Prep Hoops 10 Best: St. Maria Goretti vs. St. Albans
HAGERSTOWN, MD — Illinois State commit Elijah Clarance scored 9 of his 36 points in the opening frame for St. Maria Goretti, who led wire-to-wire in their 64-57 win vs. St. Albans in the opening round of the 34th Annual MAIT.…
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Continue ReadingHAGERSTOWN, MD — Illinois State commit Elijah Clarance scored 9 of his 36 points in the opening frame for St. Maria Goretti, who led wire-to-wire in their 64-57 win vs. St. Albans in the opening round of the 34th Annual MAIT. Below, we highlight some of the game’s top performers.
MVP | ELIJAH CLARANCE | GORETTI ’17
Elijah Clarance established his perimeter jumper by hitting two threes in the first quarter. From then, he began utilizing his skill set and quickness to attack the basket. Clarance racked up 22 foul shot attempts as a result of his constant aggression.
PLAY OF THE GAME
On three separate occasions, Elijah Clarance brought the house down with emphatic dunks. None better than his first. Clarance found himself on the break and punched it home over a defender with his favorite left hand. This dunk was particularly important as it helped Goretti fully seize control of the momentum to end the first half.
BEST OFFENSIVE PERFORMANCE | ELIJAH CLARANCE | GORETTI ’17
From opening tip until final whistle, Elijah Clarance got wherever he wanted to on the court. The crafty 6’3 guard can work well on or off the ball. He can score it from three levels and is a reliable creator.
BEST DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCE | AMIR HARRIS | GORETTI ’18
Amir Harris contributed in a variety of areas defensively. Most impressively perhaps, was his ability to matchup with 6’7 Bulldogs forward Charles Snowden. At 6’4, Harris is deceptively long and has quick reactions.
BEST GUY OFF THE BENCH | COLLIN NNAMENE | ST. ALBANS ’18
Not many team’s can bring a 6’8 big off the bench with the potential of Collin Nnamene. A big time athlete with impressive athleticism and an improving skill set, Nnamene will only continue to get better with experience.
BEST INTANGIBLES | COLE MATTHIESEN | ST. ALBANS ’19
Cole Matthiesen’s performance was certainly a bright spot for St. Albans. Owning a broad and sturdy frame, Matthiesen stands out physically at 6’4 and moves well for his size. Matthiesen demonstrated an excellent feel for the game and made winning plays on both ends.
BEST UNDER-THE-RADAR PERFORMANCE | PHILLIP JORDAN | ST. ALBANS ’19
If we had to pick the best pull up jump shooter of the game, Phillip Jordan would get the nod. The sophomore lead guard showcased a silky smooth jumper both from the catch and off the bounce. Jordan also impressed with his competitive disposition and strong work rate.
BEST UNDERCLASSMEN | RJ BLAKNEY | GORETTI ’19
RJ Blakney thrived down the stretch for the Gaels. The 6’5 wing hit a clutch three pointer with under three minutes left to give his team some breathing room on their way to securing the win.
BEST REBOUNDER | CHARLES SNOWDEN | ST. ALBANS ’17
This game featured plenty of high level athletes, but arguably none more impressive than Charles Snowden. The 6’7 Virginia Football commit chased after rebounds relentlessly and did a magnificent job securing the ball in traffic.
BEST PASSER | ELIJAH CLARANCE | GORETTI ’17
One thing that should not go unnoticed about Elijah Clarance‘s offensive explosion was his willingness to get others involved. On more than a few occasions, Clarance drove and delivered accurate and timely passes to open teammates.