Today we are proud to announce the 2020 HOOP GROUP DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR. There is no other player who deserves this award more the Red Bank Catholic's, FAB EGGENSCHWILER. This past season she was a walking blanket. She was the backbone of the RBC season's defense all year. The future Lehigh University player made a habit of turning the lights-out on some of the best players in the state.
When you talk about great defensive players, you must first start with what makes that defensive player great. Great defensive players have the ability to defend at all three levels. They can pressure the ball baseline to baseline. They can defend on the perimeter and also defend in the post. Great defenders are versatile. They understand and can adjust to a coaches game plan. They have a real understanding of team defense. They are verbal and can direct teammates where to go, and more importantly cover up for their teammates' mistakes. This year nobody was better than Fab Eggenschwiler. She was the the heart and soul of the RBC defense. She was a floor general and the team's conductor on defense. She also did something that only great defensive players do: She finished possessions with defensive rebounds. She was one of the best defensive rebounders in the Shore this past season. But what made Fab Eggenschwiler special, was her ability to turn the lights out on some of the best players in the state….night in and night out!
It's been a long time since we have seen a player with the ability to turn the lights out on the great offensive players like Fab Eggenschwiler did to those this year. This season, Fab Eggenschwiler threw more great players in her back pocket than any other player had in recent times. You would have to go back to KC Chambers of St. Rose to find a player who had the ability to turn so many bright lights out. Eggenschwiler turned the lights out on guards, wings and forwards. She gave it to them anyway they wanted it. If they wanted to be physical, that's exactly what they got. If they tried to hide behind the three point line, she found them and chased them off. If they tired to post up there, she was shutting the door; in a word she was Spectacular.
To say Fab Eggenschwiler timing was great this yea...is like saying a fat kid loves cake. Her game saving blocked shot against St. Rose was perhaps the biggest defense play of the season. She made a career this season off of shutting down great players late in games. It is just what we expect from her. Her physical toughness and aggressive style defied logic at times. If there was ever a case of the cover not fitting the book, Fab Eggenschwiler was it. When you look at her, you think of a sweet innocent girl. But once the ball was tossed up, she became one of the most competitive players in the state. She gave no inch and took pride in shutting down the best players in the state…For this reason….FAB EGGENSCHWILER IS THE HOOP GROUP 2020 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR.
