Dirty Work: Big School Bigs

<p>Not every guy gets to attempt 20 shots a game. Not everyone runs the point. But there are a whole lot of jobs that must be done for a team to succeed. Team-first guys do the dirty work that it takes to win. And often they miss out on the spotlight.</p> <p>Here are a few big school bigs who do some of that dirty work (in alphabetical order):</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="891913" first="Jaron" last="Briggs"], 6-foot-4 forward, 2022, Piper:</p> <p>Briggs sort of defies a position. He has the ball skills of a guard, and the athleticism to play anywhere. But at 6-foot-4 and with his powerful physique, he can fit the ‘big’ category for this exercise. He overpowers opponents in the lane, and ripped down 7.5 rebounds as a junior. He works hard at both ends, and picked up 2.5 steals last year. Because he runs with incredibly talented club teams, Briggs is a Swiss Army knife, filling in gaps and doing the dirty work.</p> <p><strong>Aron Davis</strong>, 6-foot-3 forward, 2023, Seaman:</p> <p>Davis really came on as a sophomore for the Vikings, having some really impressive games against top opponents. With a collection of talented guards around him, Davis focuses on the grunt work, battling older players in the post and chasing down plays. He averaged 6.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2 blocks, which was especially impressive when you consider he wasn’t a full-time member of the varsity.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1212148" first="Easton" last="Ewing"], 6-foot-6 forward, 2023 Independence:</p> <p>Ewing exploded on the scene as a sophomore, earning third-team 4A honors. He is a talented all-around performer, but he excelled in the dirty-work categories. Ewing was one of the leading rebounders in the state with13.5 per game. He also swatted 2.6 shots as a sophomore.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1080194" first="Brian" last="Perry"] 6-foot-4 guard, 2023, Andover (pictured):</p> <p>Somewhat similar to Briggs, Perry can do just about everything, and he guards every position on the floor. He is a standout athlete who focused on all the supporting roles for the deep and talented Andover club last year. He grabbed 6.1 rebounds and picked off 1.6 steals per game.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1195607" first="Cooper" last="Schwieger"], 6-foot-9 forward, 2022, Blue Valley Southwest:</p> <p>Schwieger is steadily rising among the 2022 class, primarily because he does so many of the thankless things. He runs the floor to clean up misses, and to defend in transition. He picked up 6.0 rebounds a game last year, and threatens a lot of shots. He swatted 1.8 per game as a junior.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1076398" first="Noah" last="Simmons"], 6-foot-8 center, 2022, Valley Center:</p> <p>Not flashy, but super fundamental and productive, Simmons defends the post and menaces every driver. As a junior, he grabbed 5.4 rebounds and blocked 1.6 shots. Simmons shows off his hard-nosed approach on the club scene too, supporting his teammates and making smart, physical plays.</p>