Player Spotlight: Emmanuel Sepulveda (2021)
School: Cape Fear Christian
Class: 2021
Position: Guard
Whenever we hear about an 8th grader playing basketball on the varsity level, it’s always interesting to see how well the player can perform against some of the older players and talent. As we look back over recent years we see players such as: Joey Baker, Josh Nickelberry, Michael Hueitt Jr. and many others who played on varsity in the 8th grade and would go on to flourish in a major way by the time they became a sophomore. Well down in Erwin, NC there is a young man who has been playing on the varsity level as an 8th grader and a player that we got to see playing 16U and 17U last weekend and we left impressed. Of course he still made the occasional errors that a young player would make but overall he played very well and showed maturity not only on the court but off the court as well.
What makes him special?
Passing, Passing, Passing, it only takes you a few minutes of watching him play before you realize what this young man’s gift is, and it’s definitely passing the ball. He understands how to make difficult passes look simple and never lets the defense know where he’s going to pass by only making quick contact. However he’s not all flash, he does a good job of throwing proper bounce passes that are on point, as well as entry passes into the post. As Emmanuel stated when we talked ” I like making the right passes to player, not being too flashy but making the right pass.” He’s also solid ball handler, he understands how to break defensive pressure and get to his spots without rushing or turning the ball over. Last but not least I was impressed with his stamina, this young man played 3 games in a row, logging major minutes each game and his performance didn’t fall off. As he continues to improve his jump shot he will only get better and more dangerous as a player offensively, he’s one to keep a very close eye on.