmitt, 5’5” Guard, Fremd</strong> Schmitt is an active athlete who can play the Lead Guard spot with her ability to handle the ball with control and speed. She’s a high-IQ player with good awareness, especially on the defensive end. Anna anticipates passes well and uses her quick hands to cause frequent turnovers which lead to transition opportunities. <strong>2021 Josylin Doxie, 5’7” Guard, Proviso West</strong> Josylin is a strong ball-handler who has a solid all-around game with various offensive skills, including great court vision. She’s quick with the ball and is constantly looking for openings to get her teammates involved. Doxie can also score the ball well at all levels with her ability to finish in the lane and shoot the ball from deep. <strong>2023 [player_tooltip player_id="148140" first="Erin" last="Henry"], 5’7” Guard, Plainfield North</strong> A top prospect in the Freshman class, Henry completely matches the definition of a True Point Guard. The energy and hustle she plays with throughout a game are incredibly difficult duplicate from opposing players. Erin can score the ball well at all levels and gains advantages by constantly outworking her opponents. <strong>2022 [player_tooltip player_id="78767" first="Camille" last="Jackson"], 5’11” Guard, Butler College Prep</strong> Jackson is one of the top prospects in the state, thanks in large part to her strong ball-handling and ability to take over a game. At nearly six feet tall, she’s one of the taller PG’s around, making it tough for players to match up with her physically. Camille is a plus shooter from deep, and her ability make plays in the lane is among the best around. <strong>2022 Alayna Kulesza, 5’10” Guard, Home School</strong> Alayna is a tall and lengthy Point Guard who uses quickness and ball skills to get by defenders. She has great awareness and court vision, which helps her constantly find open teammates, and can also knock down shots from deep. Defensively she can guard multiple positions with her length and athleticism. <strong>2023 Gabi Burgess, 5’7” Guard, Lake Park</strong> Burgess gained great experience as a Freshman, being one of the main ball-handlers on a Lake Park team that competed in the 4A State Tournament. She’s a speedy Point Guard with a high-IQ and brings a ton of energy to the floor on both ends. Offensively, Gabi has a good-looking jump shot and finishes well at the hoop when the opportunity presents itself. <strong>2022 McKenzie Schueler, 5’5” Guard, Kaneland</strong> McKenzie is a strong Point Guard with a very solid and consistent all-around game. She’s a strong-ball handler who sees the floor well and is always looking for an open teammate. She uses her quickness to get in the lane and is a skilled finisher at the rim, in addition to being an above-average shooter from deep. <strong>2021 Jayiona Cobbs, 5’9” Guard, Evanston</strong> Cobbs is a talented Point Guard with athleticism and good handles. She does a nice job pushing the ball in transition, always looking up the floor for open teammates. Jayiona can score the ball in several ways with a nice mid-range jumper and is a smooth finisher at the rim. <strong>2021 Jalyssa Carrasco, 5’5” Guard, West Aurora </strong> Carrasco is a quick and shifty ball-handler who is tough to stay in front of. She’s an excellent passer who makes tough passes look easy from all areas of the court. She can score the ball in the lane with a nice floater and knock down shots from three with plenty of range. Defensively she brings a lot of energy when guarding the ball makes ‘winning plays’ for her team. <strong>2021 Lauren McKnight, 5’3” Guard, Waubonsie Valley</strong> Lauren is a strong Point Guard who does a nice job driving through contact under control. She’s got a smooth lefty jump shot and can shoot the ball at a high rate from three. After she gets past her defender, she’s a good decision maker in the lane when looking to go up strong or dump the ball off to a teammate.