Ten Best: Evansville Harrison vs. Evansville Memorial
In what ended up being one of the better games of the year, Evansville Memorial got out to an early 15 point lead after the first quarter. Dylan Penn and Branson Combs got things going for Memorial but Harrison never…
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Continue ReadingIn what ended up being one of the better games of the year, Evansville Memorial got out to an early 15 point lead after the first quarter. Dylan Penn and Branson Combs got things going for Memorial but Harrison never let the lead get any bigger. Led by De’Ante Booker’s 29 points, Harrison made a comeback in the second half as their three point shots started to fall and eventually pushed the game into overtime. Memorial got right back up and it was a pair of Dylan Penn free throws in the final seconds that sealed the semifinal win for Evansville Memorial, 83-81.
MVP: Dylan Penn (Evansville Memorial)
Throughout the entire game, you saw different players make winning plays, on both sides of the ball. However, when it comes down to it, it was Penn that was at the line at the end of the game to finish it off. He was in control the entire game, making plays on both ends of the floor. He has really improved running the point and his jump shot has taken steps forward. For Memorial, having him leading the way makes everything flow really well. Penn finished with 21 points and 5 rebounds on 8/12 shooting.
Best Offensive Performance: De’Ante Booker (Evansville Harrison)
Booker had it working from start to finish. His mid-range jump shot was stellar but aggressiveness on the offensive end really showed up and he looked like a completely different player than he did in AAU. When Booker has shown that he can make plays, he usually is very effective. It’s the act of getting him out of his shell and allowing him to have the freedom to make those plays. Great jump shot but still a little hesitant to shoot from behind the arc. Had 29 points and 9 rebounds on 13/19 shooting, 12/16 from inside the arc.
Best Defensive Performance: Dylan Penn (Evansville Memorial)
Part of the reason Penn was the MVP of the game was his defense. He was really doing a good job creating turnovers on the defensive end, turning those into breakaway chances. His length and speed was tough for Harrison’s guard to drive past. Outside of Booker, Harrison really struggled inside the arc and settled for some bad looks from deep early on. They stepped it up in the second half but Penn and company did a great job of slowing down Robin and Brandon Duncan in the first half, giving them a chance to win at the end.
Best Guy Off The Bench: Ja’Korion Lindsey (Evansville Harrison)
Both teams went pretty light on the bench play but Lindsey gave Harrison an offensive boost when he was on the floor. He scored 8 points and grabbed 2 rebounds. He went 3/9 from the field but helped keep it close in the middle of the game before the Duncan’s stepped up at the end. His length seemed to be a big tool for him, finishing over the top of defenders.
Best Intangibles: Robin Duncan (Evansville Harrison)
Robin isn’t a player known for his scoring and while he had 11 points in the game, it was his 10 assists and 6 rebounds that really makes him a stellar player. However, his 3/6 from three came in the second half and helped close the gap to send the game into overtime. Robin does so many things well, keeping his teammates involved and never overshadowing other players. His size, passing ability, and vision is a combination that is tough to find.
Best Under-The-Radar Performance: Sam Devault (Evansville Memorial)
Sam Devault was excellent in this matchup, maybe the best, most complete game we have seen from him to this point. He had his touch going and really looked like everything he was going to shoot was going in. He’s a long, lean forward that loves to shoot from distance and he creates matchup problems much in the way that Trevor Lakes does for Lebanon. Still has a long way until he is a finished product but his 21 points on 9/12 shooting was a show worth watching.
Best Under-The-Radar Performance Part II: Brandon Duncan (Evansville Harrison)
This game had so many good players, guys that we didn’t think were going to be this good that we had to do it twice. Duncan was feeling it in the second half and hit back-to-back threes to pull the Memorial lead within a possession. He shot 4/8 from three and 6/14 from the field for 18 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. He’s a better shooter than he gets credit for and when aggressive, he can really make some plays. This game was an example of how good he can be at the next level.
Best Underclassmen: Branson Combs (Evansville Memorial)
While there are a number of good underclassmen in this game, Combs was having himself a great game. He’s a solid perimeter shooter but looked a little streaky at times throughout the game. He finished with 25 points and 9 rebounds. He shot 3/7 from deep and 7/15 from the field. He’s got good size and a solid body and even when his shot wasn’t as big of a weapon in the second half, he was working really well passing and setting things up on offense.
Best Scorer: Rilee Epley (Evansville Harrison)
Epley isn’t going to be the best athlete or quickest guy in the gym but he has a good ability to score the ball in such a variety of ways. He’s got a decent jump shot but his touch in the mid-range is what makes him a good player. He can play a little bit like a forward or a guard on any one possession and then immediately switch it up. He really had a couple stretches of plays in this game where he looked great and has been putting up big numbers this season. Epley finished with 10 points on 4/10 shooting to go along with four rebounds.
Biggest Takeaway: The biggest takeaway from this game is just how much talent this area of the state has. This was an excellent game that have some really big momentum swings in it from a ton of players. Guys like De’Ante Booker, Brandon Duncan, and Dylan Penn are all really, really good but colleges still haven’t yet gotten a good enough look at them.