Returning All-State Performers (2A)
Back at it again. Examining Colorado’s Class 2A All-State performers from a season ago. First Team Returners: Tate Bessire, G, Highland Bessire returns for his Senior Season hoping to avenge Highland’s defeat in last year’s State Championship. A 5’10 point…
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Continue ReadingBack at it again. Examining Colorado’s Class 2A All-State performers from a season ago.
First Team Returners:
Tate Bessire, G, Highland
Bessire returns for his Senior Season hoping to avenge Highland’s defeat in last year’s State Championship. A 5’10 point guard with exceptional quickness, Bessire posted averages of 21/5/3 while adding 5 steals per game. Yes, 5. As a Junior, over 50% of Bessire’s field goal attempts were 3-pointers. He knocked these attempts down at a respectable 35%. When he was not launching from deep, Bessire was able to penetrate the defense and get to the line. He averaged 6 free-throw attempts per game, but was only able to convert them at a 69% rate. Look for the guard to improve from the line and again contend for the 2A scoring title.
Val Leone, G, Fowler
Leone, a 6’3 guard, joined Tate Bessire on last year’s First Team All-State as a Sophomore. He made solid contributions for a Fowler team that finished the season 22-5 and lost Yuma in the 2A semifinals. Leone finished the year averaging 14/2/7 along with 2 steals per game. While the Grizzlies return their top 2 scorers from last year, they have lost production to account for as scorers 3-5 have graduated. Look for Leone to do his part. Despite leading his team in scoring, the Sophomore guard only connected on 42% of his attempts from the field. This number includes a 33% mark from 3-point range. He did knock down 79% of his attempts from the charity stripe. If he can boost his FG% while taking more shots next season, Leone could see a significant uptick in his scoring output. He is due for another solid season.
Second Team Returners:
Chase McCreath, F, Yuma
McCreath earned a 2nd Team All-State nod as a Junior. Team success played a large part in his selection. The 6’5 forward turned in averages of 9/5/3 and a steal per game. Yuma finished the ’18-’19 season with a 24-2 record along with the 2A State Championship. McCreath shot a solid 51% from the floor on just 6 attempts per game. He was able to boost his scoring output by getting to the line 4 times per game. He shot an even 60% from the free-throw line. Perhaps McCreath’s biggest contributions came on the defensive end of the floor. Yuma stifled their opponents all season long and only allowed 39 points in the 2A Title game. Expect another solid, if unspectacular, season from McCreath in ’19-’20.
Clay Robinson, F, Yuma
Robinson was Colorado’s youngest All-State honoree, earning the nod as a Freshman. In other words, his name will be on this list for awhile. He posted averages of 11/5/3 and 2 steals. Robinson only shot 44% from the field and 61% from the line as a Freshman, but he keeps a tight elbow and has a repeatable stroke. As a result, look for his percentages, and in turn, his production to increase in the coming year. He showed nice aggression as a Freshman getting to the line 5 times per game. Robinson is in line for an enhanced offensive role after Yuma lost its leading scorer from a season ago.
Camden Smithburg, G, Limon
Rounding out the 2A returners is Camden Smithburg. The 5’10 guard from Limon produced averages of 15/2/4 and 2 steals per contest as a Sophomore in ’18-’19. He led Limon to a 22-5 record and 2A State Tournament appearance. Smithburg knocked down 35% of the six 3-pointers he attempted per game. He connected on 81% of his free-throws, which indicates room for growth on his three-point numbers. Moreover, he only converted 49% of his 2-point attempts from a year ago. Smithburg has plenty of room for growth in the upcoming season. Look for him to return to this list.