Texas Freshman Showcase: Two-Way Players

It's always wonderful to find players that can compete at a high level on both ends of the floor at such a young age. The group of student athletes below showed they can do just that at the Texas Freshman Showcase over the weekend.    Ari is a physical, fearless combo guard that will put his team on his back whenever needed. He has the clutch gene that can be so hard to find at times, and he consistently makes the right plays on both ends of the court. He's high-energy on the glass and regularly racks up second opportunities at the rim. He has a pretty touch on his drives and can make some of the most difficult shots appear easy. He uses the backboard effectively to frustrate opposing bigs with buckets no matter how far they reach to block his attempts. He's got range to knock down the three ball with consistency and he has fantastic hands defensively. He's not afraid to take charges and sacrifice his body if it gets his team closer to victory.     Malachi is a smart, collected combo guard that see the floor incredibly well and quickly finds opportunities most would miss initially. He stretches the floor nicely with his three-point range and the ability to snatch extra points off the glass in the paint. He has a knack for finding his cutters instantly and placing the ball in their hands with such precision that they never break stride on their way to another bucket. He stays in front of his assignments defensively and never takes a play off on either end of the floor.     Braylen is a tenacious, speedy point guard that can change the momentum of a game all by himself. He has the ability to do this because of the decisions he makes on both ends of the floor. It almost seems as if he sees the game unfolding quicker than his peers and can make split-decisions with unbelievable accuracy. He has great hands and is always fighting opposing bigs for boards in the key. He's an excellent passer off the dribble and he never seems to get tired. He's fearless and will do whatever it takes to win, including putting his body on the line and racking up charges that turn into extra possessions for his squad. His 1:1 defense is spectacular and he regularly leaves his assignments exhausted and frustrated.     Kash is a solid, smart forward that makes impact plays on both ends while not afraid to do the dirty work on top of it. He has a solid frame and can hang with big, strong opponents easily. He has a keen awareness when it comes to identifying opportunities and he's a great passer with impressive precision. He has great touch on his jumper and pairs it with the ability to get physical and score inside. He switches incredibly well and fights over picks nicely. He's patient and he listens to teammates any time it can get them closer to a win. He's not a complainer in the least and he shows good sportsmanship on the floor. His footwork is impressive and allows him to work his way into high-percentage attempts consistently.     Gabriel is a quick, clever shooting guard that positively affects the game on both ends with and without the ball. He's a skilled passer with excellent vision and judgment, regularly setting his teammates up with high-percentage shots at the rim. He moves well without the ball and knows how to get to his favorite spots on the floor where shots become nearly automatic. His stamina is excellent and he never stops hustling on the glass, getting physical whenever necessary to obtain the rock. He has an impressive mid-range game and doesn't settle for threes too quickly. He has the smarts to always pass up a good shot for a great one.

It's always wonderful to find players that can compete at a high level on both ends of the floor at such a young age. The group of student athletes below showed they can do just that at the Texas Freshman Showcase over the weekend.