Mike Bibby, Jerryd Bayless, Jahii Carson and Casey Benson. If we are talking about the “Mount Rushmore” of point guards in Arizona high school basketball, those four are at the top of my list.
There are several others that I’ve enjoyed watching through the years but those four stand alone in my mind.
My criteria is pretty simple-Play hard, play smart, have fun.
Plenty of high schoolers can do those three on the surface, but can they dig deeper and go to a third or fourth level?
When the ball is in their hands are they the floor general for the other four or are they just trying to get their own numbers?
Benson is worth the price of admission and it’s too bad he’s leaving the state (committed to Oregon) but I am sure he will do fine for the Ducks.
He has a teammate that I believe could be the next great point guard in Arizona and he’s only a freshman. Meet Alex Barcello.
Now, before you crush me for building up a freshman, I have to give full disclosure. I’ve been hearing about Alex for five years going back to when I was a club coach for his older sister Julia, who’s at Seton (committed to Colgate).
I don’t put ANY stock into ranking middle school and junior high kids which is why I haven’t written or said anything about him on the site or the show.
I’ve seen him in three games this year and have talked to enough people in the know to form the opinion he has a good chance at joining the elite from this state.
Last summer he played point guard on the U-17 Compton Magic squad (same club as Jahii Carson back in his club days)
Jerryd Bayless has expressed a strong interest to the Barcello family of having Alex play on a club team that he is putting together. For basketball junkies watching Corona Del Sol is a “must see” this season with three D1 players(Benson-Oregon, Dane Kuiper-New Mexico, Connor MacDougall-Arizona State).
Sammy Duane runs a terrific program, Barcello has already grown in confidence in the games that I have seen, and I know he’s already on most college radar screens.
