International Talent: Part II
Marvens Petion, The Nation The 6-foot-7 wing has the wild athleticism and superior above the rim game to be one of the highest percentage threats in the talent-loaded SIAA. This year, he’s worked away at tightening his handle as he adjusts to the role of primary ball handler. The muscle-bound Haitian has also assimilated to the multi-dimensional defensive role, similar to the type savored by Abdou N’diaye (who chose Illinois State over the likes of UNLV, Ole Miss, and Wichita State). Guarding the 1-4 may not be a challenge for everyone, but it is certainly a challenge for the uber athletic Petion. While the most noteworthy component of his game is how well he soars down the lane and literally glides to the rim, Petion has bettered his off the dribble scoring. A mid major prospect, Petion has a motor and can snatch down rebounds and sacrifice his body for 50-50 balls. Johannes Kirsippu, SCS The 6-foot-2 combo guard put together a number of scoring sprees as a hot-shooting freshman. Now, having refined his intermediary game and improved on his handle and splitting through defenders, he’s got the scoring prowess to assume the go-to role. He’s deadly from beyond the arc and spent the summer adding considerable range on his shot. With a cross-over, a stepback, a mid-range pull-up and a nifty floater, he’s utilizing more tools in the arsenal this time around. While he needs to shed the habit of getting rattled mentally, the top-ranked player in the Class of 2021 in Estonia should ramp up his Division-I stock in the states this year. He’s got the mindset and skill set of a tough, witty European guard. Nick Silva, Miami Christian The 6-foot-6 Brazilian guard has the chance to ascend the rankings in the South Florida area very rapidly. He’s very effective at carving space and getting to the rim, where he can finish with either hand and through contesting hands and contact. He’s also showed a powerful touch from outside, which will align well with Art Alvarez’ extra pass basketball and traditional perimeter attack. Nicolas Elame, Bella Vista Prep The bullish 6-foot-3 guard has a knack for tearing into the lane and crunching extravagant dunks. His open court finishing and athleticism have taken off over the last few years, catapulting him into the mid to high major market. Becoming a more reliable on-ball defender and playing the passing lanes, Elame has developed into an all around threat. The mid range game was once Elame’s glaring weakness. The native of France has invested enough focus into it where it is now one of the finer points of his trade. In addition to injecting Kyle Weaver’s lineup with dazzling displays of athleticism, expect Elame to shoulder the onus of high-scoring guard who is constantly in attack mode. Khayden Stewart, SCS The 6-foot guard has a blur quick first step and an adeptness in getting through and around defenders on his forays to the rim. With a tight and yo-yo handle, the Canada-bred Stewart is able to thrive with setting up his shot in creative fashion. He still needs to gain a killer instinct and bring his will on a day to day basis. He’s shown strides with his dribble drive penetration and quick, deceptive handle which really fends off defensive pressure. He’s still learning to become more efficient with his dribbles as he carves out space and creates his shot. While he’s got a smooth and fluid jumper, he still needs to develop a dependable 3-point shot.