Updated 2024 Top 5 Shooting Guards

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>New Jersey has some of the best depth of any state when it comes to high school talent, and the proof is in the pudding at the college level and beyond. The Class of 2024 is the next class up to prepare for the next level, and with that, Prep Girls Hoops New Jersey has released an updated rankings list for this senior class. Here's a look at the top five 2024 shooting guards in the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">No. 1: [player_tooltip player_id='325201' first='Mikayla' last='Blakes'] - Rutgers Prep (No. 1 overall)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>To the victor goes the spoils, and Blakes as the No. 1 overall prospect in our updated rankings, is also our No. 1 shooting guard. Both these rankings are incredibly well-deserved for the future Power 5 star, someone who has been looking plenty at schools across the nation as her senior year gets closer to beginning. When you look at complete players, Blakes is as complete as it gets, a fantastic all-around guard who can shoot as well as anyone, commands the game like a point guard, and is a game-changing piece for the Argos.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">No. 2: [player_tooltip player_id='325192' first='Devyn' last='Quigley'] - Manchester Township (No. 3 overall)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While Quigley slots into our list as a top-3 prospect, her highest ranking to date, and a top-2 shooting guard in the 2024 class, she's easily the best pure scorer we've seen in New Jersey in quite some time. All you need to back that up is to look at what she was able to accomplish as a junior: double-double averages with an insane 34.9 points per game and a career high 63 made threes in 28 games. That's nearly 1000 points scored in less than 30 games played. NC State is getting an absolute stud in her next season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">No. 3: [player_tooltip player_id='491718' first='Morgan' last='Matthews'] - Pennington School (No. 7 overall)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The newest signee with George Washington, Matthews has done a fantastic job of making herself known in the greater New Jersey basketball community while playing for an independent private school. Her recipe for success has been a rather easy one, score 22.4 points a game as a junior and average essentially 20 points a game over the past two seasons overall. That level of scoring has been found amongst a select few in New Jersey, and she's gotten the college notoriety she's so rightfully deserved as a result.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">No. 4: [player_tooltip player_id='325218' first='Julianna' last='Almeida'] - Saddle River Day (No. 10 overall)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the biggest things that we like to focus on when it comes to players is growth because those that grow and develop their game are the future superstars in the making. Almeida is that kind of player, and it shows in her AAU tape and in her high school tape and stats. She's an incredibly impressive talent, someone who's a dual-threat, both a great offensive piece but an equally effective defensive player. Her junior year showed to us that she took that next step, and she's benefitted greatly from it.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">No. 5: [player_tooltip player_id='325189' first='Cristina' last='Parrella'] - Saddle River Day (No. 13 overall)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rounding out the top five shooting guards in the senior class in New Jersey is a teammate of Almeida, part of a two-headed monster that will keep Saddle River Day as one of the most feared teams in the state. Parrella began her junior season in mid-January, but what a tear she went on over her 16 games played, averaging 16.2/3.2/3.3 with around 1.5 steals a game and nearly two threes a game. She holds her own with the best of them, but a full season with her at SRD is going to be a PROBLEM for opponents.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->