Video Breakdowns: Alperen Sengun
I’m Kuzey, 19. I’ve been writing about basketball since I was 9. I have been working in Eurosport Turkey for the last 1,5 years. I have written on various sites and magazines before. I’ve been working as a freelance scout for three years. I worked as a consultant. I have interviewed dozens of prospects such as Theo Maledon, Deni Avdija, Henri Drell, Aleksej Pokusevski, Arturs Kurucs, Yves Pons, and dozens of notable basketball people such as Luis Scola, Xavi Pascual, Jonathan Givony, Dimitris Itoudis, Sasa Obradovic, Joan Plaza, Sarunas Jasikevicius, Derrick Williams. I write an article every day. I live in Turkey, I go to all the Euroleague and Youth League games. My main areas are all of age group in Africa and from U12 to U20 European and NCAA. Anyway, don’t forget to follow me on Twitter and feel free to DM!
Games
@ Bursaspor: 17 points | 7/12 FG in 21 minutes
against: Kenneth Kadji and Oguz Savas
vs. Fenerbahçe: 21 points | 9/10 FG in 26 minutes
against: Ahmet Duverioglu, Johnny Hamilton, and Jan Vesely
@ Galatasaray: 27 points | 12/15 FG in 26 minutes
against: Berke Atar, Johnathan Williams, and Brock Motum
vs. Orman: 25 points | 11/19 FG in 37 minutes
against: Elmedin Kikanovic, Jamelle Hagins, and Cevher Ozer
vs. Anadolu Efes: 10 points | 5/8 FG in 29 minutes
against: Bryant Dunston, Tibor Pleiss, and Adrien Moerman
@ Fethiye: 17 points | 7/12 FG in 31 minutes
against: Abdul Malik Abu and Elgin Cook
vs. Gaziantep: 14 points | 5/11 FG in 29 minutes
against: Mouhammadou Jaiteh and Orhan Haciyeva
Standing 6-foot-9 with an average wingspan and smooth frame, 18 years old Alperen Sengun, who is the NBA Draft prospect for the next year from Turkey, plays as a center in Besiktas Sompo Japan. He’s been doing great work since the beginning of the season as an interior scorer. But he’s not just like the classic catch-and-finisher; showed good flashes as well as a creator. When I write the general report, I will talk about much more detailed things there, as always, but this content includes only the video and video analysis. Enjoy.
***
Alperen Sengun combinates his hip turns and agility to create his space in this physicality drive. Before the last step, he lowering his stance and pushing the defender by using his left elbow and head, shifts his weight and creates his angle very well. Give your attention to the ball’s direction. In first seconds, Sengun drives the ball to his left and he bites the defender. When the defender jumps to make block, Sengun changes the ball’s direction and finishes clearly.
—
I think this is an elite move. Because making hesitation fakes without the ball is a hard thing, especially for the bigs, because they are heavy. However, Sengun’s quickness and BBIQ allow him a half hesitation fake here. Look, Sengun begins to cut when the defender’s left foot goes out to the 3-points line. Because no bigs in this world can turn to the basket in positions like this due to the leg’s alignment. Sengun does not go to the basket directly after takes the ball. He seeing the help defense and makes a good hop wright deceptiveness.
—
Alperen Sengun is quick on feet but he has not good vertical pop in tight spaces. And this is limit him as a finisher. However, he can make up for it by using the glass, soft touch and timing on the one-foot jump. So he has the ability to play close to basketball very effectively and modern style (I mean, he is both creator and CnF). He can make a lot of money around the basket. Give your attention to his positioning before grab the rebound. Fenerbahce’s big, Hamilton #2, fights in the left zone and Sengun is free in the right zone, under the basket. Sengun seeing this free space and prepares to grab the ball clearly. Using his two hands and showing great timing to make money.
—
Playing with a lower stance than your opponent, both on offense and defense, gives you a plus in every way. This ability is an advantage for you to be able to protect the ball more easily, change the tempo and attack the basket on the offensive end. On the defensive end, this ability gives you the advantage to steal the ball in more comfortable and in aggressive ways. However, players who can do the low stance on both sides of the court are usually PGs, SGs and SFs. Alperen Sengun does not show an incredible low stance example here, but I think it is important that he shows that he can properly coordinate his body to protect the ball when necessary, and that he can be a rocket from low to high in a very short time.
—
Impressive, very impressive basketball sequence. As an 18 years old center, Alperen Sengun uses the pump fake, shows a little bit of shiftiness and low stance, absorbs the contact, excellent hop under the basket (look at his right foot), and finishes w/soft touch. Ahmet Duverioglu is not the best rim protectors or the smartest defender in this league but at the end of the day, he is a physical defender. But Sengun’s BBIQ, court vision and aggressiveness work very well here in my opinion.
—
Hamilton tries to steal the ball w/right hand but Sengun uses his right elbow to avoid JH’s hand, also, adjusts the ball’s bounce very well in his left hand. Looks like not an effective fake to his right but gives your attention to Hamilton’s right hand. When Sengun gave to the fake, Hamilton’s right hand going down and this is enough space for Sengun’s finishing.
—
Very well curl & flash cut here. Especially, for a big man.
—
Again, Sengun is a good finisher under the basket in versatility positions but not too good in tight spaces. However, he makes up for it by using his BBIQ and timing as you can see above.
—
This body coordination is unbelievable in my opinion. Sengun showed flashes like that last year when he played for the Bandirma. However, his body coordination, balance in the air, second step’s timing and explosiveness, smoothness to attack the basket look glorious for his age and size in my opinion. Also, the biggest plus here is about the versatility that I just mentioned. I mean, Sengun isn’t just someone who can make bucket as a catch and finisher or dunker spot man on under the basket, which is what makes him an NBA prospect from the on the offensive end window. I’m not saying he’s good at play effectively distant basket games, but I think he’s really doing a good job of going to the basket and creating his own angle.
—
This time create his angle by pushing the defender in chest-to-chest fight. His stability, devotion here are impressive. Because Besiktas just down eight, and ın such moments, most of 18 years old basketball players hesitate to drive against a rim protector and make money. I think it is a good sign that Sengun combined his high momentum during this match with determination and dedication at the end of the match.
—
Good turn on the shoulder. Also, soft-touch again.
—
Another drive creation.
—
First of all, Sengun struggled to make something efficiently against the Efes’ star bigs. 10 points not bad but there is some issue which shows his limits. However, from the good window, his using the glass ability and hip mobility good here.
—
And as a dunker spot man.
—
Again.
—
As I mentioned, he cannot use his vertical pop in tight spaces but very explosive and quick in the open floor.
—
Absorbs the contact very well here.
—
As you noticed probably, I just add his positive offensive clips. Because I think Sengun is really going good, shows a lot of important, valuable flashes as an 18 years old big man. The fact that Besiktas is composed of young players may raise a question in Sengun’s stats sheet, which is quite natural, but Sengun showed good things in the technical and BBIQ dimensions of the job. As I said, I will do the detailed analysis before the new year, but there is one thing I want to talk about here: his ability to hit the shots. Sengun has shown flashes where he hit the 3-points in CnS situations both behind the arc and inside the 3-points line. However, inconsistent but enough to create a little space. He just tried one 3-points this year and made it. But his shooting form is not looking good in my opinion. He bends his kneecaps and back good, nice alignment on knees but his load time and shot pocket not good. Needs to lower pocket. Above the head release and balance hand’s arc and momentum good but his two motions shooting form should more smooth. Maybe some works on grasp not hurt him.