A Look at Recently Seen Guards

This past week I got in the gym to enjoy a pair of games that, this deep in the season, would have some meaning for post-season play and that I knew would be competitive. I was able to watch some familiar players, familiar names, and discover new players that are now on my radar and will appear in future rankings. [caption id="attachment_255338" align="alignleft" width="150"]<img class="wp-image-255338" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/02/Emma-Bezdek-2022-Kapaun-Mt.-Carmel-2.12.21-298x300.jpg" alt="Kapaun Mt. Carmel 2022 Emma Bezdek working hard defending the ball." width="150" height="151" /> Kapaun Mt. Carmel 2022 Emma Bezdek. Photo: Robert Kelly.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_255344" align="alignright" width="150"]<img class="wp-image-255344" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/02/Asia-Dawson-2022-Wichita-East-2.12.21-286x300.jpg" alt="Wichita East’s [player_tooltip player_id=" width="150" height="157" /> Wichita East 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="124980" first="Asia" last="Dawson"]. Photo: Robert Kelly.[/caption]Emma Bezdek, CG, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, 2022 - Bezdek is a swift, quick guard who is very sticky defensively on the perimeter. She is fast and also is a very good full court defender. Definitely someone I look forward to seeing more of in the future. [player_tooltip player_id="124980" first="Asia" last="Dawson"], 5’7", PG/SG, Wichita East, 2022 - Dawson rang the register for 19 points against Kapaun Mt. Carmel and did so from three, off the bounce, in transition, and off mid-range jumpers. She elevates well on perimeter shots, finishes athletically on both sides of the basket at speed with either hand, and is fast with the ball. Dawson is also heady and has the strength and accuracy to make the cross-court, down-the-floor pass for a layin. Defensively she is quick afoot and with her hands. [player_tooltip player_id="191199" first="Aubree" last="Dawson"], 5’6", PG/SG, Wichita East, 2022 - There are nights when Aubree fills up the basket rather than her sister but what really makes her tick is her enjoyment of the challenge of defending opposing point guards. Her IQ, quick hands and feet, and toughness forces point guards to pay attention to her constantly or face trying to run her down. She is fast with the ball, heady in transition, and finishes at speed with both hands on both sides of the basket. She scores at all three levels. [caption id="attachment_255333" align="alignleft" width="150"]<img class="wp-image-255333" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/02/Aubree-Dawson-2021-Wichita-East-2.12.21-275x300.jpg" alt="Wichita East 2021 [player_tooltip player_id=" width="150" height="164" /> Wichita East 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="191199" first="Aubree" last="Dawson"]. Photo: Robert Kelly.[/caption][player_tooltip player_id="156319" first="Sophia" last="Gimino"], 5’4", 2023, PG, Kapaun Mt. Carmel - This was my first time seeing Gimino play since the summer and, Wichita East’s guard strength on both ends of the floor, she showed up in spades. There is no doubt she the floor leader and the real deal. Gimino is a strong ball handler with terrific speed and quickness, has good hands, and is a athletic and creative scorer from anywhere on the floor. She is consistent and competitive, making her as a who a very difficult player to defend. That same fire and quickness also makes her very difficult to get by defensively. [caption id="attachment_255349" align="alignright" width="150"]<img class="wp-image-255349 " src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/02/Jorah-Harbaugh-2023-Pretty-Prairie_1-288x300.jpg" alt="Pretty Prairie 2022 [player_tooltip player_id=" width="150" height="156" /> Pretty Prairie 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="191219" first="Jorah" last="Harbaugh"]. Photo: Robert Kelly.[/caption][player_tooltip player_id="191219" first="Jorah" last="Harbaugh"], 5’4", PG, Pretty Prairie - Both games I have seen Harbaugh play this year finds her being the best guard on the floor. She has great hand speed and ability to work over opposing point guards in the back court defensively. She has strong handles, has a high IQ, and has strong court vision. Harbaugh also makes solid entry passes, is fast with the ball, and exploits passing lanes on defense. While they eventually lost a close game, against Central Christian she absolutely destroyed their point guard to start the game and gave the Bulldogs and early 10-0 lead that could have easily been 14 if not for a pair of questionable calls. [caption id="attachment_255346" align="alignleft" width="150"]<img class="wp-image-255346 " src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/02/Trinity-Kruse-2023-Pretty-Prairie_2-300x300.jpg" alt="Pretty Prairie 2023 Trinity Kruse looks to pass the ball out against Central Christian." width="150" height="150" /> Pretty Prairie 2023 Trinity Kruse. Photo: Robert Kelly.