Havoc in the Heartland: 2027 All-Defensive Team

Alexander Jr. is an elite athlete with great quickness. He was active all weekend defensively being disruptive on the ball and getting steals / deflections. He is so quick laterally that he was an absolute nightmare for ball handlers as he was effortless able to cause disruption. Alexander Jr. plays with a chip on his shoulder and competes like crazy. He has all the tools from mindset to athleticism to be an elite defender for years to come.

Poku is a strong guard that uses his strength to his advantage. He plays extremely hard and gets downhill on drives. Although he was pretty good offensively all weekend, he was elite defensively. He used his strength to get under the offense and control where they were going to dribble. Also, because of how strong he is, he was able to consistently grab tough rebounds and lose balls. He brings so much value to a team.

Scroggins caused serious problems all weekend for ball handlers. He is a fearless competitor that isn’t afraid to stick his nose in any situation and mix it up. With him not having a ton of size, he is able to really be active low where the ball is being dribbled and steal and lead the break. He caused a lot of fast break points for his team. He set the tone for Team Flyght.

Kirkland was one of the most versatile defenders in the tournament being able to guard 1-5. He has great size and strength, but also good lateral speed. His wingspan caused a ton of issues for the offense as he got his hands on multiple passes causing deflections and steals. He allowed his defense to fuel his offense which allowed him to have a really good showing.

Gillmar had a very productive weekend. He is a physical big man that is willing to put his body on the line to take charges or get lose balls. What was most impressive about the way he played was how well he contested shots in the paint without fouling. He made it extremely difficult for opposing teams to score in the paint on them.

Brookins is a small PG that plays with swagger and is an unbelievable competitor. All weekend he was picking up ball handlers full court, flying around the floor and causing disruption. With him being so small, he uses it to his advantage. He lead his team by example as his teammates followed his lead. Brookins is a big time competitor and leader.

Hines is a quiet competitor that plays extremely hard. He never quit on plays which allowed him to get a lot of deflections that he wasn’t meant to get. He has big time athleticism and length to guard 1-5. He was very impressive Sunday attacking the offensive glass creating extra possessions for his team. Hines is continuing to develop a more consistent offensive game, but until then, he will always have a spot on the floor due to his defensive ability.