Top Playmakers In Baltimore
We are creeping slowly by steadily towards the 2019-20 high school season. With that being the case, I wanted to squeeze in a few more pieces previewing some player in the Baltimore area in specific categories. I’ll start with some…
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Continue ReadingWe are creeping slowly by steadily towards the 2019-20 high school season. With that being the case, I wanted to squeeze in a few more pieces previewing some player in the Baltimore area in specific categories. I’ll start with some of the top playmakers you can find in the Charm City. A playmaker is much more than a player who can put the ball on the floor and make things happen for themselves. They are players that can single-handily through stretches create offense for the entire team.
Ace Baldwin | 6’1 | St. Frances ’20
Baldwin’s game has always been years beyond his age. Even as a freshman he displayed an advanced feel for the game from the point guard position. The VCU commit makes everything happen for the powerhouse St. Frances squad that captured both the MIAA and BCL crowns last season. He’s a triple-double threat every time he steps on the floor with his ability to score, create open shots for teammates and rebound.
Ryan Conway | 6’1 | Dulaney ’21
Conway’s reputation revolves around his ability to put the ball in the basket at an alarming rate, but an underrated part of his game is his IQ. There’s no doubt that he is a score-first guard at this point of his career, however when the defense loads up to stop him, he makes the correct reads and finds the open guy. Among the others included on this list, Conway is the guy you want with the ball in his hands if the game is on the line because you have full confidence that he will make the right play.
Rahim Ali | 5’11 | Poly ’20
Ali has grown immensely as a playmaker since his freshman season. Except with Ali, he already had the ability to create for others and be a pass-first floor general. Over time, he has developed a consistent jumpshot from mid-range and three to make him a nightmare for coaches and players to prepare for. Ali is one of the most effective operators in ball-screen scenarios and it’s because of his growth as a scorer, while continuing to improve his vision and IQ.
Will Thomas | 6’5 | Mervo ’20
Thomas can impact the game in many ways with his scoring, passing and rebounding for his size. Because of his size and athleticism, he also can contests shots around the rim as a help side defender. The ambidextrous 6-foot-5 wing fills time as the primary ball-handler for long stretches of the game and showcases tremendous vision and anticipation with the ball as a distributor. When he needs to become aggressive as a scorer, Thomas is most effective off the dribble or in the pinch post area squaring up to the rim.
Ausar Crawley | 5’8 | Mount St. Joe ’21
Crawley is a proven floor general since logging significant minutes as a freshman on a loaded Gaels squad. What’s so valuable about Crawley is the way he keep the game simple. He isn’t going to try and ‘wow’ the crowd with an array of moves. He’ll simply use one or two dribbles to get by his defender and proceed however the defense reacts. Crawley has developed a consistent pull-up jumper from 15-17 feet and can also finish with touch around the rim. He has good awareness once he gets into the lane of where the bigs are supposed to be under the rim and where his shooters are located around the perimeter.
John Godinez | 5’9 | Parkville ’20
Godinez burst onto the scene after two solid first years at Pikesville. The 5-foot-9 guard is extremely crafty with how he dissects the defense both as a passer and as a scorer. Godinez prefers to work often in ball-screen situations where he does a nice job of getting his man on his back hip and keeping him there. He’s a threat as a shooter, driver and a passer from said scenario. Because of his creativity, Godinez can fit passes through tiny windows and is always aware of where his teammates are around the perimeter. He’s another guy who as a coach, you’d want with the ball as time is ticking down.
Deon Perry | 5’8 | Mount Carmel ’22
Perry is another guard who handles the ball a great deal for his team. He doesn’t let his 5-foot-8 stature keep him from getting into the paint and carving up defenses effectively. As a freshman, Perry took on more of a scorer’s mentality. Now that he is equipped with some skill scorers, he has started the transition of becoming more of a distributor, while still taking advantage of any mismatches that come his way. Perry has elite quickness in the open floor and can score competently from all three levels, making him a tough guard for the majority of defenders.