Ten Best: Pendleton Heights vs. Anderson
Early on, Anderson showed that they weren’t going to give in but in the second half, Pendleton Heights kept making play after play, led by sophomore Karsten Windlan. He and Mark Albers each chipped in 24 points each to pull…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingEarly on, Anderson showed that they weren’t going to give in but in the second half, Pendleton Heights kept making play after play, led by sophomore Karsten Windlan. He and Mark Albers each chipped in 24 points each to pull away in the second half for a 64-44 victory over Anderson for the Madison County Championship.
MVP: Karsten Windlan (Pendleton Heights)
The MVP was Windlan who really stepped up and had a huge second half, finishing with 24 points. He really gave them a guy who was ready to battle on every play and even though he was smaller and not near as athletic as Anderson, Karsten knocked down triples, took his guy off the bounce to finish with creativity at the rim, and was a big reason why Pendleton was able to pull away in the final quarter of play.
Play of the Game: Marquavious Beverly (Anderson)
The best play of the game came in the first half off of a transition play where Beverly came flying from around a defender for a long alley-opp that actually helped spark a big run for Anderson and keep the gap close. Beverly has that kind of athleticism where he can impact the game on defense and around the rim. Still going to have to add skill in down the road but a high-potential player that can make plays like this one.
Best Offensive Performance: Mark Albers (Pendleton Heights)
Mark has made his living as a deep-range specialist but in the last year has tried to expand his off-the-bounce game a bit. He had a few plays against Anderson that were definite improvements. He finished with 21 points as he shot 4/10 from three-point range. He also grabbed some key rebounds in spots in the middle of the game that helped thwart an Anderson run. He’s had some big games this season.
Best Defensive Performance: Eli Pancol (Pendleton Heights)
Pancol did a fantastic job against Anderson defensively. He was able to matchup individually against their size and athleticism and was searching out rebounds at a high level, trying to slow Anderson’s offense to a crawl in the second half. He was really solid as an on-ball defender although, he still has a ways to go but that might be the reason his upside is as high. He’s able to give you different aspects like rebounding, on-ball defense, and transition defense.
Best Guy Off The Bench: Damieon Warrum (Pendleton Heights)
Milhouse came off the bench as well and was really good but Warrum was pretty solid as well. Long, lean forward that needs some muscle down the road but he was active and searching out plays on both ends. Had a big close-out block late in the game and did well rebounding the ball. He even added some offense down the stretch from the free throw line. Needs time to develop but should be a core piece of this team for a long time.
Best Intangibles: Zak Milhouse (Anderson)
Anderson is full of long, athletic wings so bringing Zak off the bench is a luxury as he has plenty of skill and has improved as a ball handler. He was really aggressive trying to drive from the perimeter. He has improved his skill enough that he can really make plays and compete against a team like Pendleton that has quite a bit of solid depth. He’s still got to improve his jumper but if he can he could really see all aspects of his game take off.
Best Under-The-Radar Performance: Karsten Windlan (Pendleton Heights)
The one position that Pendleton needed to replace from last season was point guard and their only really solid options were to go younger. Windlan is playing with a group that has a little more age and even against the length and athleticism of Anderson, he showed some poise and play making ability. Isn’t rattled too much and is more likely to get reeled back innnn than anything else.
Best Underclassmen: Eli Pancol (Pendleton Heights)
Outside of Beverly, Eli Pancol was probably the best athlete in the gym. He’s got a big body and can kind of soar, hanging in the air long enough where he can use more of his skill. His ball handling seems a little more crisp this year and he’s starting to put the complete game together as a wing. His potential is still to be determined because he hasn’t been healthy for a long time yet. However, he looked fully healthy and playing at a high level against Anderson.
Best Project To Watch: JoMel Boyd (Anderson)
While he still has another high school season after this one, Boyd could really become a solid prospect. He’s a long, lean wing that does a little bit of everything and needs to grab on to one area of his game and make it flourish. Pretty good rebounder at times, able to track things off the rim, and he’s a solid slasher from the wing. He’s got to work a bit on his jumper but overall, he has a lot of tools, just want to see him take advantage of those more. Good guy to look at this summer.
Best Takeaway: The biggest takeaway from this game is just how good Pendleton Heights is going to be in the coming years. Karsten Windlan, Damieon Warrum, and Eli Pancol give a nice core of young players that can grow up the next three years and make this team into a constant contender. They have some other pieces as well that should fill in but it’s the depth of talent that makes this a fun team to watch now.