Fab 5: Fenwick vs Westinghouse
Fenwick hosted Westinghouse in the sectional semifinal on Tuesday night on their home floor. They protected their house for sure! It was a dominant performance from the Friars as they are expected to challenge for a 3A state crown. They looked the part against Westinghouse as they jumped out to a 33-13 lead at the half. Fenwick didn’t let up in the third quarter as they pushed the lead to a 35 points. The Friars then pulled their starters for the entire fourth quarter. They won by a final of 75-40. Take a look at our Fab 5: Fenwick vs Westinghouse to see who stood out in this game.
MVP
PG Jacob Keller (Fenwick – 2017)
Keller is headed to Northern Iowa to play college football, but the top 15 hoops prospect showed college coaches what they missed out on in this game. The 6’2” lefty point guard can really pass the rock. He has a feel for getting others involved. Keller made great reads in the half court where he got others easy scoring opportunities all game long. Keller gets after it on the defensive end of the floor as well. He is a pesky defender that gets up into his opponents grill and gets steals. Keller got a couple fouls called on him attacking the basket, but he has the ability to change gears and directions when attacking the hoop. Got to the rim at will in the third quarter. Jump shot is his weakness, but he did drill one from mid-range. He finished with 11 points, 10 dimes, and 3 steals.
Best Rebounder
SG Jamal Nixon (Fenwick – 2017 – Minnesota State)
Love the way that this Minnesota State commit plays. He is a tough warrior that does absolutely anything that is asked of him by his coaches to win. At 6’4” he plays bigger than his height rebounding well on the interior and fighting hard on the glass. Physical in the paint finishing and plays with a never ending motor. His versatility will be his calling card at the D2 level being able to guard multiple positions and is just a kid that produces no matter who he is going up against. Not the greatest shooter, but he sticks to his strengths. High IQ kid that can also pass it from the wing. He had 9 points and 7 rebounds.
Best Underclassmen
PG DJ Steward (Fenwick – 2020)
Steward is one of the top freshmen in the state of Illinois. The 6’1” 2020 prospect has a long and rangy frame. He should be able to grow a few more inches in the next three years. Steward is a big time athlete that has speed and acceleration with the ball in his hands. Blow by ability off the bounce as he showed on a few drives including one where he grabbed a defensive rebound and went coast to coast. Slick euro step finish in traffic. Also caught an alley-oop from Keller. Playing mostly off the ball he flashes his passing including a nice find inside for an assist. Projects well on the defensive end with his lateral quickness and agility. D1’s need to start monitoring him this spring on the grassroots circuit. He finished with 8 points.
Best Catch and Shoot
SG AJ Nixon (Fenwick – 2018)
Nixon is a 6’2” junior two guard that specializes in shooting the ball from the perimeter. He did that early in the contest as he got the Friars off to a hot start with a pair of catch and shoot threes. Sets feet and lets it fly. Solid rebounder for a guard. He had 8 points. Small college prospect.
Best Unsigned Senior
SF Coreyoun Rushin (Westinghouse – 2017)
Despite the blowout loss Rushin displayed some of the skills that make him one of the top uncommitted prospects in the state of Illinois. At 6’6” he has great size and length for the wing position. His athleticism is on another level. He showed that early in the game swatting a pair of Fenwick shots coming out of nowhere to erase the opportunity. He isn’t known for being an above average shooter, but he did hit a pair out of his five attempts from beyond the arc in this game. Release at the top needs some refinement, but he gets lift and should improve as a shooter in college. Showed his athleticism in transition catching a long outlet pass on the run and finishing all in one motion while in traffic. In the second half Rushin had a few drives displaying his explosive first step and getting to the line. He had 14 points, 4 boards, and 2 blocks. Low-major potential and D2 priority prospect. Also could be a JUCO kid that develops at that level.