Battle At The Lakes: Top Ball-Handlers (17U, Saturday)
While hot-shooting performances, eye-popping dunks and aggressive defense provided some of the exciting highlights during Saturday’s morning and early afternoon action at the Battle of the Lakes, we also had our eye on some the top ball-handlers at the event.
Here are some of the 17U players who impressed with their ability to keep the ball on a string:
James Vallar, 6-0, Greenwood Elite
The point guard from Grands Rapid Christian was the steady engine that propelled Greenwood Elite to an impressive early afternoon victory over Caron Butler Elite. Vallar has a low center of gravity with the added benefit of good lower-body strength. That combination helps him keep separation from defenders even as they attempt to apply pressure. He also has a whip-quick crossover he can turn to any time he’s trying to get into the lane. He simply makes a lot of things happen when the ball is in his hands.
Kenyon Duling, 6-1, Butler Elite
Duling is a fundamentally sound point guard who you can depend on to make really good decisions in pick-and-roll situations. He’s methodical with his movements, and his ability to change speeds keeps defenders off balance. When watching Duling on Saturday, he rarely over-dribbled and he doesn’t force tough passes.
Dillon Barrow, 6-1, Team Pentagon
Barrow is a strong lefty with a good in and out dribble. He’s decisive when he’s moving the ball up the court, surveying the floor and often making the easy pass instead of forcing an assist. He demonstrated good upper-body strength, pushing the ball up the floor and and keeping defenders on his hip.
Taylor Johnson, 6-1, 43 Hoops
Johnson was a playmaker in transition for 43 Hoops during its victory over Minnesota Phenom. He keeps the ball tight when he’s moving downhill, and his quick and long strides help him get to the basket coast-to-coast without wasting a lot of movement. He gets vertical off his dribble quickly, as he demonstrated with a breakaway dunk Saturday.
Anthony Neal, 6-0, All Love
Playing up from the 16U squad, the 2019 guard displayed good poise while helping his team come back for a victory over Lace Up Minnesota. Neal isn’t a player who will blow you off the ball, but he changes speeds and directions well and makes smart decisions.
Anthony Davis, 6-2, Powerhouse Hoops
Ball-handling has been a point of emphasis for the athletic Hopkins product, and Saturday he put some of his improvement on display. Davis was strong and decisive in transition during a narrow loss to Tri-City Thunder out of Illinois. When he’s strong with the basketball, his athleticism allows him to do good things. He didn’t get himself into trouble by over-dribbling.
Dedoch Chan (2017), 6-8, Minnesota Lace Up
The unsigned senior was one of the better playmakers at his size and position Saturday. He’s a strong ball-handler from the small forward spot. He uses both hands well, equally comfortable dribbling with his back to the basket or facing up. He has explosive ability toward the rim, made more potent by the fact that he rarely gets sped up. Chan could be a late steal for a program as a 2017 player.