2024 Team Preview: Basha Bears Defense

<p>We will continue to preview teams to cover players that you should be on the lookout for when watching these programs. We will now move to the the 6A Premier Division with the Basha Bears defense.</p>    <p class="text-gray-700">2025 Defensive Lineman Bleu Dantzler is going to be the number one rusher for this Basha defense. Standing at 6'3 200lbs, he is powerful and twitchy when rushing the passer. Compiling 7.5 sacks, 11 TFLs, and 12 QB hurries in 2023, he is looking to put on a show this season with senior departures on the defensive line. The most impressive part of his pass rush is his ability to convert speed to power, bending around the edge with great body lean and then firing his hands with good force to catch offensive linemen off guard. He can also counter off his speed rush with a nasty spin move, showing great technique to put him in great position to make a play. Danztler has plenty of D1 offers but could put himself over the top in his senior season.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/DantzlerDarian/status/1803635343310332098 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">2026 Defensive Linemen [player_tooltip player_id='834533' first='EJ' last='Washington'] is a refined young weapon for this Bears defense to utilize. The sophomore last season aligned in the defensive tackle position, firing off the ball with excellent get off, attacking guards and tackles in an instant. He was able to bring in 35 tackles, 18 of those as solo tackles, and 2 TFLs in his 2023 campaign. He gets great extension against his opponents, pushing offensive linemen behind the line of scrimmage and playing in the backfield. Additionally, he shows good pursuit on both the play side and backside, having a constant motor to get after the ball and make tackles. Washington heads into his junior year with hopes to produce again at a similar to higher level.</p>      <p class="text-gray-700">Another exciting young piece on this defensive line for Basha will be 2027 Defensive Lineman [player_tooltip player_id='883325' first='Anitoni' last='Tahi']. The 6'0 300 lbs freshman last year played a good majority of varsity snaps over the center at the nose tackle position for the Basha defense. Managing to bring in 7 total tackles, 3 of those being solo, this is appreciable when you consider he saw a substantial amount of double teams. And reasonable so, as he cannot be moved off the line of scrimmage, neutralizing these double teams with a great base and good pad level at the point of attack. He also exhibits sound instincts, being able to track the ball in the run game or even off an RB screen. Heading into his sophomore season, Tahi is gonna be a problem for offensive lines up front.</p>      <p class="text-gray-700">2026 Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='401160' first='Eli' last='Cramer-Cronin']is the clean-up man for this Basha defense. Standing at 6'0 205 lbs as a sophomore, he started his first season on varsity last season and did not disappoint. Posting a team leading 114 total tackles, 11 TFLs, and 3 sacks was an outstanding debut for last season. The junior has a knack for constantly being around the ball, always able to make plays in an instant for his defense. He has a great ability to work through traffic while reading his keys and wrapping up efficiently on the ball carrier. Cramer-Cronin will be an intriguing piece for this Basha team to see how he can progress from his excellent 2023 season.</p>      <p class="text-gray-700">2026 Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1369395' first='Dante' last='Bruley'] is an additional young backer for this Basha defense. Standing at a sound 6'2 215 lb frame, he played at the inside middle linebacker position, reading the offense and diagnosing well from this spot. He racked in about 57 tackles, 14 of those as solo tackles, and 2 sacks while only playing six games in 2023. His ability to dodge or disengage off of linemen is special, having good athleticism to get low and dip around them. When he quickly makes his reads, he shoots through his gap and brings power to his tackles, making plays for a loss or no gain. There is no telling what kind of numbers Bruley can put up with a full season approaching.</p>      <p class="text-gray-700">2026 Defensive Back Percy Knox lll is a high flying, big-time shutdown man on the outside for the Bears. The versatile corner played at multiple positions over the course of last season, most notably at the cornerback and the nickel spots. He recorded 19 total tackles, 14 of those as solo tackles, 17 pass deflections, and an INT in his sophomore campaign. He is a fluid athlete moving in the secondary, with outstanding agility and excellent hip rotation to change direction swiftly. When he diagnoses the location of the ball, he attacks it at its highest point putting his body on the line with determined aggression. A big secondary player maker that will be seeking to take his game to a new level in his junior season.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/TreyKnox16/status/1801890683210612903 </div></figure>     <p class="text-gray-700">2026 Defensive Back [player_tooltip player_id='1369435' first='Kaden' last='Williams'] is a player that has fallen under the radar in terms of X-factor players for this Basha team. Another versatile weapon in the secondary playing at the safety position, particularly at strong safety and at the nickel position. In 2023, he produced 32 tackles, 5 pass deflections, and 1 INT. Williams's strongest trait is his tackling ability, having tons of range to limit extra yardage from the ball carrier. Once he has located the football, he can cover so much ground with outstanding agility and spectacular acceleration. His ability to play the ball, both at the point of attack and through the receiver is textbook. Don't sleep on Williams for this upcoming season.</p>

We will continue to preview teams to cover players that you should be on the lookout for when watching these programs. We will now move to the the 6A Premier Division with the Basha Bears defense.