Players You Need to Know From The Great Lakes Closer

If you lose [player_tooltip player_id='2850774' first='Evan' last='Bekius'] behind the three-point line, you might as well start jogging back on defense.   The shot is real.   But here's what I liked most: he doesn't play like a kid chasing highlights or forcing offense.   Bekius plays within the game. He moves without the basketball, attacks hard closeouts, makes extra passes, and understands spacing better than most players his age.   At 6-foot-5 with legitimate shooting ability and good feel for the game, that's a combination worth paying attention to.   Quite frankly, he was probably the best overall player I saw all day.     [player_tooltip player_id='3594189' first='Brayden' last='Cook'] is one of those players coaches appreciate more every quarter.   The shooting grabs your attention first because that's the obvious skill.   Then you start noticing the cuts, the screens, the timing, the spacing and the basketball IQ.   The little things matter.   Cook understands how to create advantages without dominating the basketball. He plays within structure and rarely forces the issue.   At 6-foot-6 with perimeter shooting and feel, there's a lot to like here.     There aren't many freshmen walking around at 6-foot-6 who embrace physical basketball the way [player_tooltip player_id='3581284' first='Evan' last='Tyler'] does.   This kid wants contact.   He seals defenders early, establishes position deep in the paint, finishes through bodies and shows surprisingly soft touch around the basket.   The footwork stood out. The hands stood out.   And perhaps most importantly, he converts free throws consistently, which is usually a good sign for long-term development.   If he continues growing physically and adding offensive polish, good luck.     [player_tooltip player_id='3691425' first='Aleks' last='Ryglewicz'] can really shoot it.   Spot-up threes.   Movement shooting.   Coming off screens.   Pick your poison.   But what impressed me most was that he's much more than a shooter.   He's patient offensively, sees the floor well, moves without the basketball and consistently makes the extra pass.   Players who can stretch defenses while still making winning plays are valuable at every level.   Ryglewicz checks a lot of boxes.     Largely James is a basketball Swiss Army knife.   Need scoring?   He can do that.   Need someone to initiate offense?   No problem.   Need somebody to pressure the defense downhill and get to the foul line?   Absolutely.   James plays in attack mode almost every possession and his handle allows him to create separation whenever he decides to be aggressive.   The jumper is still developing, but defenders can't simply ignore him either.   He's the type of player that changes the energy of a game with how hard he plays."     Some guards score.   Some guards defend.   [player_tooltip player_id='3538550' first='Zamari' last='Grant'] does both.   He takes pride in guarding the opposing team's best perimeter player and competes every possession like somebody insulted his family before tip-off.   Offensively, he can score from all three levels and does a really good job balancing scoring with facilitating.   Most importantly, he understands how to run a team.   That's not common at this age.     If you're a point guard and [player_tooltip player_id='3539388' first='Jamariante' last='Anderson'] picks you up full court, your afternoon probably just became significantly less enjoyable.   The pressure is relentless.   He jumps passing lanes, creates deflections and constantly makes opposing guards uncomfortable.   Offensively, he keeps things simple and efficient.   He makes reads, gets teammates involved and attacks downhill aggressively when opportunities present themselves.   Winning player.   Plain and simple.     EJ Rosado might have the shiftiest handle in the building.   Seriously.   The ball looks attached to his hand sometimes.   That herky-jerky pace keeps defenders guessing and allows him to get downhill almost whenever he wants.   He's also advanced in pick-and-roll situations and already understands angles that many young guards simply don't see yet.   The jumper will continue improving.   The creativity already exists.     Kenneth Pierce is one of those guys who impacts the game without needing plays called for him.   He runs the floor hard.   Cuts with purpose.   Defends.   Blocks shots.   Creates deflections.   One of his best plays came on a spin move through contact that turned into an and-one finish and showcased some real upside offensively.   The handle still needs tightening.   The potential absolutely jumps off the floor.     If basketball had a cruise control setting, [player_tooltip player_id='2850784' first='Lucas' last='Warczinsky'] plays in it.   And I mean that as a compliment.   He never looks sped up.   He organizes offenses, gets teammates into sets and consistently makes the simple play instead of the flashy one.   His midrange game is solid, he's comfortable in pick-and-roll situations and he isn't afraid of contact around the basket.   Every team needs a steady hand.   Warczinsky provides exactly that.     Javon Phillips plays with patience that you don't often see from younger guards.   He controls pace, keeps defenders on his hip and rarely looks rattled.   He's naturally pass-first, but don't let that fool you.   When Phillips decides to attack, he has the quickness to get downhill quickly and pressure the rim.   The finishing consistency will improve with time.   The feel for the game is already there.     Every team needs a [player_tooltip player_id='3691509' first='Miam' last='Moore'].   The stat sheet may not always scream his value, but coaches notice it immediately.   He rebounds.   Boxes out.   Sets screens.   Protects the paint.   Runs the floor.   Creates extra possessions.   The offensive game is still developing and the jumper remains a work in progress, but the effort, toughness and willingness to embrace dirty work translate to winning basketball at every level.   Those players matter more than people realize.     Crow had six threes in one game.   Honestly, that tells you most of what you need to know.   The confidence is sky high and the release is quick.   If he catches it with space, he's firing.   He's more comfortable operating from the perimeter than attacking the basket, but his movement without the basketball and ability to stretch defenses make him dangerous.   Shooters change games.   Crow can absolutely do that.