0 Basketbal « David ranked second na Pole Hoops; plenty of By Steve LeBlanc CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF SAsked what Christian David's greatest asset 3on the court is, Tariq Sbiet offers an extended Epause. É While flot immediately clear, that silence 0 speaks volumes about the just-turned S16-year-oid's game... and his potential. SAfter aIl, to simply mention ione strong suit mighty im- Sply David relies too heavily on it, or that other areas of Shis play aren't quite up to par. So far, theres been abso- lutely no evidence of either. "He's so well-rounded,' stressed Sbiet, a national cisa scout and director of recruit- ing with North Pole Hoops (NPH), Canada's most recognized youth basketball devel- opment and recruiting organization, with which 6-foot-5 David is currently ranked sec- ond nationaliy for the Ciass of 2017. »He's the full package." "His basketball IQ is exceptional and he's got multiple skiil sets at different positions.» echoed Anthony Cordeiro, who coached the elite-level hoopster to the Halton final - and a top-i O provincial ranking - with the 2012/13 Bishop Reding Royals. «I think that's where his reai value is.» Those are no hoilow sentiments, given Da- vid's efforts at the Father's Day weekend NPH Showcase in Toronto. With a versatility seen by few players his age, he not only earned a spot in the camp- jisidehalton.com stars. stck soaring onaIIy in age class by North D-1 schools showing interest Il ending ail-star game but was named its MVVP, courtesy of an 18-point, eight-rebound, four- assist performance. »I was excited (to be named MVP)X"said a soft- spoken David, a bonafidle candidate for the junior national team in the not-too-distance future. -That was a big confidence boost for me." Though not having personally seen David *play before the Toronto camp, USbiet said his reputation cer- Stainiy proceeded him. 'I'd heard about Christian from colleagues, SO we had high ex- pectations for him and he defi- niteiy met those'* Whiie seeing himself as a natu- rai two-guard, David took on Davld pretty much every position in the ail-star showcase and dem- onstrated real proficiency in each role. «I'm definiteiy wiliing to play any position," noted the local basketbaii standout, who be- gan playing competitively a littie later than most hîgh-ranked prospects - in Grade 7 - but now has NCAA D-1 schoois like Baylor, Il- linois and Boston's Stonehili College express- ing interest in his services. "I just want to help my team win!' He's done a fair amount of that recently. Along wîth Ieading his squad to victory at the NPH Showcase - which foilowed a strong showing at a camp in Nashville, Tennessee - David heiped the 2012/13 Royals to an overail steliar season as a ninth grader and this past year was a key part of the Under-1 6 Stags' win at the prestigious LeBron James Tournament. Admitting that ai the attention he's receiv- ing lateiy can get a bit overwhelming at times, David says he just tries "not to let it get too much in my head:' That's when the influence of a close-knit family cornes into play, helping the tal- ented cager stay grounded and hum- ble. «I aiways tell him, 'Before you play, you pray7 said father Ar- nel, whos instilied a strong sense of faith and high regard for academics in his NCAA- bound son. »God will lead you:' While blessed with size and a natu- rai talent for the game, David's com- posure on the court may be just as big a weapon as his bail handling and shooting prowess. 'Christian manages to keep his emotions in check on the court. i think part of that is coming from a good family," said Cordeiro. »He's pretty even-keeled, wheth- er his teams up by a lot or clown by a few points late in the game.» Added Sbiet, "He's not a Ioud guy... hes methodicai. He just puts on his hard hat and goes to work." Though acknowlediging how weird itfeels to discuss the possibility of a future in the NBA, David does see that as something within his reach. And with his sharp upward trajec- tory as of late, it would be hard to argue with that. «It's kind of odd to think about that (career in pro basketbal>, but hopefuily i can make it:' Steve LeBlanc can be reached at sleblanc@ miltoncanadianchampion.com or on Twitter @MiltonOnSports. Christian David had scouts sitting up and taking notice with a steilar effort at the NPH Showcase in Toronto. FranklIk.mInpetrolnd WestMeda Gro<p (Foilow on T~Mfton-photo>