2025 Guards on the Rise: Two-Way Upside

Clayton Conover

May 10, 2023 @ 06:52 AM

These guards all bring value from multiple areas of the floor, all of which have shown upside as two-way backcourt threats. For anyone to get a larger role, they gotta compete on the defensive end first and foremost, these guards all show potential within their roles.    [player_tooltip player_id='543064' first='Lauren' last='Perkins'] - Eaglecrest   Perkins is acutely aware of passing lanes on both ends, especially in the fullcourt settings. She does great reading the passing lanes while off the ball, keeping her head up ready to initiate offense following the turnover. At roughly 5'7, Perkins is an energetic rebounder, doing well in anticipating her positioning to secure a rebound alongside excellent timing to maximize her height. Within her role, Perkins made an impact across the board, posting 3.7 points, 3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. She will be a crucial contributor for Eaglecrest, who went 15-10 this season.     [player_tooltip player_id='374155' first='Olivia' last='Kan'] - Bear Creek    Kan brings a diverse skill set in the backcourt, impacting a wide variety of areas of the game. Capable of being a threat with or without the ball, Kan has shown improvements knocking down threes at a higher percentage and volume, progressing from 24% to 30% between her first two seasons. Kan shows playmaking vision in the halfcourt, hitting cutters with well timed passes. Defensively, she rotates as help very quickly, doing her part to instigate opposing shotmakers. Through her sophomore season with 13-11 Bear Creek, Kan has put up 12.3 points, 4 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.7 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game. Kan will be instrumental in facilitating the growth of this team going forward.   [player_tooltip player_id='361574' first='Keaton' last='Arangua-Egbert'] - Mullen   Arangua-Egbert is a steady playmaker who embraces the fundamentals, allowing her to be a constant positive for this group. The 5'8 lead guard plays at a controlled pace, rarely being sped up out of control by opposing defenders. She tends to seek out post entry's or corner passes to initiate the offense, although when needed Arangua-Egbert is perfectly capable of being a factor scoring the rock. Her defensive toughness is an area worth noting, seeking out box outs against the nearest opponent and inviting contact under the rim. Through her season with Mullen, the guard has put up 5.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.    [player_tooltip player_id='353319' first='Kylie' last='Bickford'] - Chatfield   Bickford provides value as a perimeter shooter while being an above average rebounder among backcourt positions. The 5'5 sophomore guard took the majority of her shots from the perimeter, 33 of her 54 field goal attempts coming from beyond the arc. Contributing 30% of those looks, she is in a good position to build upon her shooting gravity over the coming seasons. Arguably her most impactful asset comes on the glass, contributing 5 rebounds per game, largely on the defensive end. She does well anticipating the bounce, maneuvering around for positioning while the ball is still in the air. Chatfield is one of the younger programs, featuring six sophomores from this past season, bright future ahead.

These guards all bring value from multiple areas of the floor, all of which have shown upside as two-way backcourt threats. For anyone to get a larger role, they gotta compete on the defensive end first and foremost, these guards all show potential within their roles.