2025 Preview: NoCo Guards Under the Radar

Clayton Conover

October 13, 2023 @ 03:27 PM

These guards provide excellent anticipation of the defensive side of the floor, proactive every possession. Their continued growth as offensive facilitators will be interesting, all of which entering seasons following departures of their former lead ball handlers.    [player_tooltip player_id='374185' first='Kavi' last='Voglund'] - Poudre   Voglund is an impactful defender on or off the ball, bringing plenty of hustle on that end. Effective anticipating passing lanes, she keeps active hands to immediately deflect such passing lanes. The guard has done a great job of diving for loose balls and hustling for rebounds if necessary, bringing a high motor at all times. Active at pushing the pace in transition from those opportunities, Voglund brings consistent value in a fast paced setting. With her fearless attitude attacking the rim, she does a great job creating scoring opportunities from a rotating defense. Her continued growth in efficiency on perimeter shot attempts will be intriguing, certainly impacting her offensive upside down the line. Voglund previously averaged 10.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2 assists per game.    [player_tooltip player_id='689205' first='Darby' last='Haley'] - Mead   Haley is an intriguing combo guard who brings an efficient skillset, capable of higher usage this season. Capable of attacking opponents off the bounce, the guard shows value getting to behind the back moves to free up driving lanes. She has no trouble scoring in a contest and creating an opening through tight spaces. Her shooting ability off the catch has additional room for growth, possessing an especially quick release off the catch, there is room for higher volume. Continuing to add value through her shotmaking off the dribble will be an area worth monitoring, given the high floor of her offensive abilities. Defensively, the guard is attentive to the next pass, active getting in the lane to deflect it. Through her previous season with Mead, Haley posted 9.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 2 steals per game.    [player_tooltip player_id='353208' first='Molly' last='Sporleder'] - Severance   An impactful perimeter defender at all times, Sporleder looks to reaffirm her positive impact with Severance. She is early to trap ball handlers, most often along the deep wings and corners. Certainly proactive on the defensive end, there is a lot to like about the junior guard's skill set. They look to bring value as a complementary shotmaker, active on the break and as a cutter when available. Sporleder returns following 5.4 points, 3 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game.   [player_tooltip player_id='353327' first='Kaylee' last='Padilla'] - Berthoud   Padilla will bring immediate value onto the offensive end, effectively making reads to cutting teammates or facilitating the general flow of offense. Capable handling the ball and setting up the halfcourt offense, Padilla will be set to take on a larger role with the ball. Showing willingness as a scoring threat, the guard has potential to attract plenty of gravity along the perimeter next season. Through her sophomore season with Berthoud, the guard previously put up 5.9 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. Following the departure of multiple key seniors, Padilla and fellow 2026 guard, Avery Pfohl, will be set up for ample opportunity this season.   [player_tooltip player_id='366412' first='Briza' last='Flores'] - Highland   Flores is a talented shotmaker out beyond the arc, capable of knocking down movement threes consistently. The junior guard showed signs of taking on a larger role this season, both as a shot taker and ballhandler. She will be a notable lead guard to watch this season, following 13.3 points, 3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game.

These guards provide excellent anticipation of the defensive side of the floor, proactive every possession. Their continued growth as offensive facilitators will be interesting, all of which entering seasons following departures of their former lead ball handlers.