Dirty Work: Small School Bigs
Not every guy gets to attempt 20 shots a game. Not everyone runs the point. But there are a whole lot of jobs that must be done for a team to succeed. Team-first guys do the dirty work that it…
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Continue ReadingNot every guy gets to attempt 20 shots a game. Not everyone runs the point. But there are a whole lot of jobs that must be done for a team to succeed. Team-first guys do the dirty work that it takes to win. And often they miss out on the spotlight.
Here are a few small school guards who do some of that dirty work (in alphabetical order):
Blake Aurand, 6-foot-4 forward, 2022, Republic County:
Aurand is a long and physical guy who can defend a variety of spots. He crashes the glass to the tune of 7.9 rebounds a game, which helps him score a lot of his points in close. On defense, he is not afraid to bang with big opponents. He is a real presence and swats 1.9 shots a game for the Buffaloes.
Tyler Boeken, 6-foot-3 forward, 2022, Iola:
Boeken brings a powerful football-style to the court. He had a lot of talent around him last year, so he focused on rebounding – 7.7 per game – and defense. He brings a toughness and physicality that supports his teammates. Next year he may need to lift his 9.3 scoring average.
Dylan Hynes, 6-foot-1 forward, 2022, Solomon:
With some really talented guards around him. Hynes hangs his hat on rebounding and defense. Though just 6-foot-1, he tore down 8.7 rebounds a game last year. At the defensive end, he is active and athletic, producing 2.0 steals a game.
Jace Schoen, 6-foot-3 forward, 2022, Lakeside:
Schoen is a classic example of a guy who isn’t focused on points. As a junior, he averaged just 5.5 points per game, but he stuffed the stat sheet in every other way. He averaged 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists. Really active and long on defense, Schoen averaged 1.9 steals and swatted 2.4 shots. This is the ultimate ‘dirty work’ kind of player.
Brock Woolf, 6-foot-4 forward, 2023, Triplains/Brewster:
Teamed with several talented 2022s, Woolf was a key contributor in a lot of ways wthout scoring a ton of points. With his length and physicality, he gave the Titans 7.3 rebounds a game. He’s a long presence who intimidates shooters and cleans up misses. He also passed for 1.2 assists as a sophomore.