Eastmark at ALA GN Standouts

On Thursday, Jan 16th I attended the match-up of 4A #7 ALA Gilbert-North hosting 4A #29 Eastmark. Both teams most likely will be in the 4A playoffs.   ALA GN proved to be a little further along to be more of a 4A title contender by winning 72-58.   I checked out all three levels with Freshman, JV and varsity.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Here were the standouts on the night </h2>   Freshman Game (69-43 Eastmark won)   [player_tooltip player_id='2675373' first='Austin' last='Zobell'] Eastmark    One of the top shooters in the freshman class has a pure stroke from the three point line with parking lot range. He also scores with mid-range jumpers, he cuts off the ball and will euro step with either hand. He will block shots and collects steals as he plays the passing lanes smartly. He scored 24 points in only 3 quarters. He also scored on Junior Varsity.   [player_tooltip player_id='2734768' first='Noah' last='Barlow'] Eastmark   A lean scoring guard with a little length and skill. He can hit the catch three in the corner and at the top of the key. He has one of those strokes that look good every attempt. He is also a good passer and an unselfish team player. He scored 11 points.   [player_tooltip player_id='2734770' first='Kadyn' last='Van Houten'] Eastmark   A scoring guard with some real skill. He can catch and shoot from the three point with a pretty touch. He will also score with layups getting to the basket. He is scrappy on defense to rebound and collect steals as he moves his feet well. He scored 8 points.    [player_tooltip player_id='2734780' first='Mustafa' last='Awad'] Eastmark   A defensive minded shooting guard is a very good on-ball defender and plays a very physical brand of ball with a stronger upper body. He will score with mid-range pull-ups off the dribble and likes driving the lane. He scored 4 points and also played on junior varsity.      [player_tooltip player_id='2734783' first='Spencer' last='Rath-Johnson'] Eastmark   A long and very lean post is a fluid mover from end to end. He blocks shots in his area and will get on the glass. He is definitely a work in progress but you obviously can't teach his size. He probably finished with 5 blocks off the bench.    [player_tooltip player_id='2734782' first='Maddox' last='Levesque'] ALA Gilbert-North    A combo guard with a high feel for the game. He will score with runners and perimeter jumpers. He will ball fake and rip thru to the basket with some elusiveness and get to the free throw line. He is nearly automatic from the line. He scored 8 points.    Jaxson Herbert PG 5'5 2028 ALA GN ALA Gilbert-North   A pure point guard is a highly skilled shooter with mid-range jumpers to the three point line off the catch. He can also pull-up and likes the floater game. He is undersized but he is a very good passer with a high IQ. He scored 9 points.    Junior Varsity Game (52-42 Eastmark won)   [player_tooltip player_id='2734884' first='Dayton' last='Bond'] Eastmark    A highly skilled scoring point guard. He has volleyball line range and he is a very good passer slipping the ball in. He can pull-up off the catch from the three point line and sprays the ball around to his teammates with pinpoint passes. He knows how to change speeds and never looks rushed. He will also get a step on his defender to the basket. He scored 12 points.     [player_tooltip player_id='2396184' first='Justin' last='Humphrey'] Eastmark    A bigger scoring lead who is improving his shooting. He can rattle in threes off the catch but is still best getting downhill. He will score with blow by takes and quick bursts to the basket slithering his way to the rim and will spin off of his defenders. He scored 13 points in only part of the JV game since he plays varsity most of the game. He scored 6 points on varsity.     [player_tooltip player_id='2734886' first='Coleman' last='Hoffpauir'] Eastmark   A good sized scoring guard is a catch and shoot specialist. He can pull-up and hit the three but is best off the catch. He will cut off the ball for layups and does some little things. He rebounds well and will close out to shooters to block their shot. He scored 10 points.    [player_tooltip player_id='2467778' first='Nash' last='Jensen'] ALA Gilbert-North    A scoring point guard is a little undersized but tough and skilled. He is a good passer threading the needle and is a quick on-ball defender. He will hit the three plus pull-up off the dribble from mid-range. He is very fast on the break with run-out layups and will give a triple threat and burst past his defenders to the basket. He scored 11 points. He also plays on varsity and he scored 3 points.   Varsity Game (72-58 ALA Gilbert-North won)   [player_tooltip player_id='2457665' first='Viktor' last='Babic'] ALA Gilbert-North   A highly skilled bigger wing. He has one of the prettier shooting strokes from the three point line in the state. The lefty will rattle them off one by one and actually got hot in this one with 8 made triples. He can also fall away from mid-range off the dribble and drive by his defender. He is a good passer up the court, he rebounds in his area and will block shots. He scored 27 points.    [player_tooltip player_id='1674466' first='Connor' last='Morris'] ALA Gilbert-North    A bigger sized wing is their senior leader. He shoots it well with mid-range pull-ups off the dribble, which is definitely his sweet spot. He is versatile on defense to rebound, collect steals and he is a sneaky good passer. He will also score it in the lane in traffic or get fouled. He scored 14 points.   [player_tooltip player_id='2325954' first='Isaac' last='Massey'] ALA Gilbert-North    A physical point guard is tough on-ball defender. He is very strong and tough. He will hustle for loose balls and a great rebounder in his area. He will score getting downhill to the basket and handling the lead guard role most of the night. He scored 8 points.   [player_tooltip player_id='2386977' first='Kyle' last='Speed Jr'] ALA Gilbert-North   A versatile wing forward plays and defends multiple positions. He scores with fall aways and will rip thru to the basket. He also happens to be one of the top rebounders pound per pound in the class. He has a big time motor and corralled about 7 unofficially while scoring 4 points.    [player_tooltip player_id='1482170' first='Aidan' last='Grant'] ALA Gilbert-North   A skilled scoring guard can shoot it from mid-range off the dribble with tough contested pull-ups. He takes pressure off of their top scorers and is always ready to fire away. He scored 4 points.     [player_tooltip player_id='2325957' first='Tanner' last='Morris'] ALA Gilbert-North   A skilled wing forward is a little undersized but tough. He scores a variety of ways with catch and shoot threes, cuts off the ball and will also pull-up from mid-range off the dribble. He rebounds well in his area and thinks the game. He scored 9 points.    [player_tooltip player_id='1193887' first='Rhys' last='Walcott'] Eastmark   A walking bucket poured in 36 points with 4 threes made. He had it all going in with runners, mid-range jumpers off the glass, pull-ups and catch threes and high level mid-range J's. He also has a deceptively quick burst to the basket to score plus will make plays for others.     [player_tooltip player_id='2734924' first='Dayne' last='Silver'] Eastmark   A two-sport freshman standout has good size with a strong base. He plays QB for the varsity team and also starts for the basketball team. He scores with inside buckets and offensive rebound put backs with a quick second jump. He rebounds out of his area and will block shots. He is a little raw but has physical tools you can't teach. He scored 5 points.      [player_tooltip player_id='2734925' first='Jayson' last='Paulo'] Eastmark   A high motored wing forward is a good rebounder in and out of his area. He scores it around the basket with high effort and will cut off the ball to score. He defended the 3-5 for the Firebirds and scored 7 points.   [player_tooltip player_id='2674658' first='Dylan' last='Gesner'] Eastmark   One of their many starting guards is a deep ranged shooter. He will drill deep threes off the catch or pull and he is an aggressive defender. He can block shots off the glass as an underrated athlete and sees the court well. He scored 3 points.

On Thursday, Jan 16th I attended the match-up of 4A #7 ALA Gilbert-North hosting 4A #29 Eastmark. Both teams most likely will be in the 4A playoffs.