Auburn and Federal Way Prospects: Youth vs. Experience
After a full season of league play, Federal Way High School and Auburn High School met for one final game to break a tie at the top of the NPSL Olympic League. They both came into the game with 13…
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Continue ReadingAfter a full season of league play, Federal Way High School and Auburn High School met for one final game to break a tie at the top of the NPSL Olympic League. They both came into the game with 13 wins and 1 loss in league play this year, having split their two regular-season matchups. Both teams were outstanding on each end of the court, and points were hard to come by early on as the teams combined for more personal fouls than field goals in the first quarter. Things settled down in the second quarter, and Auburn would take a three-point lead into halftime. The second half of the game was full of runs where Auburn would extend their lead to double digits before the Eagles fought back. A huge third quarter from Peter Erickson knotted the game at 44 entering the 4th quarter. Fouls were mounting, players on each side began to foul out, and Auburn would lose their sophomore leader Trevon Blassingame to an unfortunate knee injury with three minutes remaining. By virtue of solid free throw shooting down the stretch, the Auburn Trojans were able to hold off the Eagles, winning by a final score of 64 to 54. This was a unique matchup in terms of experience. Federal Way was carried by senior talent, while the Trojans of Auburn had success with their impressive underclassmen.
Federal Way – Experience
Peter Erickson | 6’6″ W | 2020
It’s no surprise that Peter Erickson tops the list of performances in last night’s game. The senior kept the Eagles in the game with a huge 3rd quarter, scoring three 3-pointers in his 13-point quarter. It should be pointed out that Erickson was also the beneficiary of great assists from his point guard Jaden Call. He added good defense with a pair of blocks, a coast to coast finish after pulling down a defensive rebound, and a Euro-step floater that showed his versatility and ability to score from any place on the court. This game was a great example of Erickson’s ability to take over a game, and even though the Eagles came up short, it’s clear that Federal Way will look to their big man when they need to fight back from a deficit.
Jared Franklin | 6’5″ F | 2020
Jared Franklin has been a standout in each of the performances that I’ve had the opportunity to watch this year. He played an incredibly efficient game, scoring 7 of his 9 points from the line, and missing only one field goal attempt by my count. He added a few rebounds and an emphatic block in the 4th quarter to keep things close. The big man also knocked down 7 of his 8 free throw attempts.
Bradley Graham | 6’0″ PG | 2020
Bradley Graham could be the number one scoring threat for a lot of teams out there, but on a team with as much firepower as Federal Way, he has still been able to find success without needing the ball in his hands. Graham plays outstanding defense, and he scored two of his 8 points with a steal and breakaway layup – not an uncommon occurrence for the quick guard. Graham can hit from downtown, but he’s even better at baiting defenders into assuming he’s settling for a three before driving to the basket and scoring highlight reverse layins.
Jaden Call | 6’0″ PG | 2020
Call was held scoreless through the first half of the game, but he still helped his team with rebounds, assists, steals, and a drawn charge. His ability to have wide-spread contributions is indicative of his instincts and basketball IQ. Jaden had a stretch in the fourth quarter where it was clear that he made an intentional decision to take over for his team. Understanding that Auburn was dealing with foul trouble for several of their players, Jaden drove to the basket on repeated possessions, drawing fouls on three consecutive drives and converting four of the five ensuing free throws.
Auburn – Youth
Trevon Blassingame | 6’5″ W | 2022
It was a bittersweet win for Tre Blassingame who suffered a knee injury that looks to be season-ending. Blassingame was the most aggressive offensive player for the Trojans, scoring 11 of his team’s 32 first-half points. Although his offensive game stands out, Blassingame is an equally impressive defender. The Trojans, in general, played inspired defense in the win, and Tre’s effort was a big part of that as he battled against the size and strength of Federal Way’s bigs. Tre plays stronger and longer than he appears, and he has instincts that help him to collect rebounds because he is able to anticipate where missed shots will fall. If the knee injury is, in fact, season-ending, I would still expect to see a more impressive version of Blassingame next season. Don’t count him out.
Maleek Arington | 6’0″ G | 2022
Fellow sophomore Maleek Arington was another athlete that was an obvious standout despite not having his greatest shooting night. Maleek was a confident ball handler and one that was constantly surveying and directing traffic on the court. Like his teammates, Arington showed a lot of patience on the offensive end of the court, moving the ball from left to right in order to open up lanes or interior passes, and he made good use of ball fakes to help him accomplish those feats. Like Blassingame, Arington is deceptively strong, and he is able to create space on drives to the basket. Passing is probably the strongest part of Maleek’s game, and even though the Trojans shot a relatively-low percentage in the game, he had seven assists. What’s more, he fell back on his passing game when shots weren’t falling for him in the first half – after missing his first three field goals, he would find four assists in later minutes of the half. Maleek’s man-defense was also quite impressive, he fought over the top of screens that would force a switch for most players, and he communicated with his teammates constantly. *Featured Image
Dae’Kwon Watson | 5’10” G | 2022
Dae’Kwon Watson had a run in the fourth quarter that was a critical part of the win for the Trojans. He scored 7 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter – 2 on a steal and breakaway layup and a three-pointer that blew the roof off the arena in the waning minutes. His performance didn’t jump off the court immediately, and that’s probably because of how efficiently he played. Dae’Kwon was perfect from the line and 5/7 from the field.
Kaden Hansen | 5’8″ G | 2022
Hansen surprised a lot of people with his gameplay last night. Standing next to 6’6″ Peter Erickson, the 5’8″ Hansen looked like he would have a tough job competing, but I’m sure he has been making people feel dumb for making that assumption for years at this point. At one point in the first half, he ran in from the arc and skied for a rebound over multiple players at 6’5″ or better, and audible gasps went up in the crowd. Kaden had 13 points in the win with two 3-pointers and a perfect 7/7 from the line. What he lacked in physical strength on defense, he was able to make up for with his speed and quickness around screens, and like all his teammates, he communicated defensively if he found himself in a mismatch.
Ryan Mpouli | 6’2″ G | 2023
Mpouli is my sleeper pick for this Auburn team. The freshman played limited minutes in the game, but he was impressive enough in that time to earn some recognition, specifically on defense. At the end of the first half, Mpouli found himself guarding the Eagles’ ballhandler as the clock ticked down, and he put the clamps on him. Mpouli is a special athlete with a quick jump and unrivaled lateral quickness. He’s still fighting for touches on this talented team, but he does have a solid jumper to go with his explosive athleticism.