Prep Hoops Special: Best Post Defenders
At the high school level, where physicality is somewhat limited by the way the game is called, there are a few key traits that are usually possessed by premier interior defenders. Length, toughness, jumping ability, and timing are crucial in…
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Continue ReadingAt the high school level, where physicality is somewhat limited by the way the game is called, there are a few key traits that are usually possessed by premier interior defenders. Length, toughness, jumping ability, and timing are crucial in being able to not only block, but alter shots at the rim. Here are the top post defenders in the state this year.
Nigel Shadd (2017): Nigel is a legitimate 6’9″ with long arms and elite jumping ability. He is also able to use his strength to get good positioning before his man gets the ball. Contesting every shot at the rim, Nigel’s blocks will be amongst the state leaders, and he will alter many more, which is not a stat that is tracked, but is a very important ability that benefits a team’s overall defense.
Gabe McGlothan (2017): Another elite leaper, Gabe not only showcases his athleticism on offense, but takes pride in defending the rim as well. With his strong frame, he often looks like a man amongst boys at the high school level.
Jake Hess (2017): With Horizon playing at a break neck pace, it is Jake Hess’ rim protection that will need to keep them in games during bad shooting nights. Hess is very agile for his size and plays hard on defense and in transition. A decent leaper, he is able to contest shots in the paint.
Billy Jordan (2017): Every team needs a guy that not only accepts the role of doing the dirty work, but thrives in it. Billy Jordan has a very high motor that shows itself never more clearly than on the defensive end. He is a willing shot changer that should help to anchor the interior of a Desert Ridge defense that, based on size, length, and athleticism, should be among the state’s best.
Trey Wood (2018): Shot blocking is a difficult task with the evolution of the game having a high emphasis on shooting floaters when a big man is in the lane defensively. Couple that with the lack of true back to the basket bigs that you can throw the ball to on the block and they will efficiently score, and getting more than a couple of blocks a game seems impressive. Trey Wood led the state as a sophomore with 7.1 blocks per game. Yes, 7.1. This young prospect is a 6’8″ eraser in the paint and should put up even more whopping numbers this winter.
Jason Harris (2020): When you make lists as one of the state’s best in anything before you play a varsity game, that’s impressive. When you do it after just your first couple of weeks on a high school campus, that usually means you’re special. This kid, and I say kid because he is so young, is just that, special. He is long and very active in the paint contesting shots. Still a freshman, he will grow into his body more in the upcoming years, but the impact that he will have on the defensive end from day 1 should be big.