BDH Stock Riser Showcase: Top Playmakers
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There was a ton of talent on display at Auburn Mountainview High School this Saturday, but these next couple of guys took it to another level with their consistency making plays all over the court. They were able to attack…
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Continue ReadingThere was a ton of talent on display at Auburn Mountainview High School this Saturday, but these next couple of guys took it to another level with their consistency making plays all over the court. They were able to attack vulnerable spots in the defense, make quick and critical reads, and control the pace of the game with their penetration and passing.
Esquivel was one of the top playmakers of the afternoon with his ability to skip through the defense, attack those in between areas with efficiency, and get the ball up the floor quickly in transition. He’s not the tallest or the strongest kid out there, but he has tremendous balance and footwork to keep himself strong and able to change direction quickly while working off the dribble. It wasn’t just his passing that helped him make plays either, he was able find space off the ball and with the dribble in the mid-range to bury jumpers and use every part of the floor to attack.
Frimodt is another kid that did a great job using footwork and balance to attack defenses and really live around the paint with his drives. He’s a kid who can light it up from 3-point but found a rhythm off the bounce, and showed he understands attacking angles as well as keeping that contact with defenders until the last minute to create space for finishes at the rim. He’s a smart attacker that also made a number of excellent reads on the defensive end that led to quick breaks the other way.
Dawson wasn’t as explosive as some of the other playmakers in this article, but he did stand out for his ability to grind out possessions in the half court. He’s a kid who has the strong, secure handle to dribble all through the defense, prodding for looks and staying patient. He’s really good getting in and out of his moves and has a deep enough bag to fool defenders with crosses and hesitations. Dawson was really good in the pick and roll and using his dribble to create passing lanes to guys near the hoop.
AJ started off the day winning the 1v1 portion of the showcase. He continued to dice defenders throughout the day and was one of the top assist guys of the afternoon. He’s a point guard with an incredible handle who can string two to three moves together and squirt through tight spaces in the interior. What has really helped AJ keep getting better is his improved jumper. It was most evident in the 1v1 portion of the showcase, where he drilled a number of threes from the top, but in the 5v5 section he was also able to diversify his drives to the hoop by incorporating more pullups from the elbows.
Pepper was super effective creating opportunities from each level. While his shot wasn’t as efficient from 3-point as we normally see from him, he was a big downhill threat throughout the showcase. He has a good mix of moves and fakes from the perimeter and looked pretty comfortable going either way. And while he doesn’t look extremely athletic at first glance, he showed great feet, a sticky pivot, and some big burst up to the rim. He showed off a good blend of handle, power, and quick-thinking that made him one of the top playmakers of the day.
McClure is a tough kid who shined as a key playmaker in big moments at the showcase. His ability to create off the dribble and towards the hoop had a tendency to mesmerize off-ball defenders who were more focused on preparing to help then sticking to their man. This ability to get to the rim helped create passing lanes for McClure who has the vision and skill to zip balls into tight passing windows. When the defense didn’t help, McClure got all the way to the rim and showed off a variety of finishes.