Ten Best: Maple Grove at Totino-Grace
MVP: Brad Davison, Maple Grove Other players scored more total points, but Brad’s three in the final seconds of regular time sent the game to overtime and rocked the crowd. It’s just what he does, folks. He totaled 21 other…
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Continue ReadingMVP: Brad Davison, Maple Grove
Other players scored more total points, but Brad’s three in the final seconds of regular time sent the game to overtime and rocked the crowd. It’s just what he does, folks. He totaled 21 other points, which is nothing to scoff at, either.
Best Offensive Performance: Tywhon Pickford, Maple Grove
Pickford’s tip-slams and driving buckets got Maple Grove going when Davison’s shot wasn’t falling. His 26 total points led all scorers, and yet another solid game for Pickford reinforced why he’s Minnesota’s hottest prospect.
Best Defensive Performance: Brad Davison, Maple Grove
T-G’s Charlie Jacob had a great first half with 14 points; Davison stuck him in the second and held him to just six. When Maple Grove was chasing a comeback, stifling Jacob was essential.
Best Guy Off the Bench: Will Schmidt, Totino-Grace
There were actually very little bench points in this game from both teams. The best one was likely Schmidt, a 6-foot-4 junior forward who grabbed all seven of his points in the second half for the Eagles.
Best Under the Radar Performance: Gare Ewefada
Gare only had four points, but I quickly scanned my program after the 6-foot-2 wing went baseline and dunked with two hands in traffic. I’ll have a story on him out soon… some D3s and jucos are keeping in touch with him.
Best Underclassmen: Charlie Jacob
It’s got to be Jacob, who had a very good first half and finished with 23. He shows good control over the ball and a smooth shooting stroke. He’s strong and smart. Already holding a D2 offer from S.D. School of Mines, I see him eventually landing in the NSIC or a similar D2 league.
Best Story to watch Moving Forward: Totino-Grace in AAA
T-G has a very real shot at state with a section that includes Mahtomedi, Columbia Heights, Fridley and a couple others as the main contenders. If they can somehow harness what they did in the first 2/3rds of tonight’s game and replicate it, watch out. The 1-2 punch of Kreuser and Jacob is impressive, while there are some good role guys to fill in as well.
Best Aspect of the Environment: Fans going back and forth
The Maple Grove fans were comparable to a heavy metal mosh pit, as MG’s comeback buckets sent the crew into near convulsions. They had some back and forth words with T-G’s section, which was more restrained but went with the somewhat illogical “we won state in football” comeback. Credit to T-G staffer guy who went and tried to calm down both sections.
Best Prospect: Rocky Kreuser, Totino-Grace
T-G received 21 points from the big man signed to NDSU before he fouled out on an illegal screen late in regular time. Rocky looks like he’s in better shape than ever, has a calm, cool demeanor with the ball, shows great hand skill when he receives passes and works down low, and even popped out for a couple triples. Word around the community is that NDSU may have gotten a steal.
Other: Tyler Kittelson, Nathan Kavolak, Totino-Grace
Kittelson is a springy junior with some really solid fundamentals. I like his potential a lot and will definitely watch him this spring/summer. Kavolak had Bethel and Hamline present to watch him… he’s a lanky shooter who can score threes in bunches. Look to him if you’re a D3 looking to develop a shooting wing.