1A/2B/1B Under the Radar Defenders

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We are taking a deeper dive into some under-the-radar defenders playing in the lower classifications of Washington. These kids can play and are going to be some important names to follow this season who all will play crucial roles for some of the top teams in their classifications.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2174677' first='Darius' last='Imperial'] <em>Lakes</em> 3.8 SPG, 61 Steals</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Imperial was a big piece of Life Chrisitan's high-pressure defense last season. He's a scrappy guard who can fly around and play with a big motor. He's quick, flies around defensively, and does a great job slipping around screens off the ball to stay close to his man. He had 5+ steals in eight games and had at least two steals in all but three of their regular season games. He's at Lakes now but should continue to be an impact player on both ends of the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1863248' first='Remington' last='Paz'] <em>Liberty Bell </em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Paz is a strong guard who not only plays tough perimeter defense but also does a great job contesting layups without fouling and can contribute a bit on the glass. He has great feet, can play extended defense and stays with ballhandlers through multiple turns. He can get strong hands in on the ball but also plays disciplined defense, not biting on many fakes, and has the ability to push after turnovers for quick opportunities on the other end.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Makyah Chambers</strong> <em>Neah Bay</em> 3.0 SPG, 76 Steals</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Chambers helped lead Neah Bay to a fifth-place finish at last year's 1B tournament. He's a factor on both ends, leading them in scoring at 14.2 points per game, and second on the team in steals (3.0). He's a crucial player at the top of their zone, flying to make rotations, denying passing lanes to the open man, and remaining active with hands and feet to make ballhandlers feel the pressure. The Red Devils lost just one player from their squad last season and Chambers will help them compete for another deep run in the 1B this winter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Finn Lapointe</strong> <em>Freeman </em>2.4 SPG, 65 Steals</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>He's a sneaky athlete who guards multiple positions with his size, strength, and mobility. Does a good job recognizing his advantages and disadvantages in certain matchups and really stays locked in throughout possessions to make sure they finish it out before he gets going the other way. Plays DHO's and ball screens aggressively, shooting up if the offense gives any space, and shows good awareness off the ball to help when needed. He was called on to guard the other squad's top players at certain moments throughout the year and could take a big leap forward this season on both ends.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Trey Hodo</strong> <em>Summit </em>4.2 SPG, 79 Steals</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hodo is a key guy for Summit across the board and of all the guys they have returning, he is second in points (15.0), first in assists (4.6), and first in steals (4.2) on a per-game basis. He shows great awareness off the ball to stay in positions to make plays and get an extra jump on swings and rotations. He's good at reading the ballhandler's intentions while also keeping track of his assignment to cut off passing lanes and create turnovers. He's active, recovers well, and will be a big reason Summit should make some noise again in the 1B.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->