Prep Hoops Sweet 16: Top Defenders
The inaugural Prep Hoops Sweet 16 was a success! We had some great teams/players competing, resulting in some very entertaining games. Here are the top defenders from the event:
Jeron Artest (Hillcrest 2020):
Artest was all over players this weekend. He was moving very well, side to side, staying with his assignment. He absolutely locked up on defense. He had a lot of steals that led to break away dunks and even had a couple of big time blocks.
JJ White (Ironwood 2021):
JJ White is an excellent perimeter defender, who is afraid of no one. It doesn’t matter if he is playing a nationally ranked player or a unknown one, he is going to pressure them throughout the game with the same fire and intensity. He has great long arms and quick feet that allow him to shut players down on the perimeter.
Anthony Garza (Shadow Ridge 2020):
Anthony Garza has great size and length but this is not why he is a great defender, sure it helps but the number one reason he is on the list is because of communication. Every single play, you can hear him talking to his teammates and yelling out screens and where the ball is moving. This may sound extremely fundamental but when communication is done the way Garza does it, it is a huge help to his team.
JaQuan Moore (Shadow Ridge 2020):
Moore is a very gritty defender, always trying to get inside the head of his opponents. He is a true competitor and lets his opponent know that they are in for a long day when guarded by him. Some may call it “trash talking” but I call it playing with passion and confidence in your ability.
Emmanuel Taban (Apollo 2019):
Taban lands on this list mainly for his help side defense. Of course he has great length and athleticism that makes him an immediate impact on defense but his understanding of the game puts him on another level. He was able to rotate on defense very nicely and pick up open opponents. His help side defense was refreshing to see in a world where highlight blocks are seemingly more valuable than defensive stops.
Ajang Aguek (Taylor Made 2019):
Ajang is super long and is a lot more athletic than people think. He can play either wing or in the post along with being able to defend either wings or big men. He is pretty solid defending guards but is most suited to guard 3-5. He turned a lot of shots away and used his long arms to tip a lot of balls in the passing lane.
Tyrese Eugene (Taylor Made 2019):
Tyrese is an athletic freak and uses these traits in his favor on defense. He is very fast and extremely strong, maybe the strongest guard in the entire event. Due to his physical traits, it makes him a nightmare for opponents offensively and defensively. He’s able to use his strength to bully opponents and speed to rotate and close out very effectively.