Recipe for Success: 7 Types of Winning Players in the 2023 Class

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>How do you build a winning team? What is the secret recipe for success?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I dug through the 2023 class like a chef in a pantry, searching for the perfect mix of players to build a winning team. There are many types of winning recipes, but these players possess key skills that translate to any lineup and are versatile ingredients in the winning formula. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are my seven types of winning players in the 2023 class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3><em>Dynamic Point Guard</em></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_6363010d5e31f","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1439241"],"_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_0_evaluation":"Gebers is a quick, confident, and hard-working point guard that can lead in a variety of ways. Consider him the veggies in our winning recipe. He can be the focal point, scoring from three, attacking the hoop and cashing in at the free throw line. Or he can be more of a side dish, running the offense, playing steady defense, and drawing defenders with his dribble to open space for cutters and shooters. Gebers is a big part of a Kennewick team that won their district playoffs last season before being knocked out at State by Auburn. He's the first ingredient in our winning recipe.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview"} /--> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3><em>The Hard Worker</em></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_636303fa5e320","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Shane Rivera","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'4u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77247","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Toppenish","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Central Washington Elite","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"This type of player is key to every winning team. He brings effort on the glass, versatility on defense, and has the potential to get you a few buckets too. Rivera is long and strong, moves his feet well, and is able to contribute in numerous ways. He's going to be the meat in our dish, giving his team the extra protein to play strong and physical where it matters. He's really an aggressive player on the boards and with his long reach and good athleticism, he's able to guard inside and on the wings. He has potential in his jumper too and when he's feeling it, can sink from the mid-range out to three-point, and hit consistently at the line. Rivera should take on an even bigger role this season after being named a first-team all-league player in the 1A SCAC last year.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"id":"block_6363156e5e327","name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/15994307/62889a2190fa1c05189fd199' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"align":"","mode":"preview"} /--> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3><em>Athlete with Size</em></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_636306745e321","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Donavin Young","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'7u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77247","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Chiawana","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Central Washington Elite","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"This one might seem like a no-brainer but by athlete I don't necessarily mean a player who is tall and can leap over defenses. Though Young offers some leaping and strong play at the rim, what stands out with him is his versatility and fluidity with the ball in his hands. His athleticism makes him a playmaker with the ball and creates mismatches with opposing teams. He's too quick and shifty for most bigs, and too long and strong for most guards. In that way, he's like the seasonings for our recipe. He can pepper in some threes, send back a shot and leave you salty, or hit you with the one-man fastbreak like your favorite barbeque blend. Chiawana was right on the cusp of beating some of the top teams in District 8 last season, so don't be surprised if you hear more from Young and the Riverhawks this winter.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"id":"block_636313b45e326","name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/16116624/629eb00c9a9c1f0ed00172af' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"align":"","mode":"preview"} /--> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3><em>Microwave Shooter</em></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_63630c325e322","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1439247"],"_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_0_evaluation":"A lot of people might argue with me here, but no winning dish is complete without some bread fresh out of the oven. That's where Abdulkadir comes in. He's our microwave shooter that is constantly rising, getting more comfortable and scoring more buckets as the game goes on. He's a lights-out shooter from three but can also wiggle his way to the hoop and score inside. With his shooting he's able to clean up a lot of mistakes and make up for some inefficient offense just like that roll on Thanksgiving coming in to mop up the remnants on your dinner plate. Abdulkadir is smooth on the shot off the dribble or on the catch and has the presence of mind to hold defenders on his hip as he drives to the hoop. Sammamish will lean heavily on the scoring guard again in 2022-23.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview"} /--> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3><em>Stretch Bigs</em></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_63630ecf5e323","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1493980"],"_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_0_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["1337190"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"These two forwards are the dairy we needed to take this recipe to the next level. Sure, we can make a good team without this type of player but like a hunky chunk of butter, or a splash of cream in the casserole, these two forwards elevate our recipe from good to great. Both Manville and Hu can do what you want your bigs to do; rebound, defend the rim, play physical basketball. What makes them special is their ability to not just wax from behind the arc but put the ball on the floor and attack the rim as well. Hu showed this last season at Newport and Manville has an opportunity to play a big role doing so for Union this season.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":2,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"preview"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/Evan_Manville/status/1540109581073846272","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Evan_Manville/status/1540109581073846272 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3><em>Three-Level Scorer</em></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"id":"block_636311565e325","name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1390807"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":1600396,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Pierre is the three-level scorer that keeps this team going. When the offense stalls, when the team needs a crucial bucket, they can turn to Pierre to get them back on track. He's like glass of water that washes the food down your gullet, refreshing the pallet and clearing the way for more. He's great going to the rim and uses his length to float shots above outstretched defenders or scoop layups around traffic. He can pullup from mid-range and sink jumpers or capitalize on lagging defense outside and nail the three ball. No winning team is complete without their go-to-guy and in this recipe, that guy is Pierre.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"align":"","mode":"edit"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"id":"block_636318285e328","name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/16014742/6266deff4deb47177c93612e' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"align":"","mode":"preview"} /-->