Standout players from Cheney High’s trip to North Idaho.
Over the course of the last week, the 2A Cheney Blackhawks made the rounds through two of the toughest teams in North Idaho. Facing off against, 5A Coeur d’Alene and 4A Hawks of Lakeland, Cheney was put to the test…
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Continue ReadingOver the course of the last week, the 2A Cheney Blackhawks made the rounds through two of the toughest teams in North Idaho. Facing off against, 5A Coeur d’Alene and 4A Hawks of Lakeland, Cheney was put to the test early this season. Coeur d’Alene won 62-50 against Cheney and Lakeland beat Cheney 76-45. With that, here are my standout players from this week’s games:
Noah Haaland 2021, 6’7” Forward Lakeland
If I were to put together a list of traits that I would want in an offensive collegiate prospect, I would put good height, length, ability to stretch a defense by making shots from beyond the arc, and athleticism to make plays in the lane. All these qualities can be found in Haaland. Haaland is someone who should skyrocket up the state’s list of junior prospects as the year goes on. He has perfect form from beyond the arch, knocking-down four 3s in route to 20 points against Cheney and possesses the athleticism to make plays at the rim. Additionally, he has a solid understanding of how to get offensive rebounds in traffic. Haaland is a special offensive talent with the ability to guard opposing post players..
Ben Zubaly 2020, 5’10” Guard Lakeland
If I was a college coach, I would want five guys on my team who play defense with the intensity of Zubaly. Zubaly is a strong, quick on-ball defender who can pester an opposing ball handler the entire 94 feet of the court. He is the best on-ball defender that I have seen this year. A player with a tireless motor who flies around the court getting steals, diving after loose balls, and winning 50-50 plays. On offense, Zubaly has great court vision and is an excellent passer. He is relentlessly physical attacking the basket and can make open 3s. Finishing with 20 points, Zubaly excels in a state of organized chaos. He is the high school version of Patrick Beverly who will never be outworked on the court.
Luke McLaughlin 2021, 6’2” Guard Coeur d’Alene
Dropping 23 points against Cheney, McLaughlin is showing a developing offensive game. Making multiple shots from behind the arch, attacking the hoop to get to the free throw line, and having a couple of and-1s, McLaughlin has proved that he is a patient offensive player who can get to his spots on the court and make plays. The part of McLaughlin’s game that stands out the most to me is his defensive prowess. Able to lock-in on opposing point guards, McLaughlin has great length, strength, quick hands and fast feet that make him formidable defensively.
Kaiden Custer 2020, 6’5” Forward Cheney
A shooter with good rotation on his shots who is able to make shots with incredible consistency from the corners. He is a patient player in the paint when he possesses the ball. Custer is able to make shots over shorter defenders, or use his length to create separation to score over opposing bigs. Custer led the way offensively for Cheney in both games finishing with 16 against Coeur d’Alene and 11 against Lakeland.
Quinsie Goodloe 2020, 5’7” Guard Cheney
While he is an undersized guard, Goodloe was a standout player for Cheney in both games. Goodloe showed an ability to make 3s out of set plays or in transition. He was able to drive into the lane, collapse the opposing defense and create plays for Cheney’s outside shooters. If the defense didn’t collapse, Goodloe had a nice floater over one-on-one defenders.
All three teams gave meaningful minutes to sophomores. It was an encouraging look at the future of basketball in this region. Here are some quick hitters for guys to look out for in the class of 2022:
Cameren Cope 2022, Post 6’4” Coeur d’Alene
Cope is one of the better true post players that I have seen this year. Cope is an incredibly athletic player who is tireless on the offensive and defensive boards.
Brayden Bengtson 2022, 6’0 Guard Coeur d’Alene
Billed predominantly as a left-handed shooter, Bengtson was also able to drive at the end of the game to create and make clutch free throws to seal the game.
Josh Whiteley 2022, 6’0” Guard Cheney
A player with a nice ability to drive and dish. Whiteley was the one to initiate the offense and was tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best wing player. Whiteley possesses an above average ability to get rebounds from the guard position.
Abe Munyer 2022, 6’3” Forward Lakeland & Alden Waddinton 2022, 6’3” Forward Lakeland
Two highly athletic wing players for Lakeland. Both were similarly involved in offensive plays in the paint and were able to defend and rebound on the other side of the ball. With three strong scoring options ahead of them on the depth chart for Lakeland, over the next few years, Munyer and Waddinton should get the opportunity to highlight their offensive games.