Player Breakdown: Ryan Payne
Ryan Payne is a shooting guard from the class of 2022 and he plays for the Pocatello Indians. This season, Pocatello will look to Payne for a lot of scoring after graduating a couple of key seniors. The Indians will…
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Continue ReadingRyan Payne is a shooting guard from the class of 2022 and he plays for the Pocatello Indians. This season, Pocatello will look to Payne for a lot of scoring after graduating a couple of key seniors. The Indians will look to return to the state tournament after a solid season of conference play. Payne will also look to expand his leadership role during the 2020-21 season. Continue reading for a breakdown of Payne’s game from all angles.
Defense: Payne is a very good defender with great instincts. He seems to always be in the right place at the right time for easy steals. He makes great decisions and reads the offense before shooting gaps or taking the ball straight out of an offensive players hands. Against other guards, Payne likes to apply lots of on-ball pressure and fights through screens instead of switching. He likes to compete and show the other guards that he will not back down. Against bigs, Payne is a solid defender and likes to fight back against taller players that try to throw him around. He works to fight around and front where the back-side help can work to aid him. Payne is a great rebounder and likes to go after anything that hits the rim.
Offense: Ryan is an excellent shooter, and perhaps one of the best in the state. He can knockdown any shot from the perimeter and likes to come off screens for open shots, or shoot off of the dribble after crossing over a defender. He is a really solid shooter that knows how to create a shot for himself or find gaps in the defense to attack. Ryan finishes well at the hoop and likes to drive once he senses that his defender is off balance and an easy target. Payne has a beautiful mid-range jumper that allows him to rise up and get a quick jumper off over taller defenders. Ryan is a skilled passer who makes great reads against all kinds of defenses.
Overall: Ryan is a great guard that will continue to improve his skills during the next two seasons. He is a solid defender that loves to work hard and makes excellent reads against the offense. On the other side of the ball, Payne has a great jump shot that he uses to torture the defense while also allowing him to create more scoring opportunities for himself. Payne would make a great 2-guard at the next level.