For the small schools in attendance, I wouldn’t blame a single coach for saying “We need the tall, lanky, athletic guy that can swat shots, defend bigs and guards, and dunks everything.”

In case you didn’t gather, that’s Lual Tharjiath Lual Tharjiath 6'6" | PF Carroll | 2026 State IA of Carroll. The program’s single-season record holder for blocks, it’s easy to glean why the 6-foot-6 senior averaged three per game during the season in northwest Iowa. A bouncy, long-framed athlette that can jump and get almost any lob in his general vicinity, Tharjiath is a walking highlight. He finished with 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the floor and added five rebounds.

Lual Tharjiath Lual Tharjiath 6'6" | PF Carroll | 2026 State IA showed his freak athleticism throughout this game. He was an absolute force in the paint and around the rim on both sides of the ball. He attacked defenders in the post and converted many post hooks, while also drawing many fouls around the rim. His post scoring ability combined with his elite vertical is the cause of his foul-drawing abilities. He flat out overwhelms defenders to the point they are forced to hack him. He was also insane on the glass in this game. He brought down a bountiful amount of rebounds on both sides of the floor with his length and leaping abilities. He mostly got offensive rebounds, though. On one of these offensive boards, he slammed through the rim with tons of power. His ability to vault through the air also allowed him to block many shots. He blocked jump shots on the perimeter and protected the rim. He chased down an opponent on the fast break and smacked his shot off the glass. His speed and fluidity really stood out on that play. Overall, he was an elite defender with his length, speed, agility, and leaping ability.