Early Season Defensive Stoppers: Part 4
Basketball fans love to watch a lockdown defender make a big play when their team needs it. There is no denying that defensive stoppers are both exciting to watch, and critical to a teams success. We are continuing our look at players who are distinguishing themselves in this role early in the 2017-2018 season.
Cedric Givens (2019, G, Grand Blanc)
Givens is an athlete and he uses it on defense. He has quick feet and can fill a driving lane fast. Givens has very good straight line speed making it difficult for teams to utilize a fast break. He’s a strong player who can use his body to help check an offensive player.
Cheikh Diop (2018, G/F, Troy)
Diop is a do-it-all team player. He can check a player at any position, playing solid defense anywhere on the court. Diop can play on or off the ball and can even defend in the post. He embraces contact on the defensive end and uses his body extremely well.
Deondre Bonaparte (2019, G, Ferndale)
Bonaparte is generally known for his explosiveness on offense, but focusing on that is doing him a disservice. He can defend either guard position and is even strong enough to slide down and check a small forward. Bonaparte is a leader on defense and makes sure he and his teammates are in position and on the same page.
Vinson Sigmon Jr. (2019, G, Canton)
On a team with incredible talent at the guard position, Sigmon has created an identity. He is the leader on defense and is coming off a sophomore season in which he averaged 1.5 steals per game. He sits low to the ground and uses his quickness to keep his man in front of him. He closes on shooters fast, never allowing an easy shot.