Brawl for the Ball – Swarm 15U-1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sioux Falls, SD -</strong>&nbsp;On Saturday and Sunday, Prep Hoops hosted a variety of Midwest teams in Sioux Falls at the Brawl for the Ball. One team, Swarm, represented Iowa across age divisions. Here's a breakdown of their 15U - 1 squad. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3598100"],"_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-69f6566494ce9"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">An 8th-grader that was thrust into the primary ball-handler role after Swarm's starting guard went down three minutes into the first game of the day, George had quite the undertaking in Sioux Falls. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In a game where he and his teammates struggled after seeing their teammate leave with injury, George brough effort, defending all 94 feet. Getting into passing lanes and forcing turnovers, he also did what he could to get stops and force turnovers in transition. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Once he settled in offensively, George played well in the pick-and-roll with [player_tooltip player_id='3598294' first='Cohen' last='Howard']. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3598294"],"_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-69f6566494d67"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">One of my favorite prospects from the weekend, Howard immediately stood out for Swarm 15U.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Born without his right forearm, Howard is a 6-foot-4 8th-grader playing up a level. Needless to say, he makes it work. The lefty possesses soft touch and a killer spin move that affords him plenty of opportunities at the rim after blowing by posts his size and bigger. On top of the spin move, Howard is able to put the ball on the floor and finish on either side of the rim. "The most coachable kid" according to the Swarm staff, Howard is a tough defender, too, using his body well and serving as the center of the defense in the 2-3 zone. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3599781"],"_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-69f6566494dc5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">One of the other bigs on the squad, Gavin Langley of Dakota Valley -- just outside the Iowa border -- provided some much-needed help and size alongside Howard. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>More thick and sturdier than a player that's as tall as Howard, Langley played well under the basket physically. Unafraid of contact, able to put the ball on the floor and fight for boards, Langley got a body on opponents and was a rebounding machine in stretches for Swarm. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3598171"],"_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-69f6566494e2e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Out of West Monona, and a sophomore this year, [player_tooltip player_id='3598171' first='Kingston' last='Lichtenberg'] played each of the 15U, 16U and 17U levels for Swarm in Sioux Falls. Another physical speciment that possesses rare length, Lichtenberg is a switchable defender that can matchup with both guards and bigs. Bringing 100% effort every second he's on the court, Lichtenberg had to be one of the more physically fit players in Sioux Falls, considering how much he saw the floor in all three age groups.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With a head fake that gets defenders up in the air around the rim, Lichtenburg was effective at the cup and as a screener on defense. He effectively uses his length to finish over and around defenders. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3598121"],"_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-69f6566494e8d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A spot up shooter in the corner, [player_tooltip player_id='3598121' first='Landon' last='Kooiker'] was most dangerous when the defense collapsed and he was afforded an opportunity at an open shot.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Whether it was Howard or Lichtenberg in the middle, or a player like George drawing the defense to him on the attack, Kooiker was ready on the perimeter to rise and fire. With a smooth, high release, the 6-foot shooter was a pure shooter that had to be accounted for by opposing defenses. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->