2027: Lockdown Defenders

EJ Arocho June 13, 2023 @ 08:09 AM

Defense is the dominant ingredient of winning basketball. The best defense is played with anticipation and awareness of what's happening around you; Quick reflexes, excellent lateral movement and a fearless mindset. To love and embrace a challenge when the defensive assignment is tasked is what separates good defenders from great ones. These five players are sure to bring the fire when they make their high school debut in the Fall and chase Sectional & State titles in the Spring. After all, defense wins championships.   [player_tooltip player_id='651482' first='Callie' last='Decker'] | 5'5" SG | St. Rose   Callie "The Clamps" Decker prides herself on playing relentless, stubborn defense. She applies stifling pressure on the perimeter and makes life difficult for the primary ball-handler trying to set up the half-court offense. In transition, she uses extreme quickness to get back, slow the pace and prevent the quick buckets. It'll be fun to watch her game transition over to high school once she joins the Purple Roses, a team notorious for their hard-hitting offense and intimidating defense.   [player_tooltip player_id='651478' first='Tatum' last='Sharpe'] | 5'11" SF | St. John Vianney   With her length & sheer athleticism, Tatum is sure to thrive under Coach Karpell's full-court press style of defense. With the quickness of a guard & long reach of a big, she is a legitimate threat to ball-handlers trying to create and make something happen, because of her ability to disrupt the passing lanes. An extensive wingspan leads to many imperative blocks around the paint. Tatum will bring tenacity and grit to a team that is consistently one of the nation's premier defensive juggernauts.   [player_tooltip player_id='651499' first='Victoria' last='Liedl'] | SG | Hillsborough   Victoria's in-your-face defense is the cause of many frustration time-outs called by the opposing team. Her ever-present hands in combination with her physicality and fearless play really sets her apart from many of her fellow 2027 peers. Her rotations are crisp and she keeps the opponent in front of her at all times. And while Victoria's on-ball defense can be suffocating, off-the-ball she is just as impressive, as her ball denial is menacing.   [player_tooltip player_id='651515' first='Hannah' last='Fraser'] | 6'1" PF | Rutgers Prep   Have you ever been to a block party before? ...because Hannah has hosted quite a few! She is ferocious in the low block and uses every bit of her 6'1" frame to protect the rim and send shots back (insert "too small" celebration here). She has terrific body control and verticality to effectively alter shots while simultaneously limiting her fouls. An intimidating front-court presence, Hannah shuts off the lanes and forces guards to distribute the ball or face rejection underneath the rim. Her versatility and ability to step out and successfully defend near the perimeter is also crucial.   [player_tooltip player_id='651483' first='Sam' last='Orlando'] | 5'8" SF | Middletown South   With undeniable toughness, impactful length and great speed, Sam can successfully defend 1-5 and be nightmare fuel for opponents. She has terrific court awareness, has sharp reflexes and anticipates very well. Excellent mobility makes it tough for the ball-handler to blow by her and superb reach and elevation makes it tough to shoot over her. The burst of electric energy and intensity she brings day in and day out will take her game to new heights at the high school level.

Defense is the dominant ingredient of winning basketball. The best defense is played with anticipation and awareness of what's happening around you; Quick reflexes, excellent lateral movement and a fearless mindset. To love and embrace a challenge when the defensive assignment is tasked is what separates good defenders from great ones. These five players are sure to bring the fire when they make their high school debut in the Fall and chase Sectional & State titles in the Spring. After all, defense wins championships.