2024 Frosh/Soph #E75 - The Guards pt. 4

Monday, September 23rd, 2024

Before we move on the big announcement of the Elite 75 list following Frosh/Soph, here are a few more guards spread out between the North and South editions that caught our eye.

Ryan Azzun, Belmont Hill - Incoming Belmont Hill freshman Ryan Azzun has intirguing upside at the guard spot. He's physically mature for his age with a strong frame to complement his guard skills. He's got a shifty handle, seeks out opportunities to drive to the rim, and finishes in a variety of ways.

Connor Conneely, East Catholic - A rising sophomore at East Catholic, Conneely was able to get the shots he wanted around the rim at the showcase. He finished relentlessly in the paint using his quick first step and seeking out contact on drives.

TJ Ceasar, Suffield - Entering his freshman year at Suffield High School, TJ Ceasar caught our eye. He's a heady point guard who sees the floor very well and gets other involved. His shooting stood out on catch-and-shoot opportunities and his basketball IQ is impressive.

Jaydan Diaz, Sandwich - The Cape Cod native showed promising shooting potential in the MIAA class of 2027. He was able to convert on a ton of corner three's, and did so especially well off the catch. Keep an eye his offensive growth this season down in Sandwich.

George Demeter, Brimmer & May - Returning to Frosh/Soph for a second year, Brimmer and May's George Demeter showed off his shooting skills from outside. Throughout the night Demeter made a number of three's, and did a good job of getting into the lane to finish shots around the rim.

Josh Lavoie, Norwich Free Academy - The NFA guard has a sound all-around game that he brings to the court. He plays with a running motor, competing on both ends of the court. He's a pass-first point guard with great feel for the game and can get a bucket when needed, excelling on drives through the paint. As he continues to improve as a shooter, he is a prospect to monitor.

Taylor Jordan, New Haven Academy - New Haven native Taylor Jordan's two-way play the guard spot caught our eye at the Elite 75. His defensive motor is noticeable as he brings contagious energy to the court. On the offensive end his shooting stood out as he was able to convert on a number of three-pointers.

Ezra Cutler, Gann Aacademy - The Gann Academy sophomore showed off his polished scoring skillset. He is a great shooter in rhythm, and can hunt the shots he wants off the dribble. His finishing stood out as he was able to get the looks he wanted at the basket and made them in a variety of different ways.

King Tiah, Wheeler - Rhode Island's King Tiah brings high energy play to the court. He has a running motor and is willing to get down and dirty for the chance to win. He made some three's while set in his stance and has good vision to find others for the shots they want.

Cole Callahan, Worcester Academy - The Worcester Academy rising sophomore put his guard skills on display throughout the showcase. He made three's at-will, hitting them noticeably well off the dribble. He has a quick load up to his shot, a clean release on the ball, and speed to get downhill and score on closing out defenders.

Liam MacPhee, Stoneham - MacPhee's passing vision caught our eye as excelled specifically well in jumpstarting transition opportunities. MacPhee plays with his head up, seeing the floor and knowing when to make a pass to a cutting teammate.

Matthew Benson, Hopkinton - Returning to the Elite 75 after standing out in the Junior event in March, Benson was able to make shots in the paint in bunches. The guard has good body control, knowing how to adjust to manuever around defenders, and has amdidextrous finishing touch.

Vincent Maresca, Greenwich Country Day School - The GCDS guard has some handling ability to his game, using it well to make his way around the floor and keep defenders off balance. His shooting skills from outside are noticeable however as he has a fluid shot and hits them from all around the arc.

Hayden Krause, St. Mark’s School - Krause has a smooth touch from outside and is able to get into his shot pretty quickly. His nose for the ball stands out as he crashes the boards, corralling boards, and can force turnovers off deflections using his good timing.

Jacob Lofstrom, Silver Lake - The rising freshman brings some potential to the guard spot as a southpaw. He's got some size at 6'2", gets others involved with his passing and shows promise as a finisher in the paint.

Nathan Bauco, Cheshire - The Cheshire High School guard's shooting touch on spot up jumpers caught our eye at the Elite 75. His competitive motor stood out and we look forward to seeing his progress over the coming few years.