Eastmark at Valley Christian Standouts

On Friday, February 4th I attended the 3A contest between the Eastmark Firebirds and Valley Christian Trojans at Valley Christian HS in Chandler, AZ. I watched two games with Junior Varsity and Varsity. A lot of new players were discovered and I wrote about some of the players who stood out.   Here were the some of the standouts from the JV and Varsity games: [player_tooltip player_id="1008807" first="Caleb" last="Shaw"] Valley Christian (Pictured) The single best performance all season long was with Caleb. He scored 53 points and broke the school record in the process. He scored it in every single way you could. He hit catch-3’s with a smooth looking quick release. He can also step back or step into a 3 off the dribble. He has a nice burst to blow by his defenders and lay it in or flush it down easily. He had a couple steals and dunks and rebounded the ball at a good clip. He seems to love the driving layup with a spin move and he can jump stop and score with either hand. His score sheet by quarters: 3 2 3 2 1 1 2 3 2 3 2 (24) 1st 2 2 1 1 2 2 2 (36) 2nd 1 1 2 2 1 2 (45) 3rd 2 1 1 2 2 (53) 4th--checked out with around 2:30 left to play in game. [player_tooltip player_id="1239569" first="Jaylen" last="Lee"] Valley Christian A physical wing forward who can post up with his back to the basket and make difficult contested layups in traffic. The Canadian born player is tough and you can tell he is the heartbeat of the team. He unfortunately got injured but will be pivotal for the Trojans in the playoffs. [player_tooltip player_id="1340752" first="Alex" last="Wells"] Eastmark A long and lean scoring guard can score it from all levels. He can make the catch-3, score on off balanced layups and hit tough runners in the lane. He has has quick hands to steal the ball from his opponents and he will only improve with more strength. Kayden Bethel SF 6’4 2023 Eastmark A long wing forward can hit the catch-3, he has the runner and makes good decisions. You don’t see him force many shots and plays with good energy on defense. [player_tooltip player_id="1152187" first="Luke" last="Shaw"] Valley Christian A pure shooter with a high feel for the game. He kind of took a backseat since his brother was literally going off, but he has a clip from the 3 off the catch. He makes good reads and is quick to collect steals. He will most likely lead them in scoring the next two seasons. [player_tooltip player_id="1194266" first="Austin" last="Wallace"] Valley Christian A strong guard with long arms. He can defend outside and in with his toughness. He can catch and shoot from the 3 and is a good rebounder in his area. [player_tooltip player_id="1193887" first="Rhys" last="Walcott"] Eastmark A natural scorer with a high IQ and feel. He is a good passer and is very calm under pressure. He creates separation from his defender well and can step back off the dribble from the 3pt line plus get downhill. [player_tooltip player_id="1194200" first="Tim" last="Gorham"] Eastmark An unique scoring forward is very efficient despite being undersized. He makes runners on the norm over the post defenders and can drive it for tough layups. He has a big motor to grab offensive and defensive boards and will block shots. [player_tooltip player_id="1009138" first="Nathan" last="Burrell"] Eastmark A thicker framed wing can score it inside. He gives a mean shot fake and will go up to score. He can drive baseline and seek contact for two. He will rebound in his area and block an occasional shot. [player_tooltip player_id="1120857" first="Daylen" last="Dewberry"] Eastmark A scoring wing from all three levels. He likes the pull-up from mid-range and can get downhill. He has the catch-3 and is a plus rebounder in his area. He smartly cuts to the basket and catches tough passes with good hands. Jaxon Dewberry SF 6’4 2023 Eastmark Dalyen's twin brother can score it too. He can pull-up from mid-range, which seems to be his best move. He can take contact well with his thicker frame and he is physical inside to block shots. He kind of has the old man’s game and is very smart and crafty. [player_tooltip player_id="1379908" first="Avery" last="Osyczka"] Valley Christian A long four-man with big hands and feet. He looks like he will grow a lot more. He is patient inside and he can be powerful. He blocks shots and gobbles up rebounds. He can score with either hand on the block with a right hand hook shot and his FT touch looks good. He is a highest point type of rebounder and he may be be their post starter next year. [player_tooltip player_id="1379909" first="Carson" last="Grier"] Valley Christian A bigger pure PG with a nice first step. He can get downhill with a quick burst to cup and the ball gets out of his hands quickly. He thinks the game from the neck up and will drive and kick it to his teammates. He plays passing lanes well and he had a bad fall and came back showing his toughness. He played JV and Varsity. [player_tooltip player_id="1379910" first="Kyle" last="Grier"] Valley Christian Carson's twin brother is an efficient forward who knows the game at a high level. He cuts when he is supposed to and is a very calm competitor. He can hit the catch-3 and it looks effortless. He blocks shots inside and seeks contact. He is a good passer and does many little things. He played JV and Varsity. Caleb Danseizen SF 6’0 2025 Valley Christian A stocky wing forward freshman gets to rim. He can get downhill with quick moves to the basket and will score using his strong build/frame, He has a good FT stroke and shows toughness and fight.