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TOP JUNIOR GUARDS APLENTY

By Brick Oettinger
Brick@prepstars.com
November 29, 2002

Following up on our last column which featured the premier frontcourt prospects in the high school junior class, let’s turn now to the top guards in the Class of 2004.

When it comes to guards, this class is particularly loaded with blue-chippers. The point guards are especially outstanding, but the wing guards are awfully good (and plentiful), too.

Four junior point guards and two wing guards appear to possess virtually unlimited potential and thus must be singled out.

The point guards we REALLY like are ultra-quick Floridian Darius Washington, who was far and away the most exceptional performer at the huge adidas Big Time tournament in Las Vegas last summer; athletic Texan Daniel Gibson, who was consistently superb throughout a variety of major spring and summer events; touted New Yorker Sebastian Telfair, a tremendous one-on-one operator who needs to make sure he remembers to keep his teammates involved; and Illinois anomaly Shaun Livingston, who has Magic Johnson’s height (almost) and Pete Maravich’s ball-handling proficiency and flair (almost).

Interestingly, the best two wing guards in the Class of 2004 have each already verbally committed to Atlantic Coast Conference schools located approximately 10 miles apart. Strong DeMarcus Nelson, another Texan, has given the nod to Duke, while prolific scoring machine JamesOn Curry has announced plans to sign next fall with home-state North Carolina.

Somewhat in the mold of current UNC freshman Rashad McCants, Nelson combines powerful drives with an accurate three-point stroke and excellent leaping ability. Wiry Curry is very quick with the ball, a reliable finisher, and a deadly downtown jump shooter who returned from a leg fracture to tally 47 and 45 points in November games.

Besides Nelson and Curry, four more of the early season top 40 junior backcourt players have made verbal commitments at this point. They are high-scoring Ohio combination guard Jamar Butler (committed to Cincinnati), explosive Texas WG Jawaan McClellan (who announced for Arizona), crafty Michigan lefty PG Drew Neitzel (who plans to attend Michigan State), and another fine athlete, Wisconsin combo guard Michael Flowers (who declared for the Wisconsin Badgers.

SWEET 16 JUNIOR GUARDS

1. Darius Washington 6-0 PG/WG Orlando (FL) Edgewater Undecided

If you crowd him, he goes by you, and if you back off he drills quickly-released three-pointers.

2. Daniel Gibson 6-2 PG/WG Houston (TX) Jones Undecided

This athletic slasher is also a top three-point marksman with great body control.

3. Sebastian Telfair 6-0 PG Brooklyn (NY) Lincoln Undecided

"Bassy" made the cover of SLAM Magazine alongside senior superstar LeBron James, but the NewYorker’s game (which features accurate pull-up jump shots from all over the court) and decision-making aren’t as refined as James’ at this time.

4. DeMarcus Nelson 6-3 WG/PG Vallejo (CA) High DUKE

This aggressive, versatile performer is one of the best rebounding backcourtmen (15 per game as a sophomore!) you’ll ever see!

5. Shaun Livingston 6-6 PG Peoria (IL) Central Undecided

He’s quite thin and his jump shot is sometimes ugly, yet he hits some threes, and his big hands dribble and pass the ball more slickly than any other current prepster.

6. JamesOn Curry 6-3 WG/PG Mebane (NC) Eastern Alamance NORTH CAROLINA

His state-record scoring feats are even more unusual than his first name, yet he also proved last summer that he can set up others from the point guard position if used there.

7. Jason Horton 6-0 PG Cedar Hill (TX) High Undecided

Even tough he has markedly improved his perimeter jump shot during the past year, the younger brother of 2002 McDonald’s All American Daniel Horton (a freshman at Michigan) is a much better playmaker and defender than scorer.

8. Isaiah Swann 6-3 WG/PG Mouth of Wilson (VA) Oak Hill Academy Undecided

This lefthander is a bit too fancy at times, but his explosive, hanging forays to the hoop generally have positive results.

9. Glenn Miles 6-4 WG/PG Birmingham (AL) West End Undecided

He has scads of ability, but we prefer him at wing guard because his decision-making with the ball isn’t always as cerebral as you want in a point guard.

10. Jamar Butler 6-1 WG/PG Lima (OH) Shawnee CINCINNATI

After struggling surprisingly at last summer’s Nike Camp in Indianapolis, this fine jump shooter bounced back with a brilliant set of performances at the adidas Big Time.

11. Jason Rich 6-4 WG Orlando (FL) Dr. Phillips Undecided

A prime-time run/jump athlete, he may be the number two junior guard in Orlando due to the presence of Darius Washington, but he’s an extremely promising prospect.

12. A.J. Price 6-0 PG Amityville (NY) High Undecided

Now out of the enormous shadow of former high school teammate Jason Fraser (now a Villanova freshman), A.J. erupted upon the national scene last summer with stellar play at several events, including the adidas ABCD Camp in New Jersey.

13. Bryce Taylor 6-4 WG North Hollywood (CA) Harvard-Westlake Undecided

This hard-working athlete established a national reputation last summer at the adidas ABCD Camp, where he consistently knocked in long-range jump shots and was a standout in the Underclass All-Star Game.

14. Dwayne Day 6-5 WG Vidalia (GA) High Undecided

He has lots of talent, but his play last summer was surprisingly erratic, mainly because his shot selection wasn’t the best.

15. Jawaan McClellan 6-5 WG Houston (TX) Milby ARIZONA

He tends to a bit streaky, but his combination of size, skills and athleticism is matched by very few prepsters. He very well may climb this list over the next year.

16. Quintin Thomas 6-3 WG Oakland (CA) Tech Undecided

Everyone knows that he’s an athlete with lots of tools, but presently not every scout agrees that he’s a truly elite prospect, so the ball’s in Q’s court.

MORE OF THE ELITE

17. Xavier Price 6-4 WG O’Fallon (IL) High Undecided

18. Zam Frederick 6-1 WG/PG St. Matthews (SC) Calhoun County Undecided

19. Rajon Rondo 6-2 PG/WG Louisville (KY) Eastern Undecided

20. Taurean Green 6-0 PG/WG Bradenton (FL) Pendleton Undecided

21. Marquie Cooke 6-3 PG/WG Suffolk (VA) Nansemond River Undecided

22. Lyndale Burleson 6-3 WG/PG Seattle (WA) Franklin Undecided

23. Dupree Fletcher 5-11 PG Milwaukee (WI) Rufus King Undecided

24. Jared Haynes 6-2 PG Chicago (IL) Mt. Carmel Undecided

25. Andre Allen 5-10 PG Memphis (TN) Booker T. Washington Undecided

26. Drew Neitzel 6-1 PG Wyoming (MI) Wyoming Park MICHIGAN STATE

27. Jaeh Thomas 6-3 WG/PG Aurora (IL) West Undecided

28. Jamual Warren 6-2 PG/WG Paterson (NJ) Catholic Undecided

29. Cornelius Ingram 6-4 WG/WF Hawthorne (FL) High Undecided

30. Josh Wright 6-0 PG Utica (NY) Proctor Undecided

31. Dan Morrissey 6-3 WG Bradenton (FL) IMG Academy Undecided

32. Ramon Sessions 6-2 PG Myrtle Beach (SC) High Undecided

33. Jamarcus Ellis 6-3 WG Chicago (IL) Westinghouse Undecided

34. Churchill Odia-Ehis 6-5 WG/PG Rockville (MD) Montrose Christian Undecided

35. Toney Douglas 6-1 WG/PG Jonesboro (GA) High Undecided