Best Defenders So Far: Class A (Part 1: EDC Edition)

<p>With the season about five to six games in, its time to discuss some of the best defenders in Class A boys basketball. Because of the abundance of talent the state has, this series will be split into multiple parts to ensure coverage of all the great defenders we have seen so far. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1046355" first="Parker" last="Nelson"]</p> <p>As a senior guard for the defending state champion Packers, [player_tooltip player_id="1046355" first="Parker" last="Nelson"] has been an absolute demon on defense so far this year. In the five games played this season for West Fargo, Nelson is averaging 4 steals a game, which is good enough for first in the Eastern Dakota Conference. On top of that he is an absolute pest when guarding the ball and is strong enough to hold is own against larger competition. On a team where defense is no second thought, [player_tooltip player_id="1046355" first="Parker" last="Nelson"] is right where he belongs. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1169136" first="Mason" last="Klabo"]</p> <p>When you watch Davies guard [player_tooltip player_id="1169136" first="Mason" last="Klabo"], its insane to believe that he is only a freshman. And if playing varsity as a first year wasn’t impressive enough, Klabo is second in the EDC for steals with 3.6 a game, and sixth in rejections averaging a block per contest. With his defensive ability nearly matching what he possess on offense, its safe to say that this kid is going to be a must watch player for years to come. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1138774" first="Ethan" last="Manock"]</p> <p>Coming in at number one for blocked shots in the Easter Dakota Conference, currently sitting at 2 per game, is Huskies junior [player_tooltip player_id="1138774" first="Ethan" last="Manock"]. This comes as no surprise to me because Manock is an explosive athlete who can jump out of the gym. What makes him such an impressive shot blocker is not his athleticism though, its his timing. In terms of staying on the ground and waiting for the right moment to send a shot away, Ethan is at a high level. </p> <p>Jack Simmers</p> <p>For the Grand Forks Central Knights this year, sophomore guard Jack Simmers has had no problem keeping his hands full. As a guy who is third on the list for steals per game averaging 3.3, Simmers has done a great job disrupting passing lanes and using his six foot frame to frustrate offenses. I’ve also noticed that the young Knight can make these defensive plays in both full and half court situations, and has turned many of them into quick scoring opportunities. With the effort that Jack seems to defend with he should have no problem keeping this level of play up throughout the season. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1050247" first="Raymond" last="Brown"]</p> <p>Although you might not currently find Davies junior [player_tooltip player_id="1050247" first="Raymond" last="Brown"] on the EDC defensive stat leaders lists, that doesn’t mean he isn’t one of the best. With the pleasure of having watched Brown play a couple of times this year, I can confidently say that the kid never stops hustling. As one of the better on-ball defenders in the conference Raymond is no stranger to tough defensive assignments. In his game against Fargo Shanley, the Eagle was tasked with defending fellow junior stud [player_tooltip player_id="1128188" first="Conner" last="Kraft"], a job he did well. Giving up nearly seven to eight inches Brown used his strength and relentless hustle to take Kraft out of the game at times and forced him to battle back. With Davies making a strong case for best team in the EDC, [player_tooltip player_id="1050247" first="Raymond" last="Brown"] will have to continue to be a factor on the defensive end. </p>