10 Best: Parkway Central vs. Hillsboro (Ameritime Classic)
Monday night’s first round game between Parkway Central and Hillsboro at the Ameritime Classic was your typical contrast of styles. Hillsboro had the size with its front line that stood 6’8″, 6’5″ and 6’5 while Parkway Central’s much smaller team…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingMonday night’s first round game between Parkway Central and Hillsboro at the Ameritime Classic was your typical contrast of styles. Hillsboro had the size with its front line that stood 6’8″, 6’5″ and 6’5 while Parkway Central’s much smaller team was built on speed and quickness. Hillsboro controlled much of the first half with its size and the play of standout 6’8″ 2018 Gaven Pinkley, but the tide turned in the second half as Central used its speed and the hot shooting of 2018 guard Deandre Campbell to come away with a 70-63 victory.
Here are some of the best from Parkway-Central-Hillsboro:
MVP: Deandre Campbell (Parkway Central): The 6’0″ 2018 guard enjoyed a dominant performance with a game-high 39 points, including a career-high nine 3-pointers. In addition to his heavy scoring load, Campbell is also Central’s primary ball handler and he also took the role of top defender as he was assigned the job of guarding Hillsboro’s 6’8″ Pinkley. It was just an all-around brilliant performance.
Best Offensive Player: Deandre Campbell (Parkway Central): His 39 points and nine 3-pointers speak for themselves. Campbell also joined the 1,000 point club for his career after his big night.
Best Shooter: Deandre Campbell (Parkway Central): Hillsboro came out in a 2-3 zone defense, which curtailed Campbell’s driving ability. It was effective for a little bit as he missed his first four 3-pointers. Then, Campbell knocked down two in a row in the first quarter to jump start his awesome shooting exhibition.
Best Post Player: Gaven Pinkley (Hillsboro): The 6’8″ 2018 forward finished the game with a team high 28 points and eight rebounds. He showcased a nice skill set around the basket, plus he also helps out with the ball handling duties. Pinkley also knocked down a couple of jumpers, including a 3-pointer. A couple of Missouri Valley Conference schools, Loyola of Chicago and Bradley were on hand to watch him.
Best Young Prospect (2019, 2020): Michael Brewer (Hillsboro) – The 6’5″ 2019 forward was a force inside with 19 points and 10 rebounds.. He plays with a high motor and is a perfect compliment inside for his teammate Pinkley, who attracts a lot of attention. Brewer is also a high-level baseball player.
Junkyard Dog: Arther Green (Parkway Central): A 6’3″ 2018 jumping jack, Green plays much bigger than his actual size because of his athletic ability and high motor. He finished with 17 points and provided a couple of highlight-reel dunks. A standout football player for the Colts, he plays with that kind of aggressiveness on the basketball court.
Best Bench Player: Isaiah Martin (Hillsboro): The 6’3″ 2018 forward came off the bench to score six points and provide a lot of positive hustle plays for the Hawks.
Play of the Game: Parkway Central came up with two big plays at the end of the first half that changed the game. Trailing 29-23 with 15 seconds left, Campbell connected with Green for an alley-oop dunk to cut the lead to 29-25. Hillsboro rushed the ball down for a final shot, but turned the ball over. Campbell picked up the loose ball and left it fly from about 65 feet. The shot swished through the net as the buzzer sounded to cut the halftime lead to 29-28. More important, the momentum had shifted as the Colts outscored Hillsboro 24-10 in the third quarter to take control of the game.