Noah Penda (F | 199 cm | ‘05) ~ INSEP Paris

12.6 pts, FG2-50%, FG3-11.1%, FT-45.5%, 4.3 reb, 3.6 ast, 3 st, 2.6 to, 0.6 blck

Noah, this time took on a bit different role and spent more time with the ball in his hands, looking for options to create. He intrigues not only with his instincts and feel, but also the way he uses his body. Taking contact while slashing through the lane, surprising opponents like Veesaar with his leap, rearranging his shots around the rim as well as selling body fakes to defenders. He proved with this showing, he can take care of things on perimeter, but a lack of a 3-point shot really hurts his stock, and that would be a big question going forward. I don’t expect him to be a first option, but rather a valuable role played few years down the road. Big test coming up for him with the u17s around the corner.

(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)

9.5 pts, FG2-60.3%, FG3-13.3%, FT-47.4%, 7.5 reb, 1.5 ast, 3 st, 1.5 to, 0.2 blck

Noah stands at 6’6, has a stocky body and a surprisingly good athletic ability. He can positively affect the game in so many ways and in one regard, he is in a class of his own. Noah doesn’t just stand around, plays with effort, he likes to get his hands dirty, especially on the offensive glass. He can move some bodies around when he has to, but can also navigate around other players. Has solid pop off two legs, reads the ball very well off the rim and has impressive timing on his cuts. In around 22 minutes per game, he averaged 3.5 offensive rebounds, but statistics don’t tell a full story. His teammates often benefited from the havoc he has wreaked in the paint on his pursues. Noah can also make good use of the lane if an opportunity presents itself. He is not afraid to drive/finish with either hand and is able to keep good balance while spinning away from defenders to make space. Unselfish. Defensively he keeps his hands active, patrols the passing lanes and puts in work, but is not the quickest laterally. Also has moments where he finds himself out of position, but can usually recover from bad spots. When it comes to his shot, numbers don’t impress.

(Written by Igor Chytrzynski)