The First Five: ECI 17u
After nine games played this year the ECI Prospects have battled their way to a 5-4 record. Today’s “First Five” gives you a look at why ECI is a team to watch.
Josh Sipes. If there is a player in North Dakota that provides more to a team than Josh I will be excited to meet that player. Few can help a team both ways as often as Sipes. Defensively his deep stance, active hands, constant effort, and correct positioning has been well taught and he’s taken to that coaching. He’s a four rebound a game guy as a guard, hit 40 percent of the four threes he took a game this winter, and Josh averages double figures both for Century and ECI needing only eight-night shots a game because he is efficient. There will be some guard/wing prospects that are more agile and/or explosive but Sipes makes up for a lot of that with his effort and court IQ.
Shane Anderson. This 6-foot-5 power forward is interesting. Obviously with a stacked frontcourt Anderson didn’t get huge minutes at Fargo Davies but he did work his way into time. This is a thick shouldered, strong frontcourt player that is tough to move and he naturally moves well for his size. His junior season rebounding totals are actually quite amazing as Shane grabbed 95 of them in 154 minutes of time. That’s a rebound every 96-97 seconds on the court. Raw talent skill wise but with some teaching this is an agile big kid that could be a really nice player for Davies next year. And I have to assume he’s pretty good in some other sports as well.
Joe Pistorius. By the end of the summer I feel like Joe will be trying to decide which of his multiple NSIC offers he will take. At 6-foot-3 he’s a bit taller as a 17U kid and he’s really long. He has a similar frame to Michael Jones of Woodbury/Minnesota Fury who has offers from Northern Iowa, Davidson, and Drake. Joe is similar sized in height and length, plus both are fearless shooters that can change games with their touch. Joe isn’t quite to that level but after a season of shooting 45 percent from the floor despite constant attention we believe he is definitely a scholarship player. There is an edge to Pistorius as well. That edge is why he’s hit so many clutch late game shots with ECI and the Packers and that edge is what makes him more than just a shooter. This weekend his one dribble attack finishes against a rotating contesting defender were better than I expected. He is also contested or got a hand on some shots this weekend using his length that I didn’t expect him to make contact with.
Kaleb Johnson. The Fargo South point guard is interesting. He missed several games this winter but the Bruins were a much improved team down the stretch winning seven of nine before their EDC Tournament losses. Johnson scored about a dozen a game and was reliable at the foul line for his team which has a lot nice pieces coming back. Kaleb is naturally one of the better rebounding guards you will find because he’s simply stronger than most he will face. Johnson stands 5-foot-11 but makes up for that with a bigger upper body than most opponents and an angry look on his face when competing. This weekend we thought he did a nice job handling for ECI.
Kade Amundson. Plays in the deep post for ECI defending a lot of SPTS level bigs that have a size edge on his approximate 6-foot-6 frame. Amundson is a solid athlete who has a decent shooting touch and with work he can develop a nice face-up game with some range. Shot a decent 31 percent from the arc this winter on his 1-2 threes a game and was a 60 percent foul shooter. His agility would/will make a Kade a weapon inside with quick shoulder turns or that quickness up front would make for a nice one dribble attack player out of a face-up inside. Scored quickly off his feet this weekend when we saw him beating slower bigs to his release point and Kade rebounded at about 6-7 a game when we observed.