Playoff Preview: 5 Key Guys to Keep Eyes on in D1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Alright, here are five guys that are pivotal to team success. Might not be the #1 guy on their squad, but they're all-important cogs and players that'll change a game. Check in!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2396750' first='Rex' last='Hauser'], 6'5 W - St. Johnsbury Academy Class of 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The thing I love most about Rex is that he does everything. Hauser's versatility defensively can't be understated; he guards 1-5, rebounds everything, and is so disruptive out of St. J's zone. Moreover, he's a coast-to-coast threat as a scorer and as a distributor, taking advantage of transition opportunities often. His 3-ball is all there, gets to the rim well, and is an intuitive off-ball player with his cutting into gaps. Smart, tons of hustle, and will give you something in every stat column. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2325846' first='Abdi' last='Sharif'], 6'4 G - Rice Memorial H.S. Class of 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>More often than not, Abdi is tasked with defending the opponent's best perimeter player. His fullcourt denial and pressure wears on players over the course of 32 minutes, taking the ball out of their hands and making them work for every catch. Plus, he's a consistent rebounder and seeks to advance to shooters and rim runners without hesitation. Offensively, Sharif's a sound facilitator and a good scorer in the second layer with his finishing and short-range jumper. Athletic and savvy on both ends. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1850193' first='Kyle' last='Eaton'], 5'9 G - Champlain Valley Union H.S. Class of 2024</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The organizer of the offense, Kyle gets CVU into their stuff and they run it sharply. Eaton's footwork and ballhandling provide him the ability to handle pressure whilst facilitating, and at times he gets special coverages thrown at him because of his shooting touch. That being said, he works well off the ball, utilizing screens well to find space for his quick trigger J. On the defensive end, teams don't often target him because he's a pesky on-ball defender and his quickness keeps him in front. It's worth noting, Kyle was the top-scorer in CVU's title game last year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Dez Krakowka, 6'4 W - Rutland H.S. Class of 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A new addition to Rutland this year, Dez has been a critical component of RHS' squad. His versatility as an offensive player is obvious. Dez does a bit of everything; he can play bully ball in the post and score on the blocks, he hits jumpers well off the catch and off the bounce and is a fantastic distributor with his court vision + size. On the other end, Krakowka can defend 2-5, disrupt offenses inside and out, plus rebound and play-make in transition. So solid on either end of the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2453004' first='Deng' last='Aguek'], 6'3 G - South Burlington H.S. Class of 2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There's no doubt about Deng's impact. The combo-guard is lengthy and athletic, and it directly translates to tough decisions for opponents. He's bothersome on the ball, making shots + passes tough, and can jump passing lanes away from the rock. His rebounding has been of the utmost importance for a guard heavy SB team, often closing in on nearly 10 a game. And we haven't even gotten to his offense. He makes good reads, knowing when to pass, drive, or fire. A strong 2-level scorer with a mid-range coming along. Look out. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->