Prospect Spotlight: Neil Efimov (2022 Silverton)
Silverton has designs on a 5A title this year and if that’s to come to fruition for the Silver Foxes, Neil Efimov Neil Efimov 6'4" | SG Silverton | 2022 State OR is going to be one of the main…
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Continue ReadingSilverton has designs on a 5A title this year and if that’s to come to fruition for the Silver Foxes, Neil Efimov Neil Efimov 6'4" | SG Silverton | 2022 State OR is going to be one of the main guys that gets them there. The lanky 6-foot-4, 170-pound senior has been getting the job done so far on the wing, and he and his team are off to a fast 4-0 start in Mid-Willamette Conference league play. The team took some lumps in the pre-league part of their schedule, particularly in the Capitol City Classic, but it was something Efimov feels will pay off in the end.
“It was a great experience playing teams from out-of-state like from Tennessee and California and also 6A teams,” Efimov said. “It really pushed us to better. It’s been a good learning for us this pre-season, but there’s still a lot to get better at.”
Individually, at the event and as he’s done all year, Efimov was effective offensively. His reputation is as a shooter and he certainly hit shots, but he also attacked the basket, often drawing contact and getting easy points from the free throw line. It’s something he spent the off-season looking to improve.
“From the beginning of the year, I feel like Coach (McCarty) has pushed me a lot to do better things,” Efimov said. “I’ve been doing better on defense and we need to keep pushing ourselves. I’ve been trying to play more aggressive and make plays for other people.”
There’s no question that Efimov projects as a college basketball prospect and at the current moment, he’s wide open. “I’d say in-state is most likely,” Efimov said. “But honestly, anyone is good with me.”
Since the Capitol City Classic, Silverton made a trip to Arizona and upon returning has started to exert its dominance over league competition. As noted, the goal is the state title and Efimov is looking forward to the challenge. “We’ve just got to continue getting better and keep marching,” Efimov said.
Efimov currently ranks as the #65 player in the PrepHoops Oregon Class of 2022 rankings.