The Finale: 15U Top Defenders

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Finale took place in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on July 1-2. There was a lot of elite talent that traveled from several different states. This talent included some great players and top notch defenders. This article is recapping the top defenders out of all of the 15U players at the event. Lets find out who made the list.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Esteban Calderon","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Titans Elite","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Esteban Calderon impacted the game on both ends of the court. He got his fair share of points by knocking down shots, driving to the basket, and finishing in transition. That is not all he did, as he played great defense and came away with three steals in the game. There was one play that he got a steal, scored in transition, and knocked down a free throw for an and-one. On a different play, he got the steal and finished through contact in transition. He played great on-ball and perimeter defense in this game.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["1543647"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='1543647' first='Cooper' last='Nelson'] was one of the best players at the event. He impacted the game on both ends of the court, despite only being 5'9. He played with more heart and a nonstop motor better than almost anyone else at the event. Constantly diving for loose balls, fighting for rebounds, and harassing the ball-handlers while he was on defense. He came away with multiple steals every game I saw him play. On offense, he was making the right play. Driving and kicking, blowing by the defender with a finish at the basket, and showing the ability to knock down shots. He was impressive in every area. There is a reason why he is one of the top players in his class for the state of Louisiana.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":1962622,"_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='2460623' first='Israel' last='Fugett']","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"6'5u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"77243","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"OKC Storm Homeschool","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"Oklahoma Wolfpack Wilson","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='2460623' first='Israel' last='Fugett'] was so dominant that he has made several lists for what he has done at the showcase. Having dominated the glass and being a top performer, he is now on the all-defensive team. He rebounded exceptionally and scored regularly within the paint, especially with putbacks. That is not why he is on this list. He is on this list because of his dominance on defense. He is 6'5, athletic, and has a solid wingspan. This combination helped him dominate his opposition, him terrorizing them with block after block. Chase-down swats that were going out of bounds, helping from the weak-side for blocks, and just straight up blocking opponents when they tried to back him down or put it back in. He was the single most dominant player in the paint for all of 15U. Not only did he come away with blocks, he averaged around a steal or two a game when I watched him play. It was impressive seeing him terrorize his opponents the way that he did.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"Aveon Stokes","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"77248","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"Titans Elite","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Aveon Stokes had a great game defensively. He had more steals in a game than any other player that I saw. I recorded six steals in the game, which is remarkable. To go along with that, he was having good shot contests, as well. Off of one of the steals, he scored in transition. On two other steals he was able to turn them into assists. Outside of this impact, he grabbed a couple of rebounds and that is the bulk of what he did. The six steals was extremely impressive, as he made it look effortless.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":2054945,"_player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='2335345' first='Brennan' last='Malone']","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"6'3u0022","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"77243","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"Lawton Macarthur","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"Oklahoma Wolfpack 2026 Baker","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_4_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='2335345' first='Brennan' last='Malone'] stands at around 6'3 and utilized size and athleticism to dominate defensively. He rebounded the ball extremely well, grabbing multiple offensive rebounds and turning them into second chance points. He also hit a mid-range pull-up. Outside of that, he made his presence known on defense. I recorded three blocks and two steals for him. It is very possible that he had even more blocks than this, but I just missed them. There was one play that I was standing out of bounds and he had a chase-down block in transition that made the ball fly out-of-bounds right next to me. The amount of ground that he was able to cover to make that play was remarkable. For 15U, he has great size and athleticism. He is a player to monitor moving forwards that has a lot of potential if he continues to develop.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64a78d238a522"} /-->