Houston Heat Check: High IQ Bigs

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There was a lot of great decision-making on the floor this past weekend at Houston Heat Check. Below are some key big men that displayed not only a high IQ on the court, but significant impact in several areas of their games.</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":3599165,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Isaac Ezekiel","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_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":"77247","_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_program":"Gulf Coast Elite","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69e7ad6e2ccec"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Isaac may not be your traditional big man, but I included him here because he's so versatile - he can play multiple positions, and he can hang with most bigs because of his strength, hustle, and speed. He has great defensive hands and can snatch the ball from any forward or center that doesn't have their ballhandling in order. He recognizes opportunities quickly on both ends and never hesitates to capitalize on them. Ezekiel is a high flyer, consistently grabbing offensive rebounds, stacking putbacks, and dunking on anyone in his way. I love his maniacal defense. He embraces the full court press and makes simply getting the ball across half court incredibly difficult for his opponents.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- 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":3599210,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Reed Jacobson","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2028","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'4u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77247","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"St. Thomas","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"Runnin Bulls","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69e7ad6e2cda0"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Reed can hang with players his senior because of his awareness and movement without the ball on the court. He has a nice post game and can create his own shots with patience and solid footwork. He's a nice finisher at the rim and he has great anticipation when it comes to interrupting opposing passing lanes and taking the rock in for a freebie on the fast break. He does an excellent job on the offensive glass, and he gets to his high-percentage shooting spots with ease making it easy for his guards to find him. He has a solid mid-range jumper and he's long enough to hoist it over most of his competitors without struggle.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2555085"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69e7ad6e2ce20"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Anderson is an imposing force in the paint with a long frame and strong build. He's dominant on the glass on both ends of the court - regularly making offensive rebounds and extra possessions look easy. He stands taller than many of his competitors and this combined with his physicality gives him the edge when it comes to racking up putbacks in the key. He's a fierce defender, constantly stacking deflections, blocks, and steals. He's not afraid of absorbing or inflicting contact - he's incredibly tough and isn't shaken easily whatsoever. He has a nice ability to execute high-percentage shots in the post, and he sets great picks for his speedy guards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2819532"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69e7b09870406"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Daylon has a solid frame and a fantastic defensive presence that his opponents do not take lightly. His long wingspan allows him to block shots to the moon, and he revels in those opportunities. Speedy guards don't have anything on him because of how smart he is defensively. He doesn't bite on weak pump fakes, he doesn't panic if he gets blown by, he simply adjusts and gets the rejection on the back end of the play. Jackson is fantastic insurance to have down low for any of his guards wanting to take risks on defense. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- 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":3599198,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Jeremiah Levi","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'8u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77243","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Houston Legacy School of Sport Sciences","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"[program_tooltip program_id='2075308' first='Beast' last='Elite']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-69e7b09870492"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Jeremiah is a solid player that makes an impressive impact on both ends of the floor. He's an excellent enforcer in the paint, constantly cleaning the glass and altering and blocking shots from the opposition. He has a great knack for seizing opportunities to strip the ball and battle for extra possessions via jump balls or quick steals. He feasts on the offensive glass and gets second and third-chance opportunities consistently. He's a reliable finisher in the paint with great skills in the post paired with nice footwork ability.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->