Coach’s Take: Iowa Mavericks 17U Purple (Part I)
A mainstay in the upper echelons of Iowa grassroots ball, the Iowa Mavericks certainly have a good thing going right now. They recently became a Jordan Brand Program after inking a three year deal with the company, making it certain they’ll have some of the nicest threads in the state for years to come. The unis are nice, but the talent level within the program is the real story. In particular, the Mavs’ top 17U squad was one of Iowa’s best groups this offseason. We caught up with co-program director and 17U Purple coach Miguel Villagrana to discuss just what it was that made his team special.
Co-program director/17U Purple coach, Miguel Villagrana
Drew Olson, 6’2 G (Osage)
“The best thing I could say about Drew, is he’s a natural leader. He’s very unselfish. He’s not worried about his stats, he’s worried about the score. But at the same time, he has a tremendous impact on the game, not only scoring, but handling the ball, passing the ball. He’s a much better defender than he would appear at first glance. Great instincts, he reads body language incredibly well, especially for a kid that’s only in high school. He absolutely gets the most out of his talent. And on top of that, he’s just a great kid, a great teammate. He’s not just a teammate with the guys, but he’s friends with the guys. It’s guys like that who make it very enjoyable to coach, because all they’re worried about is the end result, and they’re just a lot of fun to be around. He shoots the ball a little bit better than average, especially at big times. He’s definitely a clutch player.”
Kyler Bell, 6′ G (Cedar Rapids Jefferson)
“Kyler was new to us this year, and because we don’t get to practice a whole lot before our season starts, we weren’t really sure what to expect. He kind of started out the first couple weekends, I wouldn’t say slow, but he was trying to find his way on the team. But boy, once he got comfortable and use to the guys around him, he came on like gangbusters. He’s a very, very good defender, and he shot the ball better than I thought he would. But at the same time he can take it off the bounce, and take it to the hoop and get his shot. I’d say his defensive ability is probably where he’s got the most chance to expand on his game this winter. He could be a top flight defender, it’s just about him getting after it. And when he plays with confidence, there are few kids who are more fun to watch play than him.”
Nolan Ruff, 5’11 G (Linn-Mar)
“Nolan has played with us the last two years. He was just incredibly steady for us. He’s a little bit like Drew Olson, in that you can count on him every single game. He’s going to give you everything he’s got. He’s going to be a solid player, and he’ll find a way to make an impact. Some games it’s going to be scoring, some games it’s going to be assists, and some games it’s going to be just taking care of the ball. He does everything — nothing overly spectacular, but everything very well. And like with all my kids, just a solid, great kid to be around. He shoots it really nice from 3, and he’s able to take you off the bounce. He kind of deceptively quick, I guess I would say. He’s able to get by guys pretty easily.”
Lucas Schwamman, 6’4 C (Osage)
“He’s very crafty around the basket. He’s not going to out-jump you, and he knows that, so he finds ways to use his strong upper body well. What I really tried to get him to focus on this year, was to use that size and get position, and kind of use it to teach him an old man’s game; where you’re not necessarily the fastest or the tallest and you find ways to get guys off balance. He did miss some tournaments due to some other commitments, and that’s just kind of the way things go. He’s a very good football player also, and is being recruited to play football in college as well as he is basketball. And I think he’s just kind of feeling his way, and seeing what’s the best fit for him.”