War In The Valley Recap: Top Defenders

Bruce Williams April 16, 2021 @ 12:10 PM

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Phoenix, AZ – The Prep Hoops Next Circuit came to Phoenix for War In The Valley. The event took place Saturday, April 10th, and concluded Sunday, April 11th with bracket play. Over 35 teams participated in the event featuring teams from California, Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico. It also featured several players with the ability to shut guys down. In this article, we take a look at the top defenders from the event.

Marlin Miles JR 5’7 PG Progress Feels Better 2027 (featured image) – Miles was a good overall defender, but his best trait was his ability to play passing lanes. He’s quick and has good instincts allowing him to anticipate, read and react before getting steals.

Max VanLaningham Max VanLaningham 6'4" | C CA 6’4 C YBA Elite 2026 – MVL was one of the top shot blockers of the event. He did a good job of clogging lanes, providing help defense and rim protection. The 6’4 post also showed some nimble feet allowing him to defend on the perimeter and contest and block outside shots.

Jason Black 6’0 SF San Diego Prospects 2026 – Black was determined to get noticed this weekend. It seemed like whenever he made a play it was spectacular. He had one of the most amazing rebounds that I’ve seen in a while, snagging an in-traffic board with one hand. He also showed the ability to contest and block out of area shots, including swatting a jumper into the stands.

Juelz Lang 5’2 PG Team Eleate 2027 – Despite playing up, Lang made his presence felt on the defensive end. The PG was able to stay in front of ball-handlers, forcing them to use caution when attacking. He moved well laterally and used his quick hands to snag steals.

Jayse Creavale 5’10 SG Team Eleate 2026 – Creavale was good whether playing man or zone. In man, he showed good lateral quickness and the ability to stay in front of ball handlers. When he was in zone, he managed to confuse offensive players and displayed active hands getting a ton of deflection on the top of the 2-3.

Rankings

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War In The Valley Recap: Top Defenders

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