New England’s Lockdown Defenders

Bash Hudson

March 25, 2021 @ 11:06 AM

Here are some of the players who have shown the ability to lock up multiple positions on the court. These athletes give maximum effort, and their activity on defense can completely shift the games’ momentum. Michael Feroci - The Winchendon School/Rivals - 6’2’’ - SG/PG - 2023 (pictured above) Feroci is a strong combo guard who can guard positions 1-3 comfortably. He is so aggressive and physical when defending players that you can see the frustration in the offensive players’ faces caused by Feroci’s relentless activity. The combination of Feroci’s strength and athleticism make him a hard target to set a screen on. Feroci does an excellent job fighting over and through screens which can help him disrupt passing lanes and force turnovers. The best part about Feroci’s defensive efforts is that he consistently finishes plays. After closing out on a jump shot, he emphasizes boxing out the shooter and attacks the glass looking to rip down every rebound. Jayden Ndjigue - Rivers/NE Storm - 6’4’’ - PG/SG - 2023 Ndjigue’s on-ball defense is so intimidating due to his wingspan and athleticism. When he gets low in his stance, he can smother opposing point guards and make their lives miserable. Possessing the quickness necessary to stay in front of smaller guards, Ndijgue can terrorize his opponent with his hawk slides up the court. He uses his length to get into passing lanes and alter shots at the rim when his assignment tries to take him to the hole. Ndjigue can effectively guard the wing position and has enough muscle to get stops in the post when getting switched onto a big. Ndjigue is an athlete who, due to his defensive prowess, has to guard the opposing team’s best player and should be trusted to get the job done 100% of the time. Marius Canery - Lawrence High/NE Storm - 6’2’’ - PG - 2023 Canery has all the physical tools of an elite defender. Size, athleticism, lateral quickness, and strength, to name a few. The traits that Canery possesses that stands out when you watch him arehis toughness and willingness to guard anyone 1-5 on the court. His compete level is off the charts, leading to him getting multiple stops against players with a height or skill advantage. Canery picks up his man full court, fights through screens, and off switches accepting the challenge of stopping his opponent one-on-one. He is a versatile player whose energy and tenacity elevates his teammates on that side of the ball. [player_tooltip player_id="1081799" first="Kalu" last="Anya"] - Governor’s Academy - 6’8’’ - SG/SF/PF - 2022 Anya is a force defensively who can defend the perimeter and interior at a high level. He has impeccable timing when swatting shot attempts at the rim and can cover a ton of ground coming over from the weak side to alter shots. Anya’s transition defense is top-notch, and his effort getting back into the play pops out. He has elite athleticism, and he does not use it for just highlight jaw-dropping plays. Anya uses his physical gifts to enhance his play on the defensive end and the little things that impact team success. His strength and toughness down low and wanting to mix it up in the interior with opposing bigs make Anya one of the most complete defenders you will see.   https://twitter.com/BashHoopsNE/status/1370918070332633089