[/caption] Trinity Kruse, 5’4", PG, Pretty Prairie, 2023 - Kruse has grown into being an essential part of the varsity rotation after having started the season playing a substantial amount of jayvee. She has good handles that will only get better with time. She has quick hands on both ends of the floor and can finish with contact. Kruse needs to improve shooting percentage from the line to turn more scores into three point plays. [caption id="attachment_255341" align="alignright" width="150"]<img class="wp-image-255341" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/02/Denae-McElrath-2022-Wichita-East-2.12.21-167x300.jpg" alt="Wichita East 2022 [player_tooltip player_id=" width="150" height="269" /> Wichita East 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="223391" first="Denae" last="McElrath"]. Photo: Robert Kelly.[/caption][player_tooltip player_id="223391" first="Denae" last="McElrath"], 5’7", CG, Wichita East, 2022 - While she needs improvement in the boxing out category McElrath is a very good weakside rebounder due to her ability to anticipate shots. She is also strong and the first player to get on the floor for loose balls. McElrath has good transition speed. She needs to show her ability to hit mid-range and perimeter jumpers. [caption id="attachment_255086" align="alignleft" width="150"]<img class="wp-image-255086" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/02/Kaelin-Quigley-2022-Kapaun-Mt.-Carmel-2.12.21-221x300.jpg" alt="Kapaun Mt. Carmel 2022 SG buries a three." width="150" height="204" /> Kapaun Mt. Carmel 2022 Kaelin Quigley. Photo: Robert Kelly.[/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="156318" first="Kaylee" last="Kauffman"], 5'5", PG, Central Christian, 2023 - Gritty, resilient ball handler who did not quit when she struggled full court with the ball nor when she was being double-teamed to keep her from getting the ball. A terrific three point and free throw shooter, those abilities in the end led the Cougars to a come back win over Pretty Prairie. Kaelin Quigley, SG, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, 2022 - Quigley is a very strong perimeter shooter. She has good speed with the ball and handles well. She also excels at moving into space and elevating on jumpers. Quigley cannot be left alone. Defensively quick, she needs to improve at keeping in contact with who she is guarding when a shot goes up. Lizzie Roemer, 5’10", W/SF, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, 2024 - Roemer is a player to watch in the coming year. She gets a lot of air under and elevates well on her perimeter shots. One three she made was with a hand in her face and it was all net. Roemer has good speed, handles well, and can get into the lane off the bounce. She also has the quickness to defend on the perimeter. [caption id="attachment_255329" align="alignleft" width="150"]<img class="wp-image-255329" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/02/Isis-Sanders-2022-Wichita-East-2.12.21-217x300.jpg" alt="Wichita East 2022 [player_tooltip player_id=" width="150" height="207" /> Wichita East 2022 [player_tooltip player_id="125011" first="Isis" last="Sanders"]. Photo: Robert Kelly.[/caption][player_tooltip player_id="125011" first="Isis" last="Sanders"], 5’8", W, Wichita East - I have seen Sanders play a substantial amount over the past 18 months or so and she continues to improve her already strong game. She always has been a tough-minded, fierce scorer. Racking up 19 points against Kapaun Mt. Carmel as well, she really hurt the Crusaders due to being able to score around the basket and drawing contact. She converted her share of old fashioned three point plays due to her prowess from the line. A great defensive moment was a transition knock down in the lane when her technique perfectly deflected an entry pass despite her not knowing where the ball was. Great instincts there. Featured image: Kapaun Mt. Carmel’s 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="156319" first="Sophia" last="Gimino"],with ball, finishes in transition while teammate [player_tooltip player_id="123557" first="Jennifer" last="Jacobs"] and Wichita East’s [player_tooltip player_id="125011" first="Isis" last="Sanders"], 24, Jalyiah Manual, 3, and [player_tooltip player_id="223391" first="Denae" last="McElrath"], 2, trail. Photo: Robert Kelly.