Junior Evaluation: Linas Kleiza
One of the folks who covers Baltimore-Washington basketball, each time we'd run into each other at a game, would inevitably ask me if I'd seen Linas Kleiza play yet.
Until this weekend, the answer had been "no." It's very clear why he was talking up this young man's game.
Advertisement
Kleiza came to Stu Vetters program at Montrose Christian High School this year from Lithuania. Montrose, which lost NC State frosh Levi Watkins to graduation last year, has a powerful inside player for the next two years.
The 6-8, 225 pound junior big forward is very strong, and like many from Europe, has good hands, a nice shooting style and appears well schooled in the fundamentals of the game. And for a man of his size, he runs the floor remarkably well.
Kleiza normally doesn't range more than 10 feet from the basket to the glee of the Montrose coaching staff. Nice to see a kid make use of his strong points and therefore help the team succeed.
Because of his strength, Kleiza will finish his play when fouled on a layup and therefore get to the free throw line for the ontraditional three-point play.
Kleiza averaged 14.7 points during the three-day event and was named to the All-Tournament Team.