Shapiro is a Swiss army knife that contributes to winning, hence the three-straight title game appearances for Whitman in his four-year career. The 6-foot-1 do-it-all guard spent time matched up against any position on the floor. His scrappy on-ball defense resulted in a few deflections and when he took on the task of guarding Oladotun or an opposing big, his ability to leverage and hold position effectively countered any assumed mismatch. Offensively he gets his buckets within the flow, takes advantage of driving lanes and can process the floor well as a live dribble distributor. The Wash U pledge finished with a busy stat line of eight points, six rebounds four assists and two steals.

-The senior sniper was a crucial piece for the Whitman Vikings this year as a movement shooter that took the RIGHT looks within the flow of the offense. Shapiro’s ability to turn down a contested 3, pass to a teammate, then V cut back out behind the line or sprint to the opposite side of the floor created a ton of open looks for himself and others within Coach Lun’s halfcourt offense. Whether he was hot or cold, he showed a good feel for taking the right looks and turned contested 3s into 1-dribble midrange jumpers that usually splashed through the net. His shooting and play-making was a big piece to the puzzle for a veteran group that played for a Montgomery County Championship.

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-On a night where the signature jumper wasn’t falling at its usual clip, Shapiro found ways to impact the game as a rebounder and off-ball mover to provide value for his Vikings team. Loved the timing of his cuts to the rim, waiting for the play to develop and his matchup to be distracted by help responsibilities to cut to open space and finish around the basket. Shapiro collected several hockey assists by keeping the ball moving around the horn, timed a nice weak-side block out of bounds as a helper midway through the 1H, and hit a dagger corner 3 that gave his team some hope late. Love that he never let his offense dictate his defensive energy as a loud communicator that sprinted to spots to contest shots or provide help.

Shapiro is the ultimate glue-guy as a senior leader who contributes in ways that box score wouldn’t be able to indicate. However, even in last night’s game, his stat line was a solid indication of his activity as he recorded 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists. He’s no stranger to diving on the floor for 50/50s, making the hockey assist or setting textbook off-ball screens that open up teammates for lay-ups. Whitman executed as they usually do in the half court and Shapiro darted passes to teammates cutting backdoor with crisp, on-target deliveries before the defense could recover. He won extra possessions for his team on the offensive glass and also knocked down a couple three’s in the contest.