10 Best: Parkway South vs. Lutheran North
Parkway South matched up against Lutheran North in the first round of the MICDS Holiday Tournament in a game on two contrasting teams. Parkway South is a senior-laden with high expectations, but had limped into the tournament with a 3-4…
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Continue ReadingParkway South matched up against Lutheran North in the first round of the MICDS Holiday Tournament in a game on two contrasting teams. Parkway South is a senior-laden with high expectations, but had limped into the tournament with a 3-4 record. Meanwhile, Lutheran North is an up and coming young team that started two freshmen and two sophomores. So far, the Crusaders had exceeded expectations. In the end, the more experienced Patriots grinded out a 50-45 victory in a very competitive game. Parkway South trailed by five points midway through the fourth quarter, but rallied to win an advance to next Monday’s quarterfinal round.
Here is a look at the best from the Parkway South-Lutheran North game:
MVP: A.J. Sommer (Parkway South) – The 6’5″ Sommer scored a team high 17 points to lead the Patriots to the win. Sommer came up big in the fourth quarter with six points and a couple of big offensive rebounds that led to buckets. He is a versatile wing player who can score in the high post or step outside and knock down a 3-pointer.
Best Offensive Player: Jalen White (Lutheran North): The 6’2″ 2019 guard scored a game-high 20 points, including 12 in the first quarter. Jalen is physically strong and he uses that strength to get to the bucket and score through contact. He was very tough off the dribble and even knocked down a corner 3-pointer. He was Lutheran North’s main source of offense throughout the game.
Best Rebounder: Ronnie Perkins (Lutheran North): A major Division I football prospect, the 6’2″ 250-pound 2018 displayed his physical prowess as a rebounder when he basically controlled the boards on both ends of the court. He was one of the big reasons why the Crusaders gobbled up 14 offensive rebounds as a team.
Most Resourceful: Turner Weiss (Parkway South): The 6’1″ 2017 guard scored 13 points and was impressive at getting buckets in a variety of ways. He did an excellent job of moving without the basketball as he scored a number of baskets on back-door cuts. He was a picture of constant motion which served him well on the offensive end.
Best Young Prospect: Jordan Nesbit (Lutheran North) – A 6’4″ 2020 point guard, Nesbit is a talented youngster with loads of potential. His perimeter shot is still a work in progress, but Nesbit displayed some nice ball handling and passing skills, not to mention his size as a point guard. He is going to be a big problem for opposing teams in the future.
Best Player of the Bench: Ronnie Perkins (Lutheran North): See above. A rebounding machine.
Game’s Biggest Play: With Parkway South trailing 45-43 late in the game, 2017 guard Sam Welin attempted a 3-pointer which missed. Teammate A.J. Sommer flew in and grabbed the offensive rebound. One quick ball reversal later, Welin got the ball back and let fly with another 3-point attempt. This time, the ball swished through the net to give the Patriots a 46-45 lead with one minute and 13 seconds left. It turned out to be the winning shot of the game.
Best Defensive Player: Basically a combination of Lutheran North frontcourt players who blocked several Parkway South shots. As a unit, they pretty much had the interior on lockdown.
Best Shooter: Sam Welin (Parkway South) – The 6’2″ 2017 guard knocked down a couple of 3-pointers, including the big one in the last minute that gave the Patriots the lead to stay.