Midwest Mania’s Top Defenders

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Offensive prowess shows up on the stat sheet, but defense wins games more often than not. Let's recap some of the top defensive threats at Made Hoops' Midwest Mania:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2851899"],"_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-69dd54a2ba6a6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kam picked up 94-feet in Bates Fundamentals 15U's final matchup of the weekend. He seemed to have an endless of amount of energy to support his defensive play and his effort led to a lot of positivity down the stretch. I counted at least 4 steals on top of several deflections that all resulted from Kam's relentless ball pressure and quick instincts. He paired his defensive masterclass with solid output at the point guard spot – generating offense through high-level facilitation, court vision, and ball-handling skills.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3035854"],"_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-69dd54a2ba736"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Jeremiah was responsible for containing his competitor's best ball handlers in WV Gold 16U's first matchup of the weekend and he was very successful in his role. His hands are extremely quick which allowed him to force deflections and come up with several steals throughout the game. Somehow, Jeremiah's feet seemed even quicker than his hands, allowing him to contain the dribble while applying heavy ball pressure. His effort on defense sparked his offensive game through fast break opportunities.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2969745"],"_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-69dd54a2ba790"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">JaMylyn was one of the most vocal leaders on the court in [program_tooltip program_id='2135129' first='Griffin' last='Elite'] UA Rise 17U's first matchup at Midwest Mania. His presence was dominant and he caught an intense look in his eye when applying ball pressure to reiterate his mission. He has sneaky athleticism and movement patterns that allowed him to stay in front of his defender and jump passing lanes as needed. His effort resulted in several steals and deflections throughout the contest in addition to a significant level of contribution on the other end of the court.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2389668"],"_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-69dd54a2ba7e1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Gilvin was one of three players to finish with double figures in [program_tooltip program_id='2135129' first='Griffin' last='Elite'] 17U's Friday night matchup over the weekend. As one of Kentucky's top juniors, he's proven to be a high-level player with one of the most complete games in his class. He has an advanced understanding of the game and pairs it with quick instincts to put himself and his teammates in positions to succeed. His ability to apply tight ball pressure and use his quick hands to force deflections stood out in the contest.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3269118"],"_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-69dd54a2ba830"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Mason was one of the scrappiest guards I saw. His willingness to do the dirty work helped his team succeed against tough competition. His presence was active and in constant motion whenever he touched the court. He used intense ball pressure to contain his opponent and even disrupt the offense on several occasions. Probably the most impressive feature of his defensive abilities was his sneaky athleticism. He surprised the crowd in Ohio Bruins MHC 16U's first matchup on Sunday after blocking a shot attempt at the rim that appeared to be out of his reach.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->