Logo range-Taking the number one skill a step further
The number one skill in basketball is shooting the basketball. To me, there is nothing better than watching a player who has mastered the art of shooting. Those players who have in the gym range, and can consistently find the…
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Continue ReadingThe number one skill in basketball is shooting the basketball. To me, there is nothing better than watching a player who has mastered the art of shooting. Those players who have in the gym range, and can consistently find the bottom of the net from thirty feet. Those are game changers, and they make it tough for opposing teams to game plan for. You just cannot consistently guard it without it causing problems and opening up opportunities for the rest of the team. Here are some of the best logo range players across the state.
Here’s a kid that probably wouldn’t be bothered if the three point line was moved back to NBA range. When you watch film on him, you notice that a good portion of his treys are well beyond the arc and he shoots it at a high percentage. He’s put in countless hours to make himself a good shooter. The result is that he’s a great shooter with game changing range. He has had a tough off-season, dealing with injury but he’s back at it and ready to go. Even more impressive about his game, is his ability to score off the dribble, something that is usually the last to come for shooters. Some players are satisfied that they are able to drop 30 footers with ease. Others work hard to make themselves better in all aspects. He has chosen the latter and that’s what makes him one of the players I am most excited to follow next season. To see the results of hard work and the progression of a kid that is a bit of a late bloomer. That’s fun to me. If I could get players to understand how much better they will be, I’d be happy. Most will learn themselves.
Highlights
A pure shooter that has it figured out. I first saw him play vs Rainier Beach at the state tournament last year. I had heard that he was a shooter, and he didn’t disappoint. Although his team lost a close one, he showed glimpses of his deep shot talent, and made some big threes for Gig Harbor, helping them climb back into the game. His shot is smooth and comes off his hands with very little effort. When you see a kid who barely has to move his wrist from thirty feet, you know you have a shooter. This takes a lot of practice. He’s obviously put in the work. He had a few games with 30 or more points last season. His coach has been quoted as saying he’s the best shooter he’s ever had. He’s not just a shooter either, his game is well rounded, and with teammate Will Landram also back next season, the Tide should roll right back into the playoffs.
Speaking of effortless, he’s got one of the most effortless shots I have seen this off-season. I was at the Battle of the Border when the news reached across town that he had scored 56 points in his last game. I made it over to watch his next, and he had a quiet 27. He’s a scoring machine, who is highly skilled at getting his shot from anywhere. He scored over 40 in a game last season. You could make a case for him being the best guard in class 2A. If I had to pick a scoring champion for next season, he’d be my pick. Great player who does a lot more than just shoot. R. A. Long will once again be a dangerous team in the 2A ranks in 2022-23
I have already written about him and described him as electric and one of the quickest guards in the state. I feel that even better about that statement after watching more of him. As a sophomore he was impressive in helping Mount Si get to the title game in class 3A last season, losing a close one to Curtis in overtime. That game was my first glimpse at him, and I have watched more since. He’s established himself as an in the gym range shooter. Not only that, he gets it up in a flash, which makes it easy even tougher to guard. Speaking of tough to guard, who does one focus on when playing Mount Si next year? I can’t help you there. They are locked and loaded for another run at the gold ball.
In my last article he was my sixth man, in this one he’s here for the actual title of the article. I can’t write about the best shooters with range and not include him. Another one who does it effortlessly. He totaled nine threes in a game last year. That’s nine makes. He’s also been busy at it this off-season, where he’s had some huge games. He was in my players most likely to drop 40 article as well and his ability to hit shots from on or around the logo is the biggest reason why. It’s not the only reason, he’s an athlete and he puts in the time. Nobody becomes an elite shooter without putting in more time than most.
I’m putting this him here as more of an example of how he uses the threat of his long distance range to fake and go by the defense to get a bucket. He has that logo range, and he can get his shot off in most any situation, but he’s probably more impressive when he puts the ball on the deck. He’s got a huge bag of tricks that he uses to score, and he’s great at keeping the defense off balance. He put up around 30PPG last season, and most of the time he was the benefactor of using the defense to his advantage after they ran at him. He also hit tough contested step back threes, you name it, he probably did it. I don’t know that he is as good a pure shooter as the rest on this list, but he often fooled the defense into believing he was. When you are a threat to shoot it from anywhere, that’s tough to guard. Especially when you have his bag of tricks.
Highlights
Some other players that come to mind and could have just as easily been written about Luke Brewer Luke Brewer 6'2" | PG Tumwater | 2023 State WA , Jaedyn Brown Jaedyn Brown 6'3" | CG Pullman | 2023 State WA , Parker Gerrits Parker Gerrits 6'1" | PG Olympia | 2023 State WA , Braydon Olson Braydon Olson 6'2" | CG Mark Morris | 2024 State WA , to name just a few of many.