Baltimore's Top 10 2021 Ball Handlers

Being able to handle the basketball as a dribbler has been a staple in the game since its existence. While you can pass your way up the floor, there’s no denying the value of a player being able to get into the paint, force the defense to collapse and make a play for themselves or others. For this article, we’ll look at the top 10 ball handlers in the Baltimore area. 1. [player_tooltip player_id="902001" first="Ryan" last="Conway"] | 6’1 | Dulaney Conway has been mixing defenders up since the middle school scene with his quick array of crossovers. Whether it’s a long cross or a short, change of direction crossover, the Seton Hall commit knows how to get space from his defender. It also doesn’t make things easier for the defender with Conway being a threat to score as soon as he crosses half court. 2. [player_tooltip player_id="902023" first="Ausar" last="Crawley"] | 5’8 | Mount St. Joseph Crawley is more of a strategic dribbler than a guy who wants to be put on a mixtape. That’s not to say he can’t make a defender look silly, but you won’t see Crawley pounding the ball without profit. It’s what makes him one of the best true floor generals in the DMV and is a reason why he’s always guiding his team to championships. 3. [player_tooltip player_id="712769" first="Jalen" last="Bryant"] | 5’11 | John Carroll Bryant like to keep his moves with the basketball quick and precise. He may not take up a lot of space with his moves, but he’s shifty and stays extremely low to the ground while in attack mode. He knows how to take advantage of his defender once he gets a sense that they’re unbalanced. 4. [player_tooltip player_id="902015" first="Ahmad" last="Harrison"] | 6’1 | City Harrison is a 6-foot-1 southpaw who uses it to his advantage. On his crossovers or between the legs dribbles, he’s always looking to move north and south. Harrison is a slasher, so he doesn’t waste time or dribbles in getting himself in the painted area. 5. [player_tooltip player_id="954213" first="D’Angelo" last="Stines"] | 6’2 | Mount St. Joseph Stines’ ball handling comes to light when operating in ball-screens. He is quick enough to split and attack all while maintaining control. He’ll bait his defender with a crossover here and there, but similar to Crawley, Stines is a dribble for profit type of guy. 6. [player_tooltip player_id="902047" first="Jaylin" last="Webster"] | 6’1 | Dulaney Webster likes to bring some flash with his handling. Whether it’s a long cross or pulling off a quick shamgod, he’s not afraid to attempt moves that make the crowd stand up. With that being the case, it can bring pros and cons as sometimes he gets himself into trouble and turns it over against good defenders. However, he does have good awareness and as the game slows down for him, his creativity will be highlighted even brighter. 7. [player_tooltip player_id="904668" first="Elijah" last="Davis"] | 5’10 | St. Frances Davis is another point guard who doesn’t make it complicated. He has a one or two quick-move approach and once he gets an edge on his defender, he’s taking advantage. He can chop it up when the situations presents, but filling his role as a floor general for St. Frances last season demanded ball security and smart decision making. 8. [player_tooltip player_id="775363" first="Darrius" last="Tilghman"] | 6’4 | Parkville Tilghman already presents problems for his defenders given that he’s a lefty. Combine that with the fact that he’s 6-foot-4 and has a go-to long crossover, it’s difficult for others at his position to keep him in check. When bringing the ball up the floor against pressure, he stays low and keeps the ball moving side to side to keep his defender guessing. 9. [player_tooltip player_id="785257" first="Jordan" last="Moore"] | 6’0 | Loyola Blakefield Moore showcased his ball-handling last season when he took over the primary ball-handling duties for the Dons. He’s extremely fast even off the live dribble and can change directions quickly in the open floor. He’s smooth and precise with his moves and limits mistakes by trying to play outside of his limitations. 10. Evan Flaks | 5’9 | Pikesville Flaks is a shifty, 5-foot-9 guard who can change speeds quickly. He has an effective hesitation dribble when the ball is in his right hand and favors the double crossover to get his defender off balance before rising for a shot. With a low center of gravity, it makes staying in front of him more challenging.