10 Best: Lake Zurich vs Stevenson
Stevenson hosted Lake Zurich on Tuesday night in a battle of quality teams and programs. Lake Zurich controlled the game for the first three quarters, but then Stevenson took it up a notch defensively in the fourth and came out…
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Continue ReadingStevenson hosted Lake Zurich on Tuesday night in a battle of quality teams and programs. Lake Zurich controlled the game for the first three quarters, but then Stevenson took it up a notch defensively in the fourth and came out with the 50-37 win. Check out our 10 Best: Lake Zuich vs Stevenson to see what prospects stood out in this one!
MVP
PG Willie Herenton (Stevenson – 2017)
Herenton has been on a tear lately and that continued. The uncommitted point guard used his speed and athleticism to get to the rim in this game. He attacked off the bounce in the half court, but was excellent using that speed in transition being slippery through traffic. Finishes well at the rim with good body control. Got to the line and converted there. Quality defender that puts pressure on the opposing point guard. Struggled shooting it from three. He had 19 points. High end D3/NAIA prospect.
Play of the game
The play of the game was when Willie Herenton got a steal, went coast to coast including a sick behind the back dribble, and then finished with his off hand in transition.
Best offensive performance
SF Justin Smith (Stevenson – 2017 – Indiana)
The Indiana commit stands at 6’7” with elite athleticism. Smith wasn’t very aggressive in this one especially early. He didn’t look to score consistently throughout the game instead trying to set his teammates up. Made a few sweet dishes that they didn’t convert. He rebounded well early in the contest on the defensive end. Showed an explosive first step attacking out of the high post. Got to the free throw line quite a bit in the second half where he converted at a high clip. The big time athlete showed off that athleticism with a few blocks and a monster slam to close out the win. He had 15 points and 8 rebounds.
Best defensive performance
SG Adrian O’Connell (Stevenson – 2017)
This 6’0” point guard is a lefty that drilled a pair of threes off the catch. Doesn’t standout, but is a quality team player. Tough defender that makes the intangible plays. He had 6 points. Small college senior.
Best rebounder
SF Peter Dicerbo (Lake Zurich – 2018)
Dicerbo is a prospect that we have been hearing quite a bit about this year, but this was our first chance to extensively evaluate him. Stands at 6’3” with a thick body. Has some baby fat still on him that he should be able to trim. Thick lower half so probably won’t grow a ton more. He isn’t the best athlete, but has a good feel for the game. Solid ball handler. Going up against the much bigger and more athletic Justin Smith he wasn’t scared at all. He had trouble going around him off the bounce, but competed. Very good rebounder for his size as he was active early in the contest on the glass. Potential on a mid-range jumper. Heady player that we will track this spring. He had 11 points and 8 rebounds.
Best passer
Brian Chmiel was the best passer for Lake Zurich.
Best catch and shoot guy
PG Brian Chmiel (Lake Zurich – 2017)
Chmiel is the man at the point a lot of the time for LZ. He stands at 6’1” with a crafty handle. Doesn’t have blow by speed, but has a knack for maneuvering his body to make things happen. Solid passer. Rebounds very well for a guard of his size. Hit a trio of corner threes in the second half. D3/NAIA prospect. He had 14 points.
Best intangibles
SG Jackson Qualley (Stevenson – 2018)
Qualley does a little bit of everything for Stevenson. Offensively he is a solid passer and a catch and shoot threat. Seems to have a nose for the ball and is always there when a play needs to be made on either end. He had 7 points. Small college 2018 prospect.
Best under-the-radar performance
G Michael Bens (Lake Zurich – 2017)
Bens stands at 6’1” and plays with a ton of grit. The senior lefty is a tough defender that competes on that end of the floor. Had a couple layups including a sweet up and under. Good looking stroke on the three off the catch. Bens is a small college prospect. He finished with 7 points.
Best junior prospect
SF Ryan Kutsor (Lake Zurich – 2018)
The 6’4” Kutsor is the top prospect for Lake Zurich. Strong body with quality size for position. Usually a plus shooter off the catch that really struggled in this one. He didn’t hit a single jumper and bricked/air balled multiple. Made a few nice passes. Got a layup and a turnaround fadeaway off a post up. Both scores came early. He had 4 points and 2 boards. Chalk it up as a bad game for the potential D2 prospect in the junior class.