5A Northern Area Dynamic Defenders To Watch For This Season

Defensive studs are often overlooked and undervalued but they are what make a good team great. It's tough to name a championship caliber squad without top-notch defensive minded players that truly value getting stops. Check out this list of "dynamic-defenders" from the 5A northern Colorado area.    There's no other way to put it - Zoe is an absolute pit-bull on the defensive end of the floor. She is aggressive, physical, and in no way, shape, or form afraid of contact. An underrated skill on defense is communication, but this is an area of strength for Zoe. Whether it be letting her team know to change defenses, calling out screens, or simply showing her grittiness on each and every possession, Wittler is the unquestioned head of the defensive snake for Frederick. She is a consistent leader that displays integrity both with her voice and her dependable nature on the court. When Zoe is healthy Frederick is at least a top 10 team and this year don't be surprised if they push into that top 5 or higher. After taking several visits earlier this fall, Zoe committed to play next year at (D2) South Western Oklahoma State.     Payton is definitely one of the top 1v1 defenders in the entire northern Colorado area because of her relentless effort and natural quickness. With all of Roosevelt's talent and success the last few years, it's easy to overlook the fact that winning doesn't come without players' willingness to do the dirty work. Payton is the ultimate team player that is always willing to sacrifice scoring opportunities and stats in-general to help her team win. I would equate Payton to a cover corner in football who shuts down one half of the field (in this case the opponents top guard) and allows her team to benefit by matching up with the rest. However, with the loss of some quality seniors she will be asked to share much more of the load offensively by handling the ball, running the offense and knocking down open jumpers . Terry is more than capable of doing all those things, so don't be surprised to see a confident and aggressive player this season. Payton possesses offers from Park University, McPherson College & Texas A&M-Texarkana and is in the process of taking recruiting trips to make a final decision.     One of the most effective ways to have a dynamic defense is to have multiple guards that can cover the ball on the perimeter. Frederick has this luxury with Avery Salisbury & superstar senior teammate [player_tooltip player_id='374107' first='Zoe' last='Wittler']. Avery is often the best overall athlete on the floor and she puts her heart and soul into her defensive game. Her quick hands, next-level defensive instincts and high basketball IQ allow her to take chances that other players can't get away with. Avery is tough in every way and takes pride in her role of shutting down quality guards. Scoring against Frederick this year will not be an easy task!     [player_tooltip player_id='877909' first='Elena' last='Gomez'] is what I call a "glue" player for Mead. She is a vicious competitor that oozes with high level athleticism. At times she almost looks like a football defensive back on defense. Anytime opposing teams put too much air under the ball she comes flying out of nowhere to steal or deflect the pass. At 5'10 Gomez can be intimidating because of her physicality and tenacity on both ends. Her height also allows her to guard multiple positions, so she is sort of a unicorn in that way. Last season Elena led Mead in steals and also was high in the state rankings. Rest assured getting stops on defense, in particular defending the post, will play a big part in how far this year's Mead team can go.     Jesika Hopkins is a tremendous 1v1 defender that loves to pick up full court and harass opposing teams' guards. She is extremely quick and combative at the point of contact, which is a big part of her effectiveness as a defender. Although Hopkins is slight in stature - She makes up for it with pure athleticism, speed and an incredibly high effort level. As a freshman for Thompson Valley two seasons ago Jesika was an integral part of a sweet 16 team that gave Air Academy a run for their money in the playoffs. She was very effective at the front of their 2-2-1 full court press as well as in their full court man2man. Look for Jesika to make a huge mark in her junior season!

Defensive studs are often overlooked and undervalued but they are what make a good team great. It's tough to name a championship caliber squad without top-notch defensive minded players that truly value getting stops. Check out this list of "dynamic-defenders" from the 5A northern Colorado area.