NW Live Recap: Standout Posts
If you don’t know by now, I love putting on for the big guys. The intricacies of good post play often go unnoticed and underappreciated. They battle with the biggest, strongest guys on the court, and often the sweatiest. It…
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Continue ReadingIf you don’t know by now, I love putting on for the big guys. The intricacies of good post play often go unnoticed and underappreciated. They battle with the biggest, strongest guys on the court, and often the sweatiest. It ain’t always pretty in the post but these standouts showed hard work pays off in the land of the giants. Check out these up-and-coming post players from the weekend at The Hoop Circuit.
Shane Skidmore 6’7 PF University 2024 Spokane Flight
If the shoe fits, wear it. With a name like Skidmore, he was born to be a bruiser. This post stood out for a number of reasons, mainly because he put in a ton of effort to perfect the little things. He’s not going to step out on you, and he wasn’t out leading breaks, but Skidmore is unflappable in what he does well. He’s a strong kid and he shows it when he makes himself wide setting screens. He’s solid, set, and has a hard roll with hands up and ready for the dish. The best part is he doesn’t feel the need to absent-mindedly run on the roll. He knows where to find space, stop and make himself a target. He’s a focused finisher who keeps the ball high and protected and can keep defenders pinned on his hip to make passes that much easier for his guards. Skidmore is an excellent example of how working on details can set you apart. I could watch him pick and roll all day and I can’t wait to watch how his game grows.
Ajayi Simmons 6’6 PF Renton 2024 Renton Select
This dude has been on my radar since back in December when I first watched him play. What stood out then was a big kid, long reach, and a smooth mid-range jimmy that he could hit facing up or off the turnaround. It’s a little more difficult to show off that side of your game on some of these smaller courts in the spring and summer, but it also gives way to a different side of his game. The refs were certainly letting them play on Saturday and it was a great test inside for Simmons. He had good strength with the ball, not letting it get stripped and drawing lots of fouls. Simmons brought back that smooth form on the shot, nailing his free throws and punishing defenders for fouling. The one area he could still improve is finishing through the contact. He had a good size advantage over the defense, and even if the refs are letting some contact go, Simmons should be able to finish through it and turn some of those looks into three-point plays. He’s a great athlete who can pin shots against the glass and move his feet well enough to stay with players away from the hoop. If Simmons can nail down finishing through tough contact he will be an outstanding prospect.
Chase Clifton 6’7 PF West Seattle 2023 FOH Seattle
This Friends of Hoop squad was a bit thin inside without Gavin Marrs Gavin Marrs 6'11" | PF Ellensburg | 2023 State WA on set, leaving Clifton as the lone true big to run with the guard-heavy team. And run he did. Clifton showed great endurance and awareness, ready to join breakaways as a trail or fill the lane outside. He really impressed with his ability to run the floor and stay involved in a fast-paced attack. He had to play big on the boards, and he did. He was consistently in good position and once he had that spot, he wasn’t giving it up. Clifton moves exceptionally well and played the game within himself, doing his part to keep his team in the game. This is a highly talented FOH team, so it should be interesting to see how Clifton plays in the high school season where he will no doubt have a much larger role.
Colin Schmidtke 6’6’ SF White River 2024 FOH Seattle
My first impressions of Schmidtke were a fundamental big who has a little bit of everything to offer. Upon further review, he is a thick wing disguised as a big. For the first part of the game, he was banging in the paint, snagging boards, and eating possessions. It wasn’t until later on that we got to see Schmidtke’s offensive potential. He’s a patient operator with his back to the rim, exhibiting technical footwork to pair with his good strength. Every time he catches the ball in good position he’s a threat to score, and with his wing skills (good handle, good vision) he brings the ability to face up and create. He has good touch from close to mid-range and sees cutters, weak side screens, and shooters as they open up. He’ll be one to watch as a bigger player who can swing between the perimeter and post, depending on where he’s needed.
Gavin Doyle 6’6 C Sumner 2025 Seattle Select
I watched Doyle in a tough matchup against one of the more talented teams in the 16U division, which happened to be the Seattle Rotary 15U EYBL. Doyle’s team was under constant duress, having to deal with intense pressure the entire game. This pressure was even more intense in the paint and while he had some trouble finishing through all the contact, there was no quit in him. Doyle was working on the boards nonstop and showed off a high motor. He didn’t give up on loose balls and fought for everything remotely close to him. While the results might not have been there, Doyle has a lot of time to work on his game. With his fight, he could end up being a dominant rebounder and defender, closing out possessions and tallying tons of second-chance points.