UIL Playoff Previews - 6A Region 1 - Bigs

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The UIL Playoffs are right around the corner. The 6A Division will field a total of 128 teams with the top 32 teams from each of the four regions. The state of Texas is home to some of the greatest players in the nation and it is guaranteed to be quite a show this year with teams full of talent across the board. Below we preview some of the top bigs representing their teams in the 6A Region 1 playoff bracket.

Alex Anamekwe Alex Anamekwe 6'6" | PF McKinney | 2022 State TX – 6’5″ – PF/SF – Senior – McKinney

Anamekwe, Prep Hoops’ #4 ranked power forward and #17 overall player in the class of 2022 in Texas, is a strong, athletic all-around big man. What he lacks in height, he makes up for big time with his strength and aggressive style of play. Make no mistake though, he’s not just a brute force kind of player. He has an elite level talent and diverse skillset that will translate beautifully at the next level as he continues his basketball career at Southern Methodist University next year. His primary position is at power forward, and he can even play some center in a small-ball lineup, but he has the versatility to slot in at small forward, as well. He has a quick and explosive first step and a strong ball handle that allows him to take even the strongest of defenders off the dribble, where he can use his combined speed and strength to attack the basket. Once he gets a head of steam going at the basket, it’s game over, because he can jump with the best of them and has the ferocity and confidence to attack anyone waiting for him at the paint and put them on a poster. Playing off of him on the perimeter won’t work either as he has a very respectable and reliable 3-point game that he can hit with consistency, especially if left open. He utilizes the very same ruthlessness he has on drives in the post, where he has incredible footwork and control to create an opening and then has an explosive and aggressive standing leap to come away with a strong finish under the basket. Defenses may think the answer is doubling him, but he has become somewhat of a point-center that can essentially run the offense himself. He sees the floor beautifully and will find the open man as soon as that extra defender comes his way. Securing offensive rebounds is also a specialty of his with his constant attack mindset, and he is fantastic at getting the putback to fall immediately after securing the board. Anamekwe’s defense is just as versatile as his offense. At McKinney, he has the responsibility of anchoring the defense with his intimidating paint presence and his ability to aggressively block any shot within his radius, but he has the speed, footwork, length and coordination to lock almost anyone up on the perimeter, and if he is paired with a true center and interior defender, it would be a formidable inside-outside defensive duo, especially with Anamekwe’s ability to switch onto the big man.

Justin McBride Justin McBride 6'8" | PF Plano | 2023 State #126 Nation TX – 6’8″ – PF/SF – Junior – Plano

It’s been a homecoming season for Plano’s Justin McBride Justin McBride 6'8" | PF Plano | 2023 State #126 Nation TX , who transferred to his hometown high school at the end of December after spending his first two seasons at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. He was Prep Hoops’ #1 ranked 2023 power forward in the state of Virginia and can slot right in with the top power forwards in the state of Texas moving forward. McBride is everything you want in a modern-day big, from his all-around and explosive offensive skillset to his versatile defense, he can completely take over a game on both ends of the court. He has an extremely clean and sharp handle, creating his own shot with ease on the perimeter, and when combined with his well-trained footwork, one of the most dominant post games you’ll see in the UIL playoffs, with an array of moves to get the basket near the rim or hit a fadeaway midrange. To make his post game even more dangerous, he maintains full awareness of the court as he backs down his defender and is ready to deliver a perfect pass to his teammates making cuts toward the basket. He has one of the most mechanically sound shooting forms of any big man in high school, hitting with extreme consistency off the catch and off the dribble. He’s also a fantastic rim runner and slasher to the basket, giving Plano’s guards easy dump off opportunities in the half court and on the fast break. He has a strong and large body with a fundamentally sound boxout that helps him dominate on the boards on both ends of the court. On the defensive side, he can guard nearly any kind of player you throw at him. He has the lateral movement to keep up with guards on the perimeter and he has the size and strength to lockdown the paint. He’s extremely intelligent, as well, extending his arms high and staying vertical on shots in the paint to challenge the attempt as best as possible without fouling. He has quick hands and great coordination too and can swat the ball out of the opponent’s hands as they drive to the paint or try and challenge him in the post. McBride joined the Plano Wildcats after they were already having an impressive undefeated season, but the union of the elite power forward and already elite program makes them an even stronger contender for the state championship just at the right time.

Robert Hall – 6’6″ – C/PF – Senior – Plano

Hall is the interior presence that every championship roster needs. He rarely needs the ball in his hands to make an impact, moving incredibly well without the ball and establishing great positioning in and around the paint on every possession. When he does receive the ball, either off his cuts to the basket or after he’s established deep positioning under the basket, he has an extremely soft touch around the rim. He’s one of the most active players on the court going for rebounds and is relentless when securing offensive boards. He’s quick and has solid top end speed, making him a fantastic rim runner on the fast break. He is exceptionally talented on the defensive end with remarkable reaction time and coordination. He can block any shot attempt, on the perimeter and in the paint, and he has very quick hands to swipe the ball from a ball handler’s grip. His intelligence and quick feet also help in guarding the pick-and-roll, with the ability to quickly trap the ball handler or just pick him up 1 on 1 on the perimeter. His effectiveness in any given game without dominating the ball on offense and his impressive and versatile defensive talent, especially when defending the paint, make him a perfect match with star big man, Justin McBride Justin McBride 6'8" | PF Plano | 2023 State #126 Nation TX , and he is essentially the anchor to Plano’s defense that allows the three guards on the team, Makhi Dorsey, Xavier Williams and Elijah Brown, to take so many gambles on the perimeter and force all the turnovers they do.

Samson Aletan Samson Aletan 6'10" | C Lake Highlands | 2023 State #259 Nation TX – 6’9″ – PF/C – Junior – Lake Highlands

Aletan, Prep Hoops’ #4 center in the class of 2023 in Texas, is an absolute beast in the paint and the anchor for Lake Highlands’ defense. With the rest of the starting lineup composed of guards and wings, Aletan is relied on to be the safety net in the paint, and he executes his role as good as any big man in Texas. He’s extremely long and a monster shot blocker, keeping his hands up and ready to swat anything that comes in his vicinity, with great timing and coordination to find the ball as soon as the shot goes up. He’s a fantastic help defender that can essentially guard two players at once as he slides in to impede the ball handler attacking the paint but then quickly recover to defend his man at the rim as soon as the ball is delivered. He’s athletic and moves well without the ball, understanding positioning and timing on cuts, performing pick-and-rolls to perfection and finishing dives to the basket with strength on aggressive dunks. He creates space with his body in the post extremely well too, using his hips to push the defender one way and then signal for a pass the other way to get an easy look at the basket. Even if the dunk isn’t there, he has a soft touch around the rim and a beautiful hook shot that he can hit several feet away from the rim. Just as he creates space in the post with his hips, he does the exact same thing when boxing out, clearing the paint of any opposing big man and using his length to secure any and all rebounds. He has a quick second jump, helping to get the putback immediately after securing the ball on offensive rebounds, making it extremely important for the opposing team to do everything they can to keep him off the boards. Aletan’s focus with the playoffs coming up is all about getting better each and every day, as he is “looking forward to growing and competing together as a team and continuing to get better as [they] play in some intense games.” He understands his role on this talented team to perfection, as well, telling Prep Hoops that his impact on winning will come from “protecting the rim, attacking the offensive and defensive glass, making hustle plays, like diving on the floor or running the rim, and finishing.”