Student Athlete of the Week: Alexander Long

For the first time since breaking his ankle as a sophomore, Alexander Long finally feels like a "complete basketball player" midway through his senior season at Niwot High School.

"I didn't really rebound until this year - just strength and stuff in my ankle," Long said. "It's good to finally be able to run and have it not hurt or bother me, it's not in my mind."

On the court, Long takes the most pride in his defensive abilities. He may not light up the scoreboard offensively, but the Cougar guard has five steals and a block in seven games played this season. Long said that he'd compare his game to three-time NBA All-Defensive player Patrick Beverley - minus the trash talking.

Offensively, his catch-and-shoot approach has given him points in all but one of Niwot's first seven games. He began the season by scoring a career-high six points against Regis Groff and he has recently heated up from behind the arc, making two of his last four 3-point shots.

Long entered this season being named a team captain along with fellow seniors Jerek Funkhouser and Julian Lettow. While Long said it's a challenging role having to set a high standard for his teammates, he believes that his ability to go 100% in every aspect, especially on defense, makes him a valuable leader.

"Something I try to do the most is be a leader and help my team get better even if it's JV or starters," Long said.

Entering the final stretch of his Niwot career, Long has a pair of personal goals: "Shooting more and having fun, because it is just a sport." The Cougars began the season 3-0 and averaged 74 points per game, but have since failed to score more than 45 points in four straight losses, so while Long may be one of Niwot's top defensive weapons, an extra shooting threat could indeed be helpful.

After graduation, Long is currently considering either culinary school or a four-year college in Colorado.

First, though, Long's Cougars return to action following Winter Break on Jan. 6 at Skyline High School.