Christian Kimlin

@foothillbball_ Another up-and-coming team to keep an eye on is the Foothill Knights. I watched them take on Canyon, and although they didn’t get the result they wanted in that one, it was still a great weekend overall for the Knights, picking up a couple of wins and showing plenty of positives throughout the event. 2027 guard Magnus Lawson continues to be one of the more underrated players in the area. He plays with a ton of confidence and was one of the best players on the floor throughout the game. He’s lethal off the catch from beyond the arc and found his rhythm quickly, while also showing the ability to attack the rim and make plays in transition. He should be a guy who sets the tone for this group on most nights. 2027 Christian Kimlin may not have made a huge impact in the scoring column, but his presence was felt defensively, on the glass, and through the energy he brought. As a senior, he’ll be one of the key leaders for this team, and I’m excited to see him continue to embrace that role. A few younger players who also stood out were 2029’s Damir Buckingham and Sean Dao, along with 2028 Lucas Garcia. All three have a great feel for the game, and getting meaningful varsity experience this early should only help their development. Damir is a shifty guard who can create for himself and had a couple of nice takes to the rim. Sean knocked down a few shots from beyond the arc and gives Foothill another reliable option who can come in and produce. Lucas did a great job attacking his defender, getting into the paint, and using his footwork to get defenders off balance, including a tough contested finish at the rim. 2027 Justice Linares didn’t play due to injury, but he’ll be another important senior leader and is one of the better shooters on this team. Even after losing some big-time senior pieces from last year’s group, the future definitely looks promising for Foothill. With several younger guys stepping into bigger roles, it’ll naturally take some time for this group to build chemistry and get fully comfortable playing together. The talent is there, though, and the experience these younger players are getting now should only help as the season progresses. Overall, it was a productive weekend for the Knights, and they should be ready to compete once the season gets underway. The Freeway League should be action-packed, and I think Foothill has the pieces to be right in the mix. Their ball movement stood out, and you can already see the trust developing within this group. The energy they play with is another major positive, and as that chemistry continues to build, this should be a fun team to follow!