Pennsylvania high school boys basketball: Meet the state’s best combo guards for the 2023-24 season

Who are the top combo guards in Pennsylvania high school boys basketball this season?

With fall sports in the rearview mirror, the high school basketball season is finally here.

SBLive Sports is highlighting some of the best players in Pennsylvania heading into the winter season.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be taking a position-by-position look at some of the best of the best in high school boys basketball. We started with point guards and are now moving on to combo guards.

Here are 20 of the best all-around guards in Pennsylvania entering the 2023-24 high school boys basketball season. 

There are hundreds of standout boys basketball players in Pennsylvania, and these lists are not intended to be comprehensive! You can discuss the other combo guards worthy of fans’ attention in 2023-24 by connecting with us on Twitter @SBLivePA or emailing ryan@scorebooklive.com. 

Jalil Bethea, sr., Archbishop Wood

Bethea led the Philadelphia Catholic League in scoring as a junior at 23.2 points per game en route to 6A first-team all-state honors. The five-star Miami signee is a lights-out shooter from long range. 

Jack Bracken, sr., Harmony Area

A small-school standout, Bracken guided Harmony Area to the program’s first postseason victory in 23 years last winter. He did a little bit of everything, putting up 22.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.7 steals and two blocks. 

Nick Coval, sr., Parkland

Coval was a 6A first-team all-state selection after averaging 22.6 points per game as a junior with 78 made 3-pointers. He will play college basketball in the Atlantic 10 for Davidson. 

Karson Dominick, sr., North Penn-Mansfield

Dominick put up 19.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.8 steals as a junior, making 3A third-team all-state. He is also a star quarterback for North Penn-Mansfield who fired 16 touchdowns this fall. 

Jack Dunbar, sr., Peters Township 

Dunbar averaged 18.8 points per game as a junior for a Peters Township team that went 24-5 overall. He also put up 4.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists. 

Jordan Ellerbee, jr., St. Joseph’s Prep

Ellerbee is capable of playing either guard position for St. Joseph’s Prep. He averaged 10 points and 1.8 assists as a sophomore while shooting 39 percent from beyond the arc. 

Peter Kramer, sr., Hampton

Kramer averaged 18.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and three assists last winter as Hampton captured its first section title since 2011. The shooting guard will play college basketball for Lehigh. 

Matt Lange, sr., Shipley

The son of St. Joseph’s University head coach Billy Lange, Matt Lange can play on or off the ball for Shipley. He is committed to Bucknell. 

Daveyon Lydner, jr., Westtown

Lydner was a sophomore sensation for William Penn Charter, tallying 17 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists. Now at Westtown, the explosive guard is a high-major prospect who picked up an offer from Rutgers in May. 

Kevin McCarthy, sr., Episcopal Academy

An Army signee, McCarthy is one of Pennsylvania’s best long-range shooters. He averaged 18.2 points and six rebounds during his junior season. 

Zion Moore, jr., Belle Vernon

A 4A third-team all-state selection as a sophomore, Moore is an athletic swingman who plays above the rim. He averaged 25.1 points per game last winter. 

Jacob Nguyen, jr., Spring-Ford

Nguyen put up 16.3 points per game as a sophomore for a Spring-Ford team that finished 28-4 overall. For his efforts, Nguyen received 6A second-team all-state honors.

Ahmad Nowell, sr., Imhotep Charter

A four-star UConn signee, Nowell is a physical all-around guard who can score, pass, rebound and defend. He was voted 5A first-team all-state as a junior. 

Lucas Orchard, sr., Perkiomen

Playing for Devon Prep a season ago, Orchard put up 13 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.8 steals. The Monmouth signee will finish out his high school career with Perkiomen. 

Zamir Parker-Barnes, jr., Abington Friends

Parker-Barnes shined last season for Frankford, tallying 12 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.2 steals. The 6-foot-5 junior is now at Abington Friends. 

Nyle Ralph-Beyer, sr., Henderson 

Ralph-Beyer, a Sacred Heart commit, averaged 16.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists last winter for Henderson. He buried 80 3-pointers and proved to be a strong defender. 

Owen Schlager, jr., Trinity

Schlager put up 20.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists as a sophomore en route to 3A second-team all-state honors. The talented junior’s Division I offers include Albany, Drexel and Quinnipiac. 

Meleek Thomas, jr., Lincoln Park Performing Arts

Thomas, a five-star prospect, averaged 24.9 points per game a season ago for a Lincoln Park Performing Arts team that finished 31-1 and captured the 4A state title. He received first-team all-state honors. 

Darren Williams, sr., Archbishop Ryan

Williams averaged 15.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.8 steals last winter and received 5A first-team all-state honors. The versatile guard is a Florida Gulf Coast signee. 

Ryan Williams, sr., Malvern Prep

Williams helped lead Malvern Prep to a share of the Inter-Academic League title in each of the past two seasons. He will play college basketball for Northeastern. 

(Peter Kramer photo by Brentaro Yamane)

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-- Bob Lundeberg | @sblivesports