Global Grassroots Mid-Season All Defensive Team
We are starting the New Year off right showing love to the warriors of basketball, the defenders. So many accolades, awards, and praise are handed to the players who lead the teams in scoring. We grew up hearing that offense sell tickets, but defense wins games. These young men don’t get enough credit sometimes for how much they play both sides of the ball and cameramen rarely make highlights of defensive plays. These five young men have gone above and beyond on the defensive side of the ball to make their presence felt. These types of players are a coach's dream.
JD Gossett - 6’5 Jr. PG, Huntsville High - JD has had the task of guarding everyone else best guard for the past two years and it has paid off tremendously. His defensive dominance is a huge reason for Huntsville’s success and he does it with length, playing angles, and IQ. He’s a proven defender who has made some of the best scorers in the state have bad nights.
Kahleel Green - 6’2 Jr. SG, Madison Academy - Kahleel is another kid who could be a two-sport athlete with his aggressive play on defense I know he would be a really good highly recruited safety. His mentality is pure toughness and you will just have to show him that you are tougher than him, and most kids aren't. He’s one of the few kids that have that old-school pride on defense and he shows it proudly.
Javon Alexander - 6’0 Jr. PG, Grissom - Javon is a pesky on-ball defender who can change a game defensively by disrupting your offense. It's hard for opposing PGs to get the offense started comfortably when he's in his bag. He has cat-quick hands and times dribbles perfectly to create steals and a lot of tipped balls.
Caleb Holt - 6’6 So. SG, Buckhorn - Caleb is a top 5 player in the country in his class. Most of the time that comes with heavy emphasis on the offensive side of the ball. Caleb is rare these days because not only is he a 25-30-point-a-game threat, but he can literally lock up the best players in the country regardless of class. He's also a versatile defender being able to guard the 1-4 on a consistent basis with his strength, IQ, and athleticism. It seems to be trending towards a big reason he will be able to play beyond college. His motor has yet to be matched for a full game.
Harry Malone - 6’1 Jr. SG, Austin - Harry is built up like an SEC football player with his length and muscle. Those two combinations mixed with his natural ability to play with a chip on his shoulder make him one of the toughest defenders in the 256.