Grandview/Arapahoe Fall League: Week 1 Standout Guards

After a long break it was so great to be back in the gym watching live high school basketball. The Grandview/Arapahoe Fall League boasts some of the top teams in the state & Monday nights' 3 contests at Arapahoe High School were no exception. These standout guards all stuck out as extremely talented, but also were intricate parts of their respective teams. Please note this evaluation was only for the games at Arapahoe, even though there were also week 1 games going on at Grandview High School.    Brooke is coming off a tremendously successful summer with her club team, [program_tooltip program_id='732418' first='GRIT' last=''] - Evidenced by her 3 recent offers from McMurry University, Lawrence University, and Grand View University. In fall league game #1 vs Cherokee Trail Brooke showed off her ability to handle and facilitate, but in game #2 against Arapahoe she flashed her quick strike scoring ability as well. The step back 3 is smooth and at 5'10 Harding isn't afraid to attack and finish at the rim either. Brooke is a complete player with a big upside.     Talia came right out of the gates with fire, dropping in a tough 3 on the games opening possession. However, Strode is so much more than a shooter - She is a confident ball handler that always has her eyes down the court. Pitching the ball immediately in transition is a skill and it was beautiful to watch dime after dime. Talia's quickness and IQ allow her to completely control the game whether in the half-court or in transition. Couple all that with her lock-down pressure defense and she is the real deal.     It didn't take long to recognize that Alexis is a special talent. Under control, patient, and crafty are the words I would use to describe her first half performance. Then, the second half began and after converting on her 3rd three pointer in the first 5 minutes I realized there is even more to like. She finished with 17 points on an array of 3's and nifty left hand finishes, but also dished out plenty of assists when early help started arriving quicker when penetrating. Keep this young and talented guard on your radar.     [player_tooltip player_id='327662' first='Delainey' last='Miller'] is a pure scorer, most everyone knows that - But there is so much more to her game than shooting the basketball. After collecting her 6th assist of the night on a fast break behind the back dime, Delainey could only smile as she ran back on defense. Her ability to score or pass at a high rate in the mid-range area is fun to watch. If the defense gets lazy she will attack, and when they are in good position she patiently waits for a secondary cutter and hits them in stride with the precision of a surgeon. It's obvious Delainey's awesome experience making it to the EYBL Championship at the Nike TOC in Chicago went a long way for this already stellar player. Big senior year is coming for sure.     Ellie was a steady force at point guard, scoring 11 points and delivering a flurry of great passes offensively. It's easy to see why she was the assist leader in 2024 for the State Final 4, D'Evelyn Jaguars. A strong driver, Ellie also excelled at finishing her penetration with a stride stop and subsequently pivoted into both passing and scoring opportunities. McMann is also a scrappy defender that turned several steals into fast break buckets. She is a true competitor that really plays like a senior, never too high or low.

After a long break it was so great to be back in the gym watching live high school basketball. The Grandview/Arapahoe Fall League boasts some of the top teams in the state & Monday nights' 3 contests at Arapahoe High School were no exception. These standout guards all stuck out as extremely talented, but also were intricate parts of their respective teams. Please note this evaluation was only for the games at Arapahoe, even though there were also week 1 games going on at Grandview High School.