On the Cusp: Players Vying for Top G/W/F Lists

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Check out a number of players who were right on the cusp of breaking into the 802's "Top of the First Half" lists. Tap in!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Peyton Guay, 5'9 G - West Rutland High School Class of 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A debate could be had that Guay got snubbed on the "Top Guards in the First Half of the Season" list. Surely, it can't be denied that Peyton has been a powerhouse all season. She's put up 30 pieces and broke her own scoring record with 41 this year, all as a sophomore. Guay is a heady, two-way player with all the tools. She scores inside and out. She's a defensive mastermind, constantly causing trouble in passing lanes and on the ball. Moreover, she's a savvy rebounder with coast-to-coast ability. All in all, Peyton is a playmaker and a winner. Guay should be on your radar.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ryleigh Garrow, 5'8 G - Colchester High School Class of 2023</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Night in and night out, you know exactly what you'll get from Ryleigh. She's tough as nails, has a high motor, and two-way game. Garrow defends 1-2 with agile footwork as she gets into ballhandlers with her length and slips around screens. On the offensive end she's a relentless slasher. Garrow explodes into the second layer with a quick first step and elevates while absorbing contact, often finishing through the defense and getting to the line. Moreover, she knows how to control the tempo of the game and get others involved. Garrow is a gamer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Maya Auger, 5'8 G - North Country Union High School Class of 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Maya started the season ablaze and has since cooled down a bit, likely because there are two other premier players/scorers on this selfless, undefeated NCU squad. Regardless, Auger is an absolute bucket, especially from 3-range. Yet when she gets to the hoop, she has a nice two-foot floater package and makes smart passes under a collapsing defense. Defensively she guards the 1 or the 2, slides into help position well, and has nice anticipation on the boards. I'm interested to see Maya's second half of the season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='496193' first='Sophia' last='Rockwood'], 5'6 G - Windsor High School Class of 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Windsor, right along the VT/NH border, is a born and bred basketball town, and Rockwood is one of their best up and coming guards. Sophia has really come into her own this year., posting multiple double-doubles with points and boards. Plus, she's a dimer and can get in the passing lanes for steals and open court finishes. Rockwood, a natural 2 with the smarts of a PG, is an agile two-way player who's steadily becoming a three-level threat. Sophia has a high motor, understands the game, and leaves it all on the floor. Love her style.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='576153' first='Alexa' last='Rabidoux'], 5'7 G - Essex High School Class of 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lexi is the type to do anything to help her team. She's a gritty defender who relishes tough matchups, plus she's constantly in the mix for 50/50 balls and rebounds. Yet over the last few weeks, she's showcased her offensive arsenal. Rabidoux is a crafty finisher within 15-feet and has shown consistency from three-point range as of late. Rabidoux is smart with the ball in her hands and has shown to be a reliable 1 or 2 on both sides of the ball. She's coachable and can play in any system, but thrives in an up-tempo, pressing environment. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='427051' first='Shelby' last='Wells'], 5'9 G/W - Peoples Academy Class of 2023</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wells has proved crucial to PA's 10-4 start to the season. Shelby is an adept facilitator, able to get everyone on the floor involved in the offense. She herself is a smart off-ball player with a knack for slipping into open space for jumpers or easy twos around the rim. Defensively she guards 2-3, has good positioning on and off the ball, and rebounds well from the perimeter. In addition, she's quick to call outlet and can make plays in the open court. Shelby's smarts, intuition, and skill combine to make her one of the craftiest guards in D3. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->