Lead Guard Prospects: Class of 2023
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Watching players organize an offense and making plays is what I enjoy about basketball. Players who know they can affect the next step of nine players on the floor, and know it, is a beautiful thing to see. I want…
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Continue ReadingWatching players organize an offense and making plays is what I enjoy about basketball. Players who know they can affect the next step of nine players on the floor, and know it, is a beautiful thing to see. I want to mention four juniors for their ability to run an offense. None of these players are in any particular order.
Bella Samz Bella Samz 5'9" | PG Arrowhead | 2023 State WI -5’9 G-Arrowhead: Samz can do anything you’d want a guard to do on the offensive end. The Arrowhead junior does an excellent job organizing an offense. Every Warhawk possession feels like it will end up with a good shot. Samz can poke and prod at defenses as long as she wants because there is no shot clock. With all that time, it’s no wonder that the Warhawks have been able to control the pace of most of the games they’ve played. Throughout the season, Samz has been incredibly consistent as a player. With the ball in her hands, Samz is one of the strongest players I’ve seen. It’s rare to see the Warhawk turn the ball over. Especially with the composure, Samz plays with, that likely would stay the case if teams wanted to press her.
Trinity Mocadlo Trinity Mocadlo 5'8" | PG Hortonville | 2023 State WI -5’8 G-Hortonville: Mocadlo is the biggest luxury any team has in the state. At 99% of schools in Wisconsin, Mocadlo would be an excellent starting guard. However, the junior comes off the bench at one of the most talented schools in the state. I’d go as far as to say Mocadlo is the best non-starting point guard by an extreme margin. The Polar Bear is very malleable and understands how to maximize her team’s potential on every possession. Things like filling spaces in transition, reading opposing offenses from across the floor and taking charges, and having the patience to let plays develop. I’d think that she ends up starting next season, and I’m curious to see how she handles a spike in playing time and responsibility.
Julia Kennedy Julia Kennedy 5'6" | PG South Milwaukee | 2023 State WI -5’6 G-South Milwaukee: What I enjoy about Kennedy is that she is always reading defenses. The Rocket has a lot of playmaking qualities, but she is usually off the ball in the halfcourt. When the junior shows her ability to turn nothing into something is usually in situations like presses or transition opportunities. Sticking Kennedy in the middle of a full-court press is effective. If the ball gets to Kennedy, she’ll usually have a three-on-two she can attack. In transition, Kennedy can get into her bag of tricks. For instance, a euro-step through traffic and a finish with her off-hand. Kennedy has next-level talent and shows flashes of it for the Rockets.
Laney Havlovitz Laney Havlovitz 5'5" | PG Wild Rose | 2023 State WI -5’3 G-Wild Rose: The Wild Rose junior is one of the biggest stat sheet stuffers in the state. There are nights when Havolovitz flirts with quadruple-doubles. There are some concerns about her overall shooting from the field, but her abilities everywhere else balance out those concerns for me. Although Havolovitz only stands at five-foot-three she pulls down 10 rebounds per game. That could be it, but she also has six assists and almost seven steals per game. Overall, the junior makes things happen in every possession. There is a typo on her stats page that says she took 180 shots in a game which I think should be 18. Assuming that’s the number, she would be shooting 45% from the field and not 23%. Even if she’s at 45%, that could be better, in my opinion. Regardless, you won’t find a player who makes more happen anywhere in Wisconsin.