Class of 2022: Top Shooting Guards to Watch

With the AAU season a couple of days away, here is a look at a few of our top shooting guards in the Class of 2022, who will be playing in their final season. These kids below highlight why they are high level prospects out on the wing.   1. [player_tooltip player_id="129002" first="Aree" last="Beckmann"], 5’8, SG, Xavier, 2022--Aree is a talented, spark plug shooting guard that should be surely getting tons of attention this 2021 AAU season as she plays her final season with the elite Lady Martin Brothers team. This junior, senior to be, can flat out shoot the basketball. She can drain it from every spot on the floor, has a quick release, pure stroke, and has the ability of making them with a hand in her face. She can also stop on a dime and shoot pull-up jumpers with ease. Aree is also a tremendous ball handler, and can get to the rim. She can finish with both her right and left hand, and has the athleticism to finish some tricky drives. She displays the ability to play the transition and open court game unbelievably, and has very good court sense and awareness. She is also a great passer in both transition and half court, and makes some good post entry passes that are right on target. Her effort and tenacity on the defensive end is very evident, and it’s very clear that she plays both sides of the floor with the same passion and energy. With her athletic ability, she can get into passing lanes and get many steals that lead into fastbreaks. A little extra size at 5’8 will make her a versatile guard, and she has the ability to be a very good point guard as well. Her enthusiasm, motivation, and upbeat attitude is very obvious while she plays, and it’s very clear she’s a great teammate. This Xavier HS player has put up some good numbers in her first three seasons on the varsity team, specifically last year, her sophomore year with 12 PPG, 5 RPG, 2 APG, while also shooting 87% from the free throw line. This recent shortened season, she averaged 7 PPG and 4 RPG. A remarkable player for college coaches to watch as we head into the season starting here this April.   2. [player_tooltip player_id="63577" first="Meredith" last="Rieker"], 5’10, SG, WDM Valley, 2022--Meredith is a high level, steady shooting guard that should be on a close watch list this 2021 AAU season as she plays her final season with the elite All Iowa Attack team. This junior sharpshoter plays very calm and relaxed, but with a sense of urgency and desire on both the offensive and defensive end. She can shoot the 3 ball incredibly, and can fire them up consecutively in a hurry. Her stroke is pure, is a quick release, and she has range on her shot. She is an adept ball handler, and can utlize her handle to drive to the basket and finish with both her right and left hand. Meredith displays the ability to be an excellent defensive player as well. She has good athleticism and length, so it’s not difficult for her to get hands on passes and get a lot of steals, while also racking up the boards. With just a quick google search of Meredith, she has drawn the attention of many scouting services and has been a top, standout player in many games at tournaments throughout the past couple of years. Her height frame at 5’10 makes her a lethal weapon out on the wing. It’s very evident that she has a tremendous upside, and is going to get better as the years go on. This WDM Valley player put up some good numbers this high school season on a shortened season with a little under 14 PPG, 5 RPG, and 2 SPG. An exceptional player for college coaches to watch as we head into the season starting here this April.   3. [player_tooltip player_id="129006" first="Macy" last="Sievers"], 5’7, SG, Newell-Fonda, 2022--Macy is a natural, energized shooting guard that will surely be standing out this 2021 AAU season as she plays her final season with the elite Play4Him Academy team. There is no question, this girl has a true love for the game. It’s very evident while watching her play in just a couple of minutes. When you watch her team play, you will see her all over the court, making herself a presence every possession of every minute on the clock. This junior electric guard can shoot the 3 ball, and has a nice stroke. She displays the ability to have a good mid-range game as well, and can stop on a dime and pull up for shots in the lane. She has good ball handling skills, and can get to the rim and finish with both her right and left hand. Macy is a very unselfish player, and is always looking to make her teammates better with great passes. She has tremendous vision, and has the knack to make good passes to her teammates by penetrating and drawing defenders to her. She has some length, despite only being 5’7, and can create havoc for opposing teams by getting a lot of buckets off of steals and utilizing her athleticism on the defensive end. Her small height frame doesn’t stop her from getting a lot of rebounds and playing like a big. Her leadership skills and upbeat attitude is very obvious, and she shows all of the intangibles to be an excellent overall player. Her first quick step is very dangerous, and can allow her to be a tremendous offensive threat, as well as on the defensive end as she goes throughout her career. This Newell-Fonda HS player put up some good numbers this season with 13 PPG, 4 RPG, 5 APG, and 4 SPG. A marvelous player for college coaches to watch as we head into the season starting here this April.   4. [player_tooltip player_id="129017" first="Anna" last="Gossling"], 5’5, SG, Johnston, 2022--Anna is a highly skilled, poised shooting guard that will be opening many people’s eyes this 2021 AAU season as she plays her final season with the elite All Iowa Attack team. This junior, senior to be, even keeled sharpshooter can shoot the 3 ball with total consistency. She has a great shot, and can rack up the 3 pointers quickly. A good ball handler, she can break down defenders, penetrate in the lane, and dish the ball out to teammates for open shots. She can finish in traffic, and can get to the rim while finishing with both her right and left hand. Anna has a lot of natural athleticism, and she displays the ability to get into passing lanes easily and get many steals. She’s very good in the transition and open court game as well. She lacks some height at 5’5, but makes up for it with talent and passion. Because she is such a good outside shooter, she would be better suited on the wing; however, she also could move over to the point guard position, as she has good point guard skills. With a state championship under her belt, she is a proven winner and competitor. Anna plays in a very tough and stacked 5A class, and has been very successful while playing on the varsity team. This Johnston HS player put up some good numbers this season with 8 PPG, 2 RPG, 2 APG, while also shooting 87% from the free throw line. A tremendous player with a lot of potential for college coaches to watch as we head into the season starting here this April.   5. [player_tooltip player_id="129011" first="Alexis" last="Beier"], 5’8, SG, Xavier, 2022--Alexis is a natural, talented shooting guard that will be a breakout player this 2021 AAU season as she plays her final season with the elite Team Iowa team. This junior is an athletic, aggressive, and bigger guard that has a nice wing span. She can shoot the 3 ball, and has a great stroke. What makes her such an efficient offensive player is that she can score in a variety of ways. Alexis displays the ability to take her defender off the bounce by finishing at the rim with both her right and left hand, can draw many fouls, can utilize several moves in the lane, and can also shoot the jumper off the dribble. She’s a good passer, and has great vision. She is an effective defender, and can get a lot of steals and rebounds. Her passion for the game is very evident as well. She spent her first two seasons of high school at Linn-Mar HS, and then recently transferred over to Xavier HS, where she had a good season this 2020-2021 campaign. She averaged 9 PPG and 2 RPG. A terrific player for coaches to watch as we head into the season starting here this April.