10 Best: Carbondale vs Mt. Vernon
Friday night PrepHoopsIllinois got our first look at the brand new Mt. Vernon High School gym. Very nice facility. We came to see the Rams take on Carbondale. The visitors jumped out early with their dominant defense and held the…
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Continue ReadingFriday night PrepHoopsIllinois got our first look at the brand new Mt. Vernon High School gym. Very nice facility. We came to see the Rams take on Carbondale. The visitors jumped out early with their dominant defense and held the lead the entire night. Carbondale defeated Mt. Vernon 49-27. Here are our 10 Best from the game!
MVP
SF Kani Acree (Carbondale – 2018)
Acree showed off his versatility against Mt. Vernon. At 6’4” Acree has good strength and athleticism. He used his physical tools on the defensive end of the floor where he was a game changer. Acree had multiple steals that he took the other way for scores. If they got by one of his teammates Acree swatted shots on the interior. Offensively he scored mostly in transition and had a couple strong drives that he finished with sweeping floaters. Didn’t shoot it much from the perimeter. That is the next step in his evolution. Rebounded well both in and out of his area. Passed it better than I have ever seen him. Acree had 10 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, 3 blocks, and 3 assists. Potential low-major D1 prospect.
Play of the game
Kani Acree from Carbondale had a great two way play where he swatted a shot, took it end to end, and finished an and-1 on the other end.
Best offensive performance
SG Darius Beane (Carbondale – 2018)
Solid effort out of the uber athletic and talented junior combo guard. Beane stands at 6’4” with a wiry frame that he continues to add muscle definition too. Much like Acree Beane was a dominant perimeter defender in this contest. He is cat quick moving laterally and staying in front of his man. Recovers well when he does slightly get beat. The guard had a sick block at the rim early in the game. Offensively Beane was more aggressive than we had seen in the past particularly early looking for his shot. Drilled a pair of mid-range jump shots. One he shook his man with a left/right cross and then drilled a 15 foot jumper. Beane has a picture perfect jumper with elevation off the floor. The junior is a plus passer for an off guard. Makes sound decisions with the rock including a slick pass in the lane for an assist. Beane had 10 points, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block. D1 prospect in the 2018 class.
Best defensive performance
Darius Beane and Kani Acree were both dominant defensive players for Carbondale.
Best rebounder
SG James Baltz (Carbondale – 2020)
This was our first time seeing this 6’2” freshman. Good size and build at a young age. Should grow a couple more inches looking at his frame. Very good rebounder for a guard. He crashed the glass on both ends of the floor. Got a put back. Potential defensively. One to track. He had 7 points.
Best passer
Darius Beane from Carbondale is an outstanding wing passer.
Best catch and shoot guy
SG O’Shea Hardin (Mt. Vernon – 2018)
Hardin is a 6’0” power guard that plays with toughness. Goes after looks balls and crashes the glass from his guard position. Got a put back. Also flashed some ability as a three point threat hitting a pair from deep. Not the greatest athlete and is a bit loose with the ball. He had 10 points.
Best intangibles
F Winslow Martin (Carbondale – 2017)
Martin stands at 6’5” with a strong build and broad shoulders. Showed and inside-out game on the offensive end. Played mostly in the paint with some post moves, great seal/finish, and a put back. Martin did connect on a triple early in the contest. Has the ability to defend both forward spots. Finished with 13 points. Worth a look at the D3/NAIA/JUCO levels.
Best under-the-radar performance
SG Luke Cooper (Mt. Vernon – 2019)
Cooper is a wing that can really shoot it when he gets hot. Couldn’t get loose most of the night with the athletic defenders on the perimeter for Carbondale. He had one catch and shoot three and a slippery drive. Should have a big year for the Rams.
Best underclassmen
G Amir Spann (Mt. Vernon – 2020)
Spann is a freshman 6’1” combo guard that is probably the best prospect in the Mt. Vernon program at this stage. He played major minutes in the JV game and saw some time in the varsity contest as well. Strength and athleticism are the first two aspects that stand out. He is a bit wild with the ball at times and has trouble finishing through length inside. In the JV game he had a sweet steal and slam. One to monitor down the line. He is not there yet, but has potential.