Class of 2023: High Ceiling Point Guards
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After looking back at the piece I wrote a few days ago on guards with high ceilings, I noticed everyone I mentioned was an off-ball guard. Today I wanted to highlight some of the lead guards who have an opportunity…
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Continue ReadingAfter looking back at the piece I wrote a few days ago on guards with high ceilings, I noticed everyone I mentioned was an off-ball guard. Today I wanted to highlight some of the lead guards who have an opportunity to pop the rest of their time in high school. The players mentioned are in no particular order.
City Figlinski City Figlinski 5'9" Appleton West | 2023 WI -5’6 PG-Appleton West
The Appleton West guard is one of the best guards in the FVA. What Figlinski has done this season has been nothing short of outstanding. She has led her team in rebounding and assists. The junior has been as efficient as anyone could hope, shooting 46% from the field and 42% from the 3-point line. Defensively, Figlinksi doesn’t take anything for granted. If she sees an opportunity to make a play 90-feet away from the basket, she’s going to try to make a play. Her all-around game is solid, and with one more summer with Wisconsin Blaze and one more season in the FVA, she’s set up well to make the best of her senior season.
Laney Havlovitz Laney Havlovitz 5'5" | PG Wild Rose | 2023 State WI -5’5 PG-Wild Rose
The Wild Rose guard has had an excellent junior season. The Wildcat has led her team in scoring (23.2), rebounding (7.8), and assists (5.4). With the number of shots she takes as a Wildcat, she can play heavy minutes at any level. For shorter guards, it’s easy to be skipped over for kids with an ideal size, but if teams skip over Havlovitz, they’d be missing out. If Havlovitz continues on this path, she could have an incredible senior season.
Trinity Mocadlo Trinity Mocadlo 5'8" | PG Hortonville | 2023 State WI -5’8 PG-Hortonville
When Mocadlo steps on the floor for Hortonville, she lines up against kids who can’t match her energy. Part of that is she’s coming into games against kids trying to keep up with the Polar Bears, and the rest is a fresh Mocadlo is better than most teams’ tired starters. I believe that Mocadlo would only come off the bench for one team in this state, and she’s on it. That said, Mocadlo is the last person you want to see when you’re tired. If you’re an opposing guard, when Mocadlo comes into the game, you will get no space, she will sprint past you up and down the floor, and she can run you around screens and create easy looks. When the Polar Bear gets an opportunity to start at Hortonville, she’s going to run with that opportunity, literally and figuratively.
Julia Kennedy Julia Kennedy 5'6" | PG South Milwaukee | 2023 State WI -5’6 PG-South Milwaukee
South Milwaukee is a senior latent team, so she’s in a similar position as Mocadlo, coming off the bench. Kennedy is a player who excels in an uptempo game. When she started earlier in the year, she did a good job playing bigger than she is against Menomonie. The Rocket also showed her ability to put the ball on the floor and attack the basket. Kennedy has a little floater game to pair with her threat to get to the basket, keeping bigger kids guessing. There’s a good chance that Kennedy would start on a large portion of teams in the state, she’s been unlucky with the circumstances she has, but she will make the most of her opportunity next season. After a summer with Playground Club, I wouldn’t be surprised if she starts her senior season impressing people.