What Stood Out: Perimeter Defense

Kaplan is a steady lead guard that knows how to run an offense, picking his spots as a scorer and facilitator. A little out of the norm for him, he also struggled to make shots from the perimeter in this game. But what was really impressive was that he didn’t let that deter from his effort on the defensive end of the floor. He did a great job of guarding at the point of attack and making opposing ball-handlers work for every inch. He moves well laterally, with really quick feet, and has the strength needed to be physical on the ball. His fight level in ball screens was terrific and he repeatedly forced the opponent to pick up his dribble without getting to his spot.

Kaplan is a flamethrower with a quick, beautiful shot release. He can get his shot off by creating for himself or coming off screens and moving off the ball. I really enjoyed watching him operate in the pick and roll as a facilitator; he split a couple double teams very nicely and is able and willing to make all the passes you’d want a PG to make. Defensively, Kaplan plays hard and slides his feet well, though he’s a bit undersized. His ability to play both on and off the ball will help him succeed at Emory University moving forward.

Kaplan is a strong and sturdy point guard who doesn’t have a problem handling defensive ball pressure on the perimeter. He can shoot the ball from three and also drive to the paint and finish high off the glass. He won’t fly high for finishes but he’s confident with the ball and can run your offense. I would imagine Kaplan will get some D3 looks as a steady pass-first point guard and shooter. Curious to see how he plays this year at Belmont Hill.