Scouting Report: Des Moines Christian vs Panorama
It was evident that Ben Juhl and Keaton Van Soelen were a cut above the rest Saturday night in Des Moines Christian’s 66-58 win over Panorama. The guard-forward combo combined to score 32 of the Lions’ 66 total points, and…
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Continue ReadingIt was evident that Ben Juhl and Keaton Van Soelen were a cut above the rest Saturday night in Des Moines Christian’s 66-58 win over Panorama.
The guard-forward combo combined to score 32 of the Lions’ 66 total points, and hit big shots throughout to help the Lions advance to their first state tournament since 2010.
Junior guard Austin Mona was key to the Lions’ success in crunch-time, making plays on both ends of the floor in the final minutes. Austin Prewitt and Nathan Herbes each hit a 3 in the first half, and both were sensational in the second half — scoring 18 points between them in the last two quarters alone.
Reid Cobb almost single-handedly kept the Panthers (18-6) competitive in the first half, connecting on three first quarter 3s, and scoring 11 points in the first frame. Cobb ended the night with a game-high 21 points.
The loss was the Panthers’ second straight in a substate final, they lost to Woodward Academy last season 46-36.
Des Moines Christian (21-3) advances to its sixth-ever state tournament, and will play Tuesday, March 8 (10:30 AM) against Anamosa (20-5)
Team Scoring
DM Christian…16 8 18 24 — 66
Panorama…….13 7 18 17 — 58
Individual Scoring
DM Christian: Keaton Van Soelen 17, Ben Juhl 15, Nathan Herbers 12, Isaac Prewitt 12, Austin Mona 6, David Fellers 4.
Panorama: Reid Cobb 21, Aaron Klinge 11, Gabe Richey 10, Levi Leiferman 8, Bryce Halterman 6, Jeremy Randol 2.
DM Christian Player Evals
2017 Ben Juhl, 6′ G
He’s a highly skilled guard who can create his own looks with his quick first step, and quick release. He was scoring from all three levels effectively and never forces, all his shot attempts were necessary and within the flow of the game. His passes are crisp and accurate — led the team with four assists. He looks like a potential Division II guard. He’ll play with Kingdom Hoops this spring and summer.
2018 Issac Prewitt, 6’1 G
He stepped up big in the game’s most critical moments, and is extraordinarily well-composed for such a young player. Prewitt led the Lions with nine second half points — some from difficult shots, including a nice running floater in the fourth quarter. He was point guard at times and plays both guard positions effectively. An intriguing young prospect.
2017 Nathan Herbers, 6’2 F
Like Prewitt, Herbers showed excellent composure late in the game. He poured in nine of his 12 points in the second half when the stakes were high. He’s got an excellent stroke for a forward, and was the most efficient guy on the team in this game, going 5-7 from the floor, including 2-3 from beyond the arc.
Panorama Player Evals
2016 Gabe Richey, 5’10 PG
Well-build and tough point guard, he nabbed seven rebounds despite being one of the shorter guys on the team. He was efficient, connecting on all five of his field goal attempts. He also led the team with four assists. Toughness and basketball IQ make him a formidable D3/NAIA prospect.
2017 Levi Leiferman, 6′ G
He rebounded the ball well from the guard position, nabbing a team high eight of them, and was very effective finishing at the rim. He plays the point guard effectively, and is able to play off the ball just as well. He’ll be the team’s leading returning scorer next season (14.5 ppg), and could blossom into a star for the Panthers as a senior.