Prospect Spotlight: Zach Paloma (2019)
Sunnyslope High School’s 5-foot-10 2019 point guard Zach Paloma has been apart of two state championship runs. He has taken part in big games and played in contests with scouts and media people sitting front row while he is out there doing everything he can do to help his team win.
Paloma will head into July doing attempting to do the same thing as he will switch over from one of the secondary Powerhouse Hoops teams that was coached by Desert Mountain Head Coach Mark Schumaker and will now join the roster of Powerhouse Hoops UAA squad that competes on the Under Armour Association circuit.
On a team that includes a number of Division-I prospects including nationally ranked 6-5 2019 wing Majok Deng, 6-7 2020 power forward Dre Harris and 6-foot-5 2019 wing Otis Frazier III, Paloma will be asked to be a floor general and bring some sustainability to the point guard position. On a team that will need someone to help control the tempo, Paloma could prove to be perfect for this team. He is a pass-first, team-first kind of player with a calming presence. He also displays great leadership skills and is one of the more athletic kids in the state. Though he is undersized, he is lightning quick and strong. When he gets up to full speed with the ball in his hands it resembles how your cat darts off when you walk in on him doing something that he shouldn’t be doing. His body stays to a low center of gravity and the strides are long. He has a good handle and has really good court vision.
Though he is not labeled a sharp shooter, he does have the ability to knock down the open jumper. His best perimeter shot comes off of the bounce. However, on the defensive end is where he really excels. He is a menace on ballhandlers. The type of defender that can pick up for 94 feet and stay in your jersey the whole way. He hits passing lanes hard and does not make many mistakes. If you beat him, it is because you were the better player on that possession.
Before participating in the first of the four tournaments the Powerhouse UAA team will play in, he will head over to the East Coast to take part in somewhat of a high-academic tour the program puts together every summer. Paloma will take part in the tour due to his GPA sitting north of 4.0. He very well could be an Ivy League coaches dream on the basketball court. A winner who is not afraid of big moments. A great athlete who can perform at a high level in a classroom.
The Prep Hoops staff will be keeping an eye on Paloma moving into the live period in July.