Week 9 Scouting Report: Standout Guards

I made it out to two Week 9 games. The Denton Braswell Bengals earned a 47-35 road victory over the McKinney Lions on Tuesday, and the Lake Highlands Wildcats hosted and defeat the JJ Pearce Mustangs 51-36 on Friday. There were several individuals who caught my attention during these matchups. With that in mind, here are seven standout guard prospects from this past week’s action: <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="202477" first="Jazmyne" last="Jackson"] | 2022 | 5’7’’ Combo Guard | Denton Braswell HS</strong> - I loved seeing Jackson’s constant activity at both ends. She was always looking to make something happen for her team, whether it be with her scoring, passing, or defense. The Grambling State commit displays so much control over the game. The mechanics on her jump shot are excellent and she is consistent when shooting from the catch or off the dribble from deep. On defense, she was outstanding when it came to getting deflections and steals. She ended the night with 17 points, three assists, and seven steals. Her combination of motor and skill will allow her to make an instant impact at the next level. <strong>Adaugo Okpala | 2023 | 5’10’’ Shooting Guard | McKinney HS</strong> - Okpala is a downhill slashing guard. Her speed in the open court immediately caught my eye. She plays with a lot of energy and covers a lot of ground with her long strides. The McKinney junior was great at attacking the basket off the dribble and utilized some crafty Euro step moves to get to the hoop. Additionally, she is a solid rebounder at the guard spot who is capable of going coast-too-coast after pulling down a board. Okpala finished the game with 11 points and six rebounds. <strong>Hailey Hawthorne | 2023 | 5’9’’ Point Guard | JJ Pearce HS</strong> - Hawthorne possesses a long and wiry frame, allowing her to defend numerous positions. That length really helps her out when matching up with bigs and wings, which she did successfully throughout the contest. She also rebounds well at the defensive end. Beyond that, the junior guard showed that she can finish at the rim with a body on her, exploiting favorable angles to get her shots off vs. size. <strong>Lizzy Kellam | 2024 | 5’7’’ Combo Guard | Lake Highlands HS</strong> - Kellam is a dynamic scoring guard. In a game where Lake Highlands and JJ Pearce were tied entering the fourth quarter, she led her team on a 13-0 run to take control of the contest, ultimately accounting for <a href="https://x.com/lizzykellam/status/1479879415827996673">29 points and seven rebounds</a>. She has that special combination of ball handling and shot making off the dribble that few possess. The sophomore combo guard is so good at creating space for herself on the perimeter and is confident shooting step-back and side-step threes. Kellam finishes well at the basket too, using the excellent cross over moves in her arsenal to get around defenders and into the paint. She would be my pick for player of the week. <strong>Journey Taylor | 2024 | 5’5’’ Point Guard | Denton Braswell HS</strong> - Taylor made a ton of plays on defense vs. McKinney on Tuesday. The sophomore guard displayed that she understands when to help out or trap opposing players, as well as knowing when to gamble and get into passing lanes for steals. Most of her offensive production came in transition as a result of her stellar perimeter defense. In addition, Taylor has twitchy quickness and was able to change directions without sacrificing speed, both when handling the ball and when playing away from it. <strong>Aaliyah Taylor | 2025 | 5’3’’ Point Guard | Lake Highlands HS</strong> - Taylor is another underclassmen guard from Lake Highlands who showcased the ability to consistently create her own shot. She has an affinity for the mid-range game and likes to shoot it off the bounce. The freshman guard’s best attribute is probably her ball handling. She was excellent when it came to breaking down defenders and getting them off balance. Her body control also stood out, as well as her smoothness and agility when attacking off the dribble. This is a 2025 prospect to be on the lookout for moving forward. <strong>Kennedy Walters | 2025 | 5’5’’ Point Guard | JJ Pearce HS</strong> - Walters started the game and operated as a pass-first point guard for the Mustangs on Friday. She is the epitome of an unselfish teammate, continuously keeping the ball moving on offense. She threaded the needle for beautiful assists on multiple occasions, displaying good vision and decision making. Furthermore, the freshman floor general took care of the basketball, rarely forcing bad passes or committing turnovers. Furthermore, she is a solid perimeter defender who did a nice job of keeping opponents in front of her. This is another 2025 prospect with a mature style of play to keep an eye on.