A Look At Some Potential Late Season Impactful Bigs Across Idaho
As tournament play continues and teams fight and claw their way for a chance to head to the state tournament, post play, especially if teams are fortunate enough to roster a talented big can be a huge asset this time of season.
Whether teammates are looking to feed their big men, or opposing teams are scheming to stop them, post players and prospects with noted size can and will impact the game during the intense contests taking place late in the season.
While Idaho doesn’t exactly boast a large number of bigs, there are plenty worth mentioning in terms of their overall game and ability to leave their mark in the box score. When a team can feature a big man, they can slow the game down even more so and as we all know Idaho is without a shot clock at this level, so the threat to do so is real every game. So who are the talented bigs that are looking to enforce their will this time of season? PHID has you covered in our list below based of overall performance this season and the recent uptick from a handful of these hungry bigs.
Austin Bolt, Borah
The Borah forward is listed at 6’4 according to our rankings, and by the looks of him up close Austin Bolt does not appear to be a “big” so to speak, but the way in which he plays earns him a spot in our list. Bolt has been a force in the paint all season and it has shown in his stats as he leads the 5A SIC in rebounds per game at 12.8. The 2020 prospect recently pulled down an incredible 23 rebounds in his team’s first round 5A SIC district tournament win over Eagle.
It has not been unusual to see that kind of production from Bolt this season as he has hovered around the 20 rebound mark a couple of times and then usually backs it up with double-digit point totals as he is averaging 12.1 ppg on the season and had 10 points in the recent win over Eagle. Bolt might be the most tenacious player at his position in the state and we are excited to see what he does as late season play continues.
Mitchell Brizee, Twin Falls
A top 30 2019 prospect in our rankings, Mitchell Brizee at 6’8 is certainly on opposing teams’ radars when game planning for Twin Falls. Brizee finished with 12 points in his team’s recent win over and will play Burley in the semifinals of the Great Basin Conference tournament this Saturday. Brizee can run the floor and has nice hands for his size as well. He is a large piece of the Twin Falls offense and defense.
Kon Ajang, Genesis Prep
We still can’t get over some of the online video in which we saw from Kon Ajang earlier this season via twitter, but the big man for the talented Jaguars showed us all a lot coming down the stretch this season and was consistently alongside Genesis Prep stud Jonny Hillman in the box scores for both points and rebounds. We are not sure what is in store for him come tourney time, but nonetheless the 2019 prospect is a big to keep an eye on.
Josiah Haaland, Lakeland
After an impressive performance in his team’s recent win over Sandpoint, 2019 Josiah Haaland caught our attention and thus made our list here. Listed at 6’4, but a center and tight end on the football field, Haaland put up a very nice stat line this week going for 13 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks against Sandpoint. Let’s keep tabs on this young man and see if he can keep it going.
James Carlson, Lake City
With a lanky-type frame and more a slashing style than back to the basket, James Carlson isn’t a tradition “big” so to speak but his height causes problems for opposing teams and thus, his ability to impact the game allows him to hit our list. Recently, Carlson put up 29 points in a win over Lakeland and really, Carlson has been a steady force all season for Lake City. A fun and exciting player to watch.
Jayson Hibbard, Skyview
Again, with the lack of total traditional “bigs” in the state players like Jayson Hibbard are able to control the game on the glass and in the paint like a traditional big would, but in a different style and visual appeal. No less, Hibbard has been an absolute monster as of late for Skyview and will be a major piece of their puzzle moving forward. During a recently played three overtime win against Emmett, Hibbard snagged 20 total rebounds. He can easily find double-digits in that category and will likely do so in the very near future.
Slade Dill, Dietrich
The Dietrich star has been such a delight this season and his play this senior season will earn him numerous accolades we are guessing even a possible state tournament title as Dietrich looks to a be a favorite come state tournament time. Slade Dill recently eclipsed the 1,000 career point total and continues to lead his team seemingly every contest. Simply an incredible career at Dietrich thus far which could end in excellent fashion and glory if they snag a state title.
Jake Pfennigs, Post Falls
Despite being an even more skilled athlete on the diamond, Jake Pfennigs has shown out on the court multiple times this season for Post Falls. A rebounding machine, Pfennigs has great instinct for the ball and his natural athleticism has been on full display this season for the Trojans. With his flowing locks of hair flying all around the court while doing battle in the paint, Pfennigs has been a joy to watch this season.
Brayden Parker, Preston
You simply could not talk about bigs in the state of Idaho and not mention Brayden Parker. It seems Idaho State is in his future and after the season in which he has had there is no question he will contribute at the next level as well. But before he leaves the high school game, Parker and his Preston team have a three peat in their sight and so far in their district tournament play they have still looked like the heavy favorite in all of 4A. We are looking forward to seeing Parker on the big stage at the state tournament once again as he will no doubt be a key cog in the Preston three peat chances coming up soon.
Jalen Galloway, Mountain View
Ok, since we have went away from the traditional “big” angle in this piece a bit we have to include one of the most dynamic players in the state and also the leading overall scorer in 5A SIC play, Jalen Galloway. Galloway posts ridiculous lines and has been a very special player to watch this senior season at Mountain View. The future College of Idaho player will undoubtedly continue his dominant play as his team plays late into the season soon and it is always a treat to watch Galloway impact the game.