PHC Player of the Year Candidate: David Simental (2017)
With the countdown to the start of the 2016-17 season ticking down quickly, we are hitting the ground running with our season preview content. Among the content we’ll providing periodically until the start of the season is a look at…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingWith the countdown to the start of the 2016-17 season ticking down quickly, we are hitting the ground running with our season preview content.
Among the content we’ll providing periodically until the start of the season is a look at 20 candidates for the Prep Hoops Colorado Player of the Year Award. Our inaugural award last season went to Overland’s De’Ron Davis.
So who is today’s candidate?
David Simental
Those who keep a hawk’s eye on the Colorado prep basketball scene knew what kind of talent 6-2 guard David Simental was last season.
An even wider group took notice when Simental carried Pueblo West to its first state title with a brilliant run through the Class 4A state tournament last February, particularly during the final four in Boulder. He scored 25 points in a semifinal victory over Vista Ridge and then scored 27 in the title-game victory over talent-laded Valor Christian.
Throughout the impressive display, Simental demonstrated a complete game. His superb ball-handling frustrated defenses who tried to get the ball out of his hands. Instead, frustration turned into fouls, and Simental was almost automatic from the foul line.
Simental also has a knack for getting to the basket. He wastes very little motion when he’s penetrating into the lane, and the result is often easy finishes or kicks to open teammates. And he doesn’t have to have the ball in his hands all the time because he’s very good at moving without it.
Pueblo West will return most of its team from last season and should have the ammunition for another title run. That means folks will be hearing plenty more about Simental. He’s not under the radar anymore.