Valcin is the type of player who can make a crucial play in just about any situation at any time. This was fully evident last week against Todd Beamer as Valcin made plays passing, defending, scoring, and rebounding. He had a couple of near full court passes that went for assists, then another touch pass off of an OOB play that led to a 3 at the halftime buzzer. Aside from his passing, he was trailing plays to make big blocks on defense, came up with some nice follows and put-backs on the offensive end, and was working hard tipping rebounds out to himself and teammates all night. This is what you get when you mix one of the best athletes in the state with one of the hardest workers and add in the fact that he’s a high IQ player.

Valcin has played numerous positions and roles in his high school career, fitting in with different units and doing what is needed to win. He’s known for his elite athleticism but the guard/forward has played a bigger role in the frontcourt this season both with his play on the glass, around the rim, and defending. He’s a load for anyone to guard and stay in front of, but the thing that stood out last time I saw him was his passing. He was finding passes across the blocks when doubles came, making smart skips to 3PT shooters, and showed he can make the right read on the break to capitalize in transition. He’s a very unselfish player that will no doubt have a big impact this postseason and can affect the game on every level.

Auburn came away with the big victory last Friday against a highly rated Tahoma team and Valcin made a few defensive plays that directly translated into points. He’s strong and quick, can be an impact defender inside and out, and used some good reads to jump passes all over the court. At least three of those steals led to breakaway buckets and helped keep the Trojans rolling.

I love this guy’s defensive anticipation. He plays much bigger than his listed height, blocking shots from in front, from behind, jumping passing lanes, and using quick hands to strip the ball free. On the other end, he obviously has incredible athleticism and an ability to finish high above the rim, but the next step in his development could hinge on improving the dribble. I think he’s a highly underrated passer and could be a key playmaker for Auburn next season, especially if he can take on more ballhandling responsibilities.

The big-time athlete looks to have made one huge improvement in his game, vastly improving his ball control, that should unlock a higher scoring potential this season. Whether it was cradling the ball on drives or finding ways to split defenders with his dribble, Valcin was getting to the rim with ease and finishing with power. He’s already not a guy most players want to get in front of but if he can continue to play like this, he will have some big games scoring the ball with efficiency.