"Fast to the Rim, Strong Through Contact and Ready to Drop a Dime"

Elijah Zarbaugh

@Elijah Zarb77768

6'2, Class of 2029

Trenton HS, MI

Elijah likes to play fast, and he wants to get to the rim where he can do damage or set a teammate up for a good look. When he gets a step on his man, the next defender has to decide whether to come meet him or stay with his own guy. Give Elijah a lane, and he’ll take it. Step over to cut him off, and he’ll look for the teammate you just left. He can put the defense in a tough spot with that first move, and he’s learning how to make even more out of it by playing at a pace he can control.

Elijah helped his team finish with a winning record and scored more than 200 points last season. In one game, he put up 26 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, and 3 assists. What stood out was him getting his shot going was how quick he was to give his teammates credit. His shots weren’t falling early, and they kept telling him to shoot. Once a couple went in, he felt himself get into rhythm and felt like nothing was stopping him from there. His teammates kept trusting him when the shots were missing. It takes confidence to keep taking good looks when they won’t fall, and it helps when the guys on the floor with you want you taking them just as much as you do.

The biggest moment Elijah pointed to came against Wyandotte. His team was down one, the crowd was huge, and he was standing at the free-throw line with a chance to keep the game going. He made the shot that tied it and sent the game into overtime. With all those people watching, he had to settle himself and make the same shot he’d put up plenty of times without a crowd.

The biggest improvement Elijah sees in his game is how physical he’s become and how much better he controls his pace when he attacks. There’s a difference between getting into the paint fast and getting there with your feet under you and a plan for what comes next. Elijah is learning he can go hard off the first step, take the bump and still have enough balance to finish or get the ball out to a teammate. He can also slow that last step down if the big is already waiting for him. That’s where playing fast gets dangerous. The defender has to react to his speed, and Elijah can decide when to use it and when to take a little off.

Elijah has faced plenty of challenges during his basketball journey, and he trusted in what he was taught about staying strong and getting through tough stretches. He had to push through those struggles, and that same attitude comes through when he talks about his game.

Summer kept Elijah busy with football training, basketball workouts, AAU, and working at camps. He carried that grind into the offseason with a pretty simple plan. He wanted to get his shot right, become a better teammate, and be even more coachable. He spent plenty of time in the weight room, and when he wasn’t lifting, he was putting up shots. Inside or outside, he was going to find a hoop and get them up. The strength can help him hold his line when he takes contact, and those shooting reps give defenders another reason to come out and guard him before he ever puts the ball down.

Elijah most overlooked part of his game is his off hand. He’s spent time on it and is

ready to show what he can do with it this season. That can make a big difference for a guy who likes getting to the rim as much as he does. If the defender takes away his strong side, he can go the other way and give himself a chance to finish without bringing the ball back into the defender’s reach. It also gives him more room to get a pass out if somebody steps into his path. That’s a skill worth watching because the more comfortable he gets with either hand, the tougher it gets to steer him where you want him to go.

Elijah wants to earn his first offer, take his team to the playoffs and give himself a shot at a state championship. He wants to be better than he was last year, and he’s putting as much value on what he gives his teammates as he is on what he adds to his own game. His brother fuels his fire, and so do the things he went through when he was younger. His brother and what he’s been through give him something to draw on when it’s time to get back in the gym or step up with the game on the line.

I assess that Elijah’s potential coming off a ball screen because he can make the big decide how far out he wants to come. If that big steps up early, Elijah has the speed to get shoulder to shoulder with him and open a lane for the screener to roll. If the big hangs back, Elijah can get deeper into the lane before making him commit. That gives a coach a way to get two guys involved in the same action and gives Elijah a chance to turn a small opening into a clean touch near the basket.

Elijah can give a lineup another scoring option when somebody else handles the rock. His quickness makes him dangerous on a backdoor cut when a defender steps up to deny the pass. If the low defender turns to pick him up, a teammate on the weak side can get a window to cut or step into an open shot. That gives a coach a way to put Elijah beside another ball handler and still make the defense account for him before he touches it.