Three Man Weave: Dynamic Trio’s in the VPA
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Check out two Chittenden County trio’s here, both suited with top VPA talent. It’s likely they’ll face each other once again in the D1 Final Four or Championship, so let’s get familiar! Sharif Sharif Sharif Sharif 6'2" | PG Rice…
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Continue ReadingCheck out two Chittenden County trio’s here, both suited with top VPA talent. It’s likely they’ll face each other once again in the D1 Final Four or Championship, so let’s get familiar!
Sharif Sharif Sharif Sharif 6'2" | PG Rice Memorial | 2023 State NLG , 6’2 G – Rice Memorial High School Class of 2023
Arguably the VPA’s top prospect, Sharif Sharif Sharif Sharif 6'2" | PG Rice Memorial | 2023 State NLG has all the tools. Offensively polished, Sharif is equipped with shifty handles that freeze defenders and allow him to get downhill with ease. If the defense is dropped Sharif has the ability to rise up and hit the three off the catch and the bounce, or he’ll blow by to get into the second layer where he can pull-up, post up, and get to the rack. He also has underrated vision, capable of hitting guys out of his peripheries with heads up passes as the defense is all-consumed by his activity. Or he’ll hit guys in transition as well with timely advance passes. Sharif is also a tough defender with his agility and quick reactions, yet at the same time he makes it look so smooth with his deft athleticism. Keep an eye on Sharif.
Mo Kanneh, 6’7 F – Rice Memorial High School Class of 2023
Kanneh is the defensive anchor for this Rice team, holding down the interior with impressive physicality and communication. Mo has a strong frame, essentially no one in the VPA can go toe-to-toe and hold their own. He jams post players with his strength and meets slashers early in the interior, forcing them to make tough passes as the defense rotates or, should they decide to challenge Mo at the rim, it’s likely he’ll block that shot off the glass or spike it into the hardwood. Moreover, Kanneh has his consistent baby hooks on the offensive end, and he’s a problem in ball screen actions, for he rolls hard and finishes strong at the cup, and he can pop into the mid-range where he hits cutters or knocks down short jumpers. Kanneh is a tough matchup on both ends.
Drew Bessette Drew Bessette 6'7" | PF Rice Memorial | 2024 State NLG , 6’7 F – Rice Memorial High School Class of 2023
Drew rounds out this trio nicely, as he blends the two skillsets of his teammates above into the modern forward prototype. Bessette can control opponents inside and out, for his length and timely challenges to shot attempts keep the paint secure, and he can also step out to the perimeter and stick with wings with his quick feet. He’s very switchable, able to hold it down 2-5. On the offensive side of the ball, Drew is highly effective. He’s a three-level scorer where he finds looks in the post, pick-and-roll, and perimeter settings. Drew can create his own look with a deep arsenal of moves and shoot over the top of guys with ease, or he can mix it up inside and finish at the rim. Bessette is an all-around hooper.
Alex Provost, 6’0 G – Champlain Valley Union High School Class of 2023
A floor general for CVU, Provost is an integral part of the well-oiled machine in Hinesburg. Alex has a good sense of tempo, able to push it in transition and create turnovers with on-ball pressure, yet he’s got the awareness to slow it down on O and get guys in their spots too in order to get the looks they want. Alex has great agility as well, sticking to opponents’ hips when pressuring the ballhandler, and on the offensive end he can get downhill in a hurry. He’s got a nice shot, especially off the catch, yet he doesn’t have to dominate the ball to be effective. Provost has good off-ball awareness, balancing the floor with nice spacing, and timing his cuts and screens well to exploit the defense. Alex and CVU should be quite hungry.
Logan Vaughan, 6’5 F – Champlain Valley Union High School Class of 2023
Logan has that classic forward feel, occupying the short corner and the different post positions intuitively. Vaughan is a clever passer, capable of hitting cutters from both the strong side and weak side due to his impressive awareness. Moreover, Logan has nice feel in the post with drop steps, baby hooks, and feinting counters that open up looks where he can finish with either hand. Vaughan also has solid face-up game where he can hit mid to short-range jumpers and slip passes into cutters for easy buckets or kick outs for three. Defensively solid, Logan body’s up well in the post and pursues rebounds with good physicality. Overall, Vaughan is a sound two-way player with the motor to beat guys up and down the floor.
Sam Sweeney, 6’2 G – Champlain Valley Union High School Class of 2023
A natural 2-guard, Sam really binds the talents of his teammates and makes those around him better. Sweeney is an efficient scorer with a smooth lefty stroke, knocking it down consistently from three and the mid-range both off the catch and the bounce. Moreover, he’s slippery around the rim and finishes tough looks amongst the trees inside. Sam’s off-ball movement and deception make him a heady spacer, causing defenses to scramble often, which is precisely where Sweeney loves to take advantage, slipping into the second layer and making heads up plays. A stout defender who can defend 1-3, Sam is agile and anticipatory, reading passes, ball screens, and cutting off drives exceptionally well. Sweeney has his fingerprints all over the game.