Mr. Basketball Candidate: Sasha Stefanovic
With the season ready to get underway next week, we dive into the Mr. Basketball discussion and take a look at some of the candidates for the 2016-17 award. Since 2006, seven of the eleven winners have been drafted by…
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Continue ReadingWith the season ready to get underway next week, we dive into the Mr. Basketball discussion and take a look at some of the candidates for the 2016-17 award.
Since 2006, seven of the eleven winners have been drafted by NBA teams. Last year’s winner, Lawrence Central’s Kyle Guy, is in his first season at Virginia. He, along with Zak Irvin at Michigan and Caleb Swanigan at Purdue, are current award winners still in the college ranks.
Bio: Sasha Stefanovic of Crown Point
There aren’t many players more equipped to lead a team than Crown Point’s Sasha Stefanovic. The 6’5 wing from the Region is one of the more polished players in the state and has a pedigree that leads you to think that he has many more basketball games in his future. Last season, Stefanovic averaged 15.4 points and 7.0 rebounds per game for his high school team. He also went 52/136 from behind the arc. He’s a great shooter and will likely be that in college while at the same time contributing in a lot of different areas. While 6’5 and still growing, Stefanovic has the capability of handling the ball in the open floor and is unselfish enough to dish to his teammates if the occasion calls for it. He’s got all the tools in his arsenal to lead Crown Point this season and should have a solid case to be in the running for Mr. Basketball early on. The question will be if he is there at the end of the day?
Why He Can Win:
Sasha could be a Mr. Basketball winner because in a way, he exemplifies what it is to be a great basketball player and no state understands that more than Indiana. He does all of the little things and at the same time he has the ability to be a big time producer to get voters focused on those flashy numbers. That aspect could get him some votes over some other players. He also has some big games that could set the stage for his candidacy. Crown Point plays in the Noblesville Holiday Tournament and at Warren Central in January that will give some Indy area voters a chance to see him. You also get marquee matchups against schools like Merrillville, Indianapolis Pike, Warsaw, and Penn. There schedule isn’t easy but if he and Crown Point both perform well, they could be right in this thing at the end.
Things To Watch For:
For Sasha, you need to see how he carries his team. A lot of his game comes from filling up the stat sheet and not always putting up huge point totals. If he can do that consistently while showing and increase he has a chance to be in the conversation until the end. The success of his team will also come into play. He has a good team around him but being from the Region could hurt, especially when you factor in that he will have to take down the favorite and Indy native Kris Wilkes to win it.