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Subject: Pretty easy. The hard part is identifying
Posted by: VAHokie89 on Wed May 14 2008 4:43:53 PM
Message:

Whether a player can translate their abilities to the college level. At the
higher/elite college level, you are looking for skills, quickness, size,
strength, toughness, knowledge of how to play the game, etc. But it is
interesting to see so many HS stars who can do things at the HS level
suddenly not be able to do them at the next level. Can a player be
a "player."

The thing about the HS level is you have so many situations where
players are set up not to be able to operate at the next level.

1. Many HS have a "4" players (power forward) who might be 5' 8" or
smaller. They have to play the position because of their relative size
compared to other players on the team or other schools in their district.
But they don't have good ball-handling skills or shooting skills. They
may start but are pretty much a role player starting. Perhaps they play
volleyball or soccer in the off-season and never really get better. That
play will not play in college unless they are a seen as raw project with
talent.

2. You have a post player who looks like she/he can compete around
the basket but is 6'1". . UltimatelyT that player has poor footwork, can't
truly finish when playing against bigger players, doesn't move her feet
well, etc....That player won't play center in college but can't do anything
else and their nice little HS career is over. Similar to above I guess.

3. I have seen district players of the year who can shoot 3-pointers like
no tomorrow, who have the quickness to press and cause havoc on
defense. They make nice passes and can play.....against the
competition in their district. I have seen a shooting guard who held the
districts career scoring record. Played AAU since she was probably 6.
Dynamic player (lazy on defense though; cherry-picked). Would not
get out of corner on offense to save her life or the point guard when the
PG was trapped. When she drove, she might score but might get the
shot blocked..... You might think, career scoring leader.....can shoot
the ball from anywhere....but actually, slow, small, etc.....

I mean the stories go on.

I will say one thing about the Mia Nickson at Notre Dame Academy.
She had played basically the "5" spot throughout her basketball career
which started in 7th grade. In her first year at Broad Run HS, she was
going to be the '5'. When she went to Notre Dame, she essentially was
moved to the "4" spot (in reality, she and Azania Steward (the 5) often
inter-changed). College coaches told her coach at ND (Teasley) that it
was good that she was moved to the 4 because college players her
size are a dime a dozen. She will still have trouble holding her own in
the paint at the college level. She is skinny and prone to back
problems. If she had not been moved, maybe she doesn't get a
scholarship to Boston College.

It isn't about ACC-caliber. It is about getting players who can play at a
high level, who can play as a team, who can physically compete with
the Langfords, the UNC players, the Duke players, the Maryland
players. Quickness to not get beat off the dribble, size and strength to
match up around the basket, knowledge of how to run a team, how
deep to penetrate before making a pass if necessary, etc..... And it is
all relative. Many players get recruited seemingly able to do that stuff
but then show that they can't when they are on a team or playing
against teams in which many high-caliber players are on the court.
They can't dominate in HS where they played against part-time
basketball players whose skills were even more limited than theirs.

Current Thread:

   ACC caliber players??   --  mitchellbbfan   Wed May 14 2008 9:06:55 AM
       ACC type player = not what we have now... **  --  hines495   Wed May 14 2008 9:17:23 PM
       A lot of things really...  --  GCHokie34   Wed May 14 2008 7:09:55 PM
           Though most college players had a glaring weakness in HS  --  VAHokie89   Thu May 15 2008 9:00:57 AM
               There's a difference...  --  GCHokie34   Thu May 15 2008 2:14:09 PM
                   As a high school of players who are playing college ball,   --  VAHokie89   Thu May 15 2008 5:09:56 PM
                       I respect your opinion...  --  GCHokie34   Thu May 15 2008 6:05:26 PM
                           "important aspect of the game relative to your position"  --  GCHokie34   Sat May 17 2008 11:20:01 PM
                           Yes. You can. There are players who can not shoot at all  --  VAHokie89   Sat May 17 2008 11:39:59 AM
           "You know when you are watching it- easier to know when you are not watching it"  --  KnoxHokie   Thu May 15 2008 8:57:17 AM
           That's a good post. I still am desparately seeking anyone to play with...  --  Gator Hokie   Wed May 14 2008 8:33:07 PM
               Amber Hall has some of that **  --  GCHokie34   Wed May 14 2008 10:09:16 PM
       Pretty easy. The hard part is identifying  --  VAHokie89   Wed May 14 2008 4:43:53 PM
       To me it means more Athletic. ACC compared to  --  MrFantastic!   Wed May 14 2008 10:47:40 AM
       Big enough and/or quick enough laterally to defend the players in this league **  --  b.townbilly   Wed May 14 2008 9:38:38 AM




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