Think of an offense as a jazz ensemble. The dodging brass draws the crowd’s attention; off-ball drummers keep the team on the same tempo. Rushing or dragging that tempo by even the slightest beat can prevent a shot and lead to a turnover. More cutting is not the answer; smart, on-tempo cutting is. Popping the slide and cutting the fill at the right times can create some sweet music.

Nobody pops the slide as well as Joe Walters. He never brings an easy double to the dodger. There's a balance between becoming available as an outlet while also remaining in his shooting range – Walters feels the defense and finds that perfect spot. When he catches, he is ready to attack a five-on-four advantage – and that’s when the Redwoods offense feasts.

Walters’ teammates are the perfect partners for these midfield actions. Kyle Harrison, Brent Adams, Sergio Perkovic, and the unit's latest addition, Myles Jones, all have two-way go’s. When they dodge, Walters pops in the opposite direction. If Walters’ defender drops to help, then his teammate will hit him with a throwback. From there, he has an approach he can beat. He’ll hitch and use the defender’s momentum against him.