5a Big Men in the Chuck Williams Region
The 5A State playoffs get started this coming week and there are plenty of great matchups to get out and enjoy. Matchups we focus on here are the battle of the bigs as these are the guys that can be…
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Continue ReadingThe 5A State playoffs get started this coming week and there are plenty of great matchups to get out and enjoy. Matchups we focus on here are the battle of the bigs as these are the guys that can be the difference between a win and a loss. Here are five big men to take a look at in the Chuck Williams region.
Simon May – Mountain Vista
Senior big man, May, has great size and is a player that moves players with his body. He boxes out and gets on the boards. He is a great outlet passer with a high IQ with and without the ball. He gets to his spots and makes the defense pay with his finishing ability. He fights on every possession and is a player that seals off the defender and powers through causing him to go to the free throw line. He is averaging 12 points and 7.8 rebounds a game on the top team in the state and is a player that the team rallies behind. He is consistent and can open up the floor with his soft touch from inside and ability to catch and go up with it. Mountain Vista will call on him a ton to begin the playoffs and will need him to be at his best if they want to remain a top team in the state.
Daniel Carr – Regis
Carr is the most improved player in the entire state and he is not finished with a solid Senior season run as he has Regis as the No. 10 seed in the playoff race. High I.Q is an understatement but it is the way that Carr gets it done that has him as one of the top big men in the state this season and a pleasant surprise. He is averaging a double-double of 20.3 points and 11.4 rebounds a game and is the top unsigned senior in the class. He can shoot the ball from deep which is a difficult cover for any big man in the state, shoot over defenders with a lethal mid-range pull up and understands how to use his body so when he is switched onto a smaller defender he typically makes them pay. He has good footwork and runs the floor well but he makes his bread and butter with the ball in his hands as he is a zone buster that gets his shot off and is efficient in doing so. Carr makes it rather difficult for teams to get comfortable with Regis as the Raiders have great size and are not a team that you would expect to shoot it like they can and with a scorer like Carr inside and out it is going to be tough to beat a team that has found their rhythm.
Konor Lathrop – Highlands Ranch
A very strong big man that is a bit undersized but makes up for it with the way that he uses his body. Junior standout that does not back down to any matchup and forces his will. Is a player that passes out to the open man instead of forcing a ton but is averaging 7.9 rebounds a game and boxing out and keeping boards alive. Is up to 8.5 rebounds a game and can change the outcome of the game on that end. Very quick feet and gets off of the ground fast. Should be able to get going in the first game.
Brendan Temple – Douglas County
Temple is a big man/combo wing that I got to take a look at this summer and from that moment on I knew he was special. He can shoot the ball from anywhere on the court, go inside and finish through contact but what really separates him is his athleticism that makes him a difficult player to guard as he is a mismatch for defenders that cannot keep up with him. He is averaging 17.4 points and 8.6 rebounds a game and that is from running the passing lanes well and finishing at the rim and at any given moment can change the momentum in the game as he is not afraid to go and try and dunk on whoever is under the rim. And there have been a few players that have found that out the hard way. He has the ability to shoot the ball from deep but also put the ball on the floor and that opens things up for the slashers. Douglas County is a team that matches up with teams with quickness and have a player in Temple that they could go to when the game slows down that can get you a basket which is a unique characteristic to have and one I expect them to utilize early.
Ian Barnes – Fruita Monument
Barnes is a junior that is way undersized but goes down low and gets the job done. He is finishing amongst the tress and using his frame to get to his spots and finish over defenders. He is at 11.9 points and 7.1 rebounds a game and that is because he has a good motor. He is efficient from the field and gets good positioning near the rim. He has soft hands and catches it and goes straight up. He keeps the ball high and does not back down from defenders. I expect him to be used a ton in the half court set after Fruita Monument’s first round bye.