National Open Championship: Paint Protectors and Scorers 15U

The importance of performing in the paint was a priority on both ends of the court. These players scored and protected the inside of the paint at the highest level.    This was the freest I have ever seen Niko play. When I first watched him play last summer, he was on a team that was guard dominant. With team Multiplier, he can showcase his talents all over the court. Offensively, Niko has become stronger than he was last year. He scored a high percentage of his shots in the paint. (Sometimes through contact) I was surprised to see Niko grab a defensive board and take it coast-to-coast for a contested lay-up. He showed his agility throughout the game. Whether it was beating opponents to the basket, knocking down perimeter jumpers or blocking shots, Niko was effective at every facet of the game. In some instances, he finished with dunks and acrobatic scores in the paint. As I said, these kinds of plays were totally unexpected. Defensively, he excelled at protecting the paint and making scoring a difficult task for the opposition. With his overall improvement as a player, I expect Niko to shine throughout his Sophomore season.      Mo is what I call a “glue guy.” This young man literally does everything for his team. If Multiplier needs scoring, Mo gives it to them. Whenever they needed a crucial rebound, he battles for it. If the team needs him to make plays defensively, Mo gets it done. He's a strong low post player who uses his size and strength to effectively score in the paint. Whenever he established a position in the post, more than likely it led to points. Mo was awesome at working the offensive glass and scoring put-backs around the basket. He also showed the ability to knock down mid-range jumpers when given the opportunity. Mo is an outstanding interior post defender. I watched him lock down a player four inches taller by using his strong base to push his opponent off his spot. Mo is a great all around player who is destined to be successful.      Caden has the capability of playing with power and finesse. He scores in the low post by taking advantage of smaller defenders. Most of his touches in the paint led to high percentage shots. Caden is a great perimeter shooter with the ability to extend his range beyond the three-point line. He knocked down three in the match-up against Pack Basketball 15U. Caden is a great rebounder! He attacks the glass with the same ferociousness as he did when he looked to score. Caden is an excellent teammate. He sets screens, plays physical and continuously makes the right play. I watched a composed player with a high basketball IQ. In my opinion, he's a new age power forward who is capable of being a duo threat offensively. With his skills, I expect Caden to play a vital role in his team's success during his Sophomore season.      Keller is an athletic player who excelled at playing defense, blocking shots and scoring inside the paint. During the game against Legacy Ice Boost, he dominated the offensive and defensive boards. Keller is a well rounded player who hustled to make a difference everywhere on the floor. He showed a knack for making tough shots in the paint. Many of those scores led to three-point play opportunities from the foul-line. Keller showed off his athleticism with a couple of dunks in transition. The big man surprised me when he stepped outside the paint and nailed a three-pointer. I was not expecting him to take a three because of all his success in the paint. Keller was a major presence in the paint. He blocked numerous shots and redirected most attempts coming his way. Keller is a great defensive player who has the capability of being an offensive threat when he needs to be.     Stephon is an athletic player who leaps out of the gym! I cannot count the amount of blocks and dunks he completed over the weekend. He's a great rebounder who has excellent timing and a quick second jump. This allowed him to grab boards even when it looked like his opponent had more of a chance of grabbing it. Watching Stephon rebound was like watching the great Dennis Rodman attack the glass. In the match-up against Legacy Ice Boost he finished the game with a near double-double. (8 points, 12 rebounds) The majority of his points came from cleaning up his teammates missed shots around the basket. One of those scores was a high-flying dunk driving into the lane. Stephon is an elite defender who used his athleticism to block shots at a high level. I watched him turn away opposing players countless times. Against Legacy Ice Boost he finished the game with four blocks. In my opinion, Stephon is raw offensively. If his scoring ability ever catches up with his defensive skills, this young man will be a serious problem for opposing players and coaches.      Mason has grown and matured as a player since I watched him play a year ago. During the Illinois Middle School camp, Mason played in the post, handled the ball, rebounded and defended. His overall play this past weekend was more advanced in comparison to last year. He's now 6'6 as compared to being 6'4 last year. Mason continues to be a great scorer in the post. He used a variety of moves to be effective in the paint. Whether it was grabbing offensive rebounds, scoring put-backs, knocking down fade-aways or using spin-moves, Mason was a threat offensively. He continues to have a nice handle of the basketball. There was an instance, when he used a nice dribble move to free himself for an open three-pointer. Mason's biggest improvement is his ability to shoot. He's found a way of becoming a legitimate threat as compared to last year. Mason showed more confidence shooting threes and short perimeter shots than ever before. Whenever a shot was available, he showed no hesitation. On defense, he continues to be an opposing presence for offensive players. He blocks shots and challenges everyone attempting to score in the paint. Mason is a special player who has a chance of becoming elite as he continues to progress.      I truly enjoyed watching this young man play over the weekend. Derrick played the center position like most big men in today's game. I told him after the game he reminded me of Zach Randolph. Z-Bo was nibble for his size and showed the ability to dominate in the paint or make perimeter shots. Derrick plays the game of basketball with those same traits. He was great at dominating smaller players in the post. He used a variety of moves to be effective around the basket. Derrick was also a threat from the three-point line. In the match-up against Powerhouse MN 15U, he knocked down multiple threes and numerous shots from mid-range. He's a hardworking player who gave maximum effort on both ends of the court. Derrick is an excellent rebounder. Especially on the offensive side of the ball. Whenever his teammates missed, Derrick was always there to grab the board and score the basket. He's a solid player, with a bright future in the game of basketball.     I enjoyed watching Jayden dominate the boards. He excelled at rebounding on both ends of the court. Jayden attacked the glass with the same ferocity as he did on offense. A number of his scores came from grabbing offensive rebounds and scoring around the basket. Jayden is the ultimate team player who does whatever the team needs. Whether its scoring, taking charges, assisting or defending, he consistently made plays. Jayden battled his opponents for every rebound he got his hands on. He showed a nice shooting touch from mid-range. Jayden knocked down a couple of pull-up jumpers and extended his range beyond the arch on numerous occasions. Defensively, he protected the paint and guarded smaller players on the perimeter. He blocked multiple shots and forced numerous turnovers. Jayden is a great all around player who will easily transition into high school basketball next fall.

The importance of performing in the paint was a priority on both ends of the court. These players scored and protected the inside of the paint at the highest level.