Player Breakdown: Joe Mpoyo
Joe Mpoyo Joe Mpoyo 6'4" | SG Meridian | 2021 State ID is a 6’4″ shooting guard from the class of 2021. He played a large role for the Meridian Warriors last season and will look to help them take…
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Continue ReadingJoe Mpoyo Joe Mpoyo 6'4" | SG Meridian | 2021 State ID is a 6’4″ shooting guard from the class of 2021. He played a large role for the Meridian Warriors last season and will look to help them take their game to the next level. The 5A should be anybody’s game this season and Meridian has a chance to make a great run at the district tournament and hopefully beyond. Continue reading for a breakdown of Mpoyo’s game from all aspects.
Defense: Joe is a lockdown defender with great upside. He has great size and agility which allow him to guard both bigs and guards whenever he needs to. At the rim, Mpoyo jumps well and has great timing for blocking shots in the half-court or transition. When guarding the ball, he has long arms that he uses to poke the ball away from opposing guards and gets lots of steals from applying on-ball pressure. When tasked with guarding bigs, Joe likes to 3/4 or play behind in the post and uses his length to deter bigs from shooting over him. He averages at least a handful of steals and a block per game. Mpoyo is a great rebounder and has an instinct for knowing where the ball will land once it hits the rim. He rebounds on both ends of the floor extremely well.
Offense: Mpoyo is a great offensive player that creates mismatches against every team he plays. He is too big and strong for guards to keep him in front, and too quick and reactive for bigs to guard him in the post or on the perimeter. I would say that Joe is best as a 2/3 as his skillset is more catered to handling the ball and using his jump shot. Mpoyo is a knockdown shooter from outside and also has a beautiful mid-range pull-up that he uses to rise up over smaller defenders. At the rim, Joe finishes very well with both hands in traffic and likes to power up off of two feet in the paint to give himself a firm base. Joe is skilled with handling the ball and has a great feel for the offensive side of the game as a whole.
Overall: The Meridian Warriors will look to Mpoyo for a lot this season including scoring and his ability to lockdown opposing players. He has great defensive instincts and has great size for his position. On offense, he has a great looking jump shot that he can use against all players and can score at all three levels. Mpoyo would make an excellent 2 or 3 guard at the next level of competition.