Fab Five: Greensburg vs. Hauser
It as the only show in town on Monday night, it was the only game in the entire state but it was game that was worth the drive as some of the better underclassmen in the southern half of the…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingIt as the only show in town on Monday night, it was the only game in the entire state but it was game that was worth the drive as some of the better underclassmen in the southern half of the state, Andrew Welage and Drew Comer, helped to lead Greensburg to a 76-70 win over Hauser. Welage was fantastic and the freshman standout didn’t miss a shot inside the arc until the final minute and a half. He went for 28 points on 8-10 shooting. Comer was just as great pouring in 19 points and hitting 5 three-pointers. Junior Alex Gross helped to keep Hauser in the game at the end scoring 15 points on 6-8 shooting.
MVP: Andrew Welage (Greensburg)
We have yet to see a lot of freshman play in the state but this 28-point performance is likely to be one of the best all season. Andrew had some times where he looked like a freshman, struggling a bit with the handles in traffic and some bad passes but for the most part he was great scoring the ball. Until his final shot of the game, Welage was 7/7 from inside the arc. He scored on a ton of drives and had a little floater he used early in the game. As he adds strength throughout the coming years, his driving efficiency is only going to go up. He is a lot like his older brother Ryan, currently at San Jose State, and in a lot of ways different. They have the same body style and mannerisms but Andrew is much more of a guard and a really fluid one.
Best Offensive Performance: Drew Comer (Greensburg)
Other than Welage, Comer was the guy making plays on offense for Greensburg and at the end of the game Comer was the one hitting big shots. He’s a 6’2 shooter who needs a little time to get his shot off but when he does and if he’s in rhythm, watch out. He missed 3 of his first four three-pointers but then hit 4 of his last 5. He was 5/9 from distance and had 19 points. He struggled a bit on his drives to the rim but was getting to his spots just not getting them to fall. For a sophomore, Comer provides a lot of offense and is pretty well rounded, not just a perimeter jump shooter.
Best Defensive Performance: Brad Paetzel (Hauser)
Brad was really good off the bench for Hauser and gave them a guy who could play inside earlier in the game and get some production. He was killing it around the rim, drawing a ton of contact and coming through at the line. He was 6/6 from the free throw line and chipped in 15 points to tie for the leading scorer for Hauser. He’s an undersized forward but one that is plenty strong and smart enough to get into position on the low block to make a play.
Best Down The Stretch: Alex Gross (Hauser)
If Paetzel was the guy doing all the work on the block in the first half, the second belonged to Gross. The 6’7 junior was slow to start and picked up two early fouls but when he got minutes in the second half, he was really good. Alex is a little mechanical and not super quick but very effective and with his size, no one was really able to stop him. He went for 15 points, most coming in the second half. He did show that he can step away from the rim, hitting an elbow jumper and being pretty close on a corner three.
Best Under-The-Radar Performance: Mason McLeod (Greensburg)
The guy who really surprised was McLeod. The 6’3 sophomore was the third player for Greensburg that really did a little bit of everything. He finished with 9 points and 7 rebounds but was kind of all over the floor and showed that he’s a versatile player. He has a great frame at 6’3 and already with some muscle, Mason did a lot of work in and around the rim, a lot coming in transition. The best part of his game on the night was the rebounding. He pulled in some on both ends and was a willing participant in the paint.