Film Study: Guards & Wings

Ryan Morgan August 21, 2023 @ 02:34 PM

A while back I made a request for film on Twitter to study and fill the time until the winter season starts. These kids answered the call and I was honestly impressed with the footage they sent in. I was pretty familiar with the older kids and got to see the progress they've made over the summer. As for the freshmen, it was great to get a look at some incoming players, and Kan and Gatlin are a couple of very promising 2027s.   [player_tooltip player_id='1450957' first='Braeden' last='Salme'] Adna '24   Salme was an all-around player last season for Adna, scoring the ball, rebounding, defending, and spreading the ball around. It's easy to see why he was so successful; he is an above-average shooter, working from 3-point and with a strong mid-range pull-up. He's poised with the ball, controlled with the dribble, and patient when working around defenders and getting penetration inside. Defensively, he has pretty good feet but has really good hips to turn and stick with ballhandlers.   [player_tooltip player_id='1937958' first='Anthony' last='Williams'] Highline '25   I saw a little bit of Williams earlier in the spring where he showed some strength getting to the rim and an ability to rebound well and take kids off the dribble from the perimeter. This time around he looked a lot more explosive, even rising up for a transition dunk from straight on. He played a bit out of position as a big this summer, but Williams is a wing that can get inside with the dribble, get to two feet and make some good decisions to either attack the rim or kick the ball out and keep it moving.   [player_tooltip player_id='1936885' first='Edison' last='Kan'] Bellevue Christian '27   Kan is a solid player who played up with [program_tooltip program_id='2076514' first='Local' last='Hoops']' 15u Adidas team. He's an all-around contributor and a team player that stays active across the board and didn't look at all out of place with the older kids. He already has decent size and strength for his age, demonstrates a good feel for the game, moves well without the ball, and when he has it, he's eyes up and ready to make plays. He's one to watch and can help his team in a lot of ways.   [player_tooltip player_id='1728357' first='Kona' last='Resseau'] Sound Christian '26   The stocky guard is a drive-and-kick type of player. He wants to get downhill with the ball and finish from either side, or draw an extra defender, get the defense shifting, and find a teammate in a good spot. He has a pretty good handle already and uses a good mix of moves to free himself from his man before darting down the lane. He can make some plays defensively too with quick hands and an aggressive mindset.   [player_tooltip player_id='1728379' first='Makai' last='Resseau'] Sound Christian '25   The older Resseau is a lefty shooter who can get it off quick from deep and will usually make you pay if you don't stay close on him. He showed some pretty good straight-line speed when handling the ball in transition and can also do some playmaking when he gets to zero.   Xavier Gatlin Lakeside '27   Gatlin is another mature freshman coming in who looks ready to contribute. He's an efficient outside shooter, knocks down the freebies at the line, and attacks with a good mix of inside and outside shots. He's pretty poised with the ball, confidently makes decisions on the perimeter, and shows an effective floater from the baseline or the middle. I like his athleticism too and he's solid enough in just about every facet to perhaps have a decent impact right out of the gates at Lakeside.

A while back I made a request for film on Twitter to study and fill the time until the winter season starts. These kids answered the call and I was honestly impressed with the footage they sent in. I was pretty familiar with the older kids and got to see the progress they've made over the summer. As for the freshmen, it was great to get a look at some incoming players, and Kan and Gatlin are a couple of very promising 2027s.