AURORA | A profile look at Smoky Hill junior Will Becker, who is set to play for Team West in the second A-Town All-Star Boys Game set for Saturday, March 18, 2017, at Cherokee Trail High School. The boys game is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. or immediately following the girls game that begins at 3 p.m. (buy tickets in advance: bit.ly/ATOWN2017):
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
Boys A-Town All-Star Game returns after strong debut
WILL BECKER
School: Smoky Hill High School
Year: Junior
Height: 6-foot-8
2016-17 averages: 9.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 4.4 blocks, 0.9 steals per game
Season highlights: The Smoky Hill boys basketball team turned in perhaps the most significant one-season improvement in the state of Colorado, as coach Anthony Hardin’s team rebounded from a four-win season to 16 wins and a trip to the Class 5A Sweet 16 in the 2016-17 season. Injuries and inexperience contributed to last season’s struggles, but the Buffaloes put those things behind them and took off in the new season, keeping the majority of their players on the floor for the whole season and playing the type of basketball that few other teams could keep up with. Size was one of the things the Buffaloes had in their favor for most of the season and Will Becker was a large part of that and did much more than just take up space. The extremely active 6-foot-8 junior post tied for the lead in 5A in rebounding at 11.3 boards per contest (and had two more total rebounds than Kam Vincel of Prairie View, who also averaged 11.3 per game), while he led the classification in total blocks shots (102) and average (4.4), all while chipping 9.3 points per game. The All-Centennial League first team selection will play on Team West in the second A-Town All-Star Boys Game.
Becker vs. Aurora teams: vs. Hinkley (9 points, 12 rebounds, 5 blocks); vs. Rangeview (3 points, 13 rebounds, 5 blocks, 4 assists); vs. Vista PEAK Prep (16 points, 16 rebounds, 3 blocks); vs. Cherokee Trail (13 points, 16 rebounds, 4 blocks; 7 points, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks); vs. Grandview (7 points, 7 rebounds, 5 blocks; 9 points, 5 rebounds); vs. Overland (16 points, 11 rebounds, 5 blocks; 4 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks); vs. Eaglecrest (7 points, 8 rebounds, 6 blocks; 8 points, 11 rebounds, 5 blocks)