Interesting Note about Amile Jefferson

[matt1]

I am the manager of the basketball team for a school that is a rival with the high school that Amile attended. As the manager, I go to all of the games. Last year, Amile was truly the difference in our close loss. He was easily the best player in our league, but I thought that he was too thin/weak to be an elite player at Duke. He has really surprised me this year, though I would still like it if he would get a bit stronger.

Ultimately, I guess, he just knows how to win. His team won state titles his last three years there.

On a side note, my school was the last team to qualify for the state tournament this year and drew THE ONLY team from outside the Philadelphia area (in Pittsburgh). That should be interesting!

[Newton_14]

I am the manager of the basketball team for a school that is a rival with the high school that Amile attended. As the manager, I go to all of the games. Last year, Amile was truly the difference in our close loss. He was easily the best player in our league, but I thought that he was too thin/weak to be an elite player at Duke. He has really surprised me this year, though I would still like it if he would get a bit stronger.

Ultimately, I guess, he just knows how to win. His team won state titles his last three years there.

On a side note, my school was the last team to qualify for the state tournament this year and drew THE ONLY team from outside the Philadelphia area (in Pittsburgh). That should be interesting!

Thanks for sharing! The only thing keeping Amile from being an elite player right now, is bulk, strength, and experience. We knew coming in his lack of bulk and strength would be a problem against the better teams, especially in conference, but all agreed he is a player. He has surprised in a good way. He does get pushed around inside a lot, and has trouble setting screens, but he is the very definition of a "scorer". Amile is sooo crafty with his moves in the paint and has that unique ability to find angles that allow him to use that enormous length to get the ball to the rim with either hand. Even with his current slight build, he has found ways to get the ball in the hole. That slip screen /rim run move Saturday against FSU was a thing of beauty.

He is only going to get better. By the time he is a Junior, he will be a load to deal with down low.

He has responded well as a fill in starter while Ryan heals. When we get Ryan back, if he can return to form, the team with the old Ryan and new Amile will be even stronger than it was in the first 15 games.