Live SZN Kickoff: Top 15U Defenders

<p>There were a number of great performances at the Live SZN Kickoff in Lincoln. Defense, hustle, rebounding, creativity…it was all on display among the 15U teams.</p> <p>Here’s a look at some of the top 15U defenders in Lincoln last weekend (in alphabetical order):</p> <p><strong>John James</strong>, forward, Columbia Supreme:</p> <p>Maybe the springiest player among the Lincoln 15Us, James can leap out of the gym. He’s got a thin, wiry frame that lets him knife through traffic and find position to make plays. He can jump over the pack and get his hand on balls above the crowd. He blocks shots by getting off the floor with lightning quickness. He picks off passes in the open floor because of his anticipation and break on the ball, as well as his leaping ability.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="" first="Jeremiah" last="Johnson"]</strong>, guard, Next Level Up (pictured):</p> <p>Johnson was probably the best defender of all the 15Us. It may sound like an exaggeration to say he could steal the ball whenever he wanted to, but it sure seemed like it. He obviously values defense as much as offense, if not more, and he’s found his strong suit. He attacks ball handlers and has a rare kind of quick hands. His quickness and long arms allow him to pick pockets and get in passing lanes. He intercepts almost any pass that hangs in the air more than a couple of seconds.</p> <p><strong>Aman Kesete</strong>, guard, MPJ Elite:</p> <p>Keeste is a 6-foot-1 athlete who uses his long arms to disrupt the passing lanes and harass ball handlers. He can get off the floor to block shots and has the quickness and length to be disruptive in the open court. He works hard at the defensive end, which pairs nicely with his skilled offensive game.</p> <p><strong>Dawson Sechser</strong>, guard, South Dakota Network:</p> <p>To put it simply, Sechser is the kind of defender you hate to play against. He is all over opposing guards, denying the inbounds, bodying them up full court, and bullying them when they actually get the ball. He plays like a football strong safety, intimidating and harassing opponents non-stop. He’s well-built, strong and quick. Best of all, he obviously takes pride in his defense and recognizes it’s a way for him to impact a game.</p> <p><strong>Brendon Tate</strong>, guard, Team Tru Vision 1:</p> <p>Tate was a nightmare defender to guards at Lincoln. He combines quick hands, quick feet and a quick mind to get his hand on the ball incessantly. He makes it tough to get the ball into a set offense because he harasses guards on the perimeter.</p> <p>Honorable mention:</p> <p><strong>Finn McGovern</strong>, guard, Lincoln Supreme 2025:</p> <p>There are so many impressive players on the club of elite 8^th graders from Lincoln, so McGovern can go a bit overlooked. But his defense jumps out even against the older competition. He intercepts a lot of passes because of his great anticipation and fearlessness. He’s physically tough and smart. He draws praise from his coaches for his on-ball defense, and he plays with a team-first attitude.</p>