Charlotte’s Top Block Dominators
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Charlotte is a great city to be in with so many talented young athletes to watch and grow hoping to take their talents to the next level. The following particular athletes are known to dominate around the block for their…
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Continue ReadingCharlotte is a great city to be in with so many talented young athletes to watch and grow hoping to take their talents to the next level. The following particular athletes are known to dominate around the block for their teams.
Amanda Sacoto Amanda Sacoto 6’1″ | C Cuthbertson | 2023 NC has certainly been a stock riser over the past couple of years earning her value in the paint. She is aggressive when it comes to grabbing rebounds, and she can certainly post up to get some points. She does well shifting from block to block to find the open areas sealing off her opponents in the process. She runs the floor well being available in transition, and she will certainly step up as a leader for her team going into her high school season.
Highlights
Valeria Batista Valeria Batista 5’11” | PF Victory Christian | 2023 NC has really grown over the past year stepping up for her teams in more ways than just around the block. Starting there, though, she can post up anyone to score her points, and she reads her defender well knowing how to move her body to score. She has expanded the floor showing off jump shots from inside the perimeter, and she can move with or without the ball to get open shifting the defense with ease. She uses her athleticism to grab rebounds away from her opponents.
For years, Zion Duncan Zion Duncan 6’2″ | PF Stuart Cramer | 2023 State NC has done an excellent job making her a big target for her guard teammates to get the entry pass in the paint. She moves any opponent around where she wants them to go, seals them off, and grabs the pass to score her points. Contact doesn’t do much to stop her from scoring, either. She keeps the ball high to protect the possession, and she swings it creating space for herself when she needs to get her defender off of her.
Haley Dalton Haley Dalton 6’2″ | C Salisbury | 2023 NC will most likely be seeing even more playing time this upcoming season as she was certainly impactful in helping Salisbury win the state championship last season. She used her height to grab rebounds for her team, and she’s particularly dangerous when it comes to grabbing offensive rebounds to put back up for some points. She slides into the gaps on defense making it easy to catch a pass and score, and she sees the floor well pushing the ball up the court herself on fast breaks.
Blanca Thomas Blanca Thomas 6’5″ | C Charlotte Catholic | 2024 State NC (featured photo) is one of the top prospects in the nation for the class of 2024. Her height certainly makes her a future Divison I college prospect, but she has the post moves to back up her ability to play at a top level. She does a great job widening her stance to seal off her opponents and score even when she gets the pass with her back to the basket. She crashes the boards to grab rebounds with ease, and she knows exactly how to push it up the other end or score off of offensive rebounds. She recently announced her top 10 schools: UNC, NC State, Virginia Tech, Michigan, Tennessee, Louisville, Notre Dame, Standard, South Carolina, and Duke.
Gracyn Gough has been a powerful presence in the paint for years, and I expect her stock to continue to rise. She has a finesse on the block that makes her eligible to teach clinics on post moves. She can body anyone who tries to guard her, and she creates her own space from her defenders using up and unders, powder dribbles, jab steps, etc. Whatever move she learns, she is certain to put it into play in a game and master it quickly. Her ability to be vocal, too, has helped her be a leader on the court these past several seasons even as an underclassmen. She’s also expanding the floor showing off her jump shot from all over.