There’s a culture that is being rooted and grown here in WA with the open runs started by Coach Jordan Glossop. Some of the best up and coming talent coming together under the same roof to not only compete but grow together. I took the trip to watch the runs this past Sunday and was impressed with quite a few things from the athletes. There was an evident sense of culture that has been formed since the runs kicked back off in June after restrictions were eased. Players seemed locked in on building their own individual game outside of their normal structured team setting which was evident by the confidence they played with. It was very good to see players welcoming the style of play that targets mismatches, and that consistently uses handles/understanding of angles to attack one on one. Players competed, communicated, and challenged each other for the entirety of the two hour run, which is unusual in most open runs. There were four standouts that seemed to always be making an impression when the eyes were on them.
Tana Kopa, a 6-5 wing, used his frame to get to the rim and finish whenever he wanted with a variety of dunks, floaters, and tip-ins. He played at his own pace and took everything the defence gave without forcing the issue, showing his true versatility and sheer skillset.
Riley Parker used his jump shot very effectively from three and from the midrange to score often. This included a few three pointers as game winners, all while also showing growth to finish more efficiently at the rim.
Tariq Muturi was one of my favourites to watch in the runs. He has a very polished/smooth handle paired with a great feel for shifting his defender that allowed him to get to anywhere he wanted on the floor without much trouble. Tariq broke guys down off the dribble and made jump shots off the dribble with great rhythm and confidence.
Charlie Trigwell showed his all-around game during the runs, scoring from all three levels consistently. He made threes off the catch and off the bounce, pull ups, and also attacked downhill very often. He displayed a natural feel for scoring which was evident in how often he scored and the pace of which he played offensively.
Writer: Caleb White Photography: Jack Foley