Fab 5: Orr vs Mt. Carmel
Orr and Mt. Carmel were toward the top of the 2A field in the state of Illinois all season. The Chicago public league power and southern Illinois perennial contender met for all the marbles on Saturday night in the 2A state championship game in Peoria. Both teams have tons of weapons across the board including D1 talent. Orr jumped out to an early lead and doubled up the Aces at half 28-14. Mt. Carmel made a run in the second half, but Orr answered with a monster one right back. Orr won the title by a final of 59-39. Check out our Fab 5: Orr vs Mt. Carmel to see who stood out in this game!
MVP
PF Raekwon Drake (Orr – 2018)
The 6’5” power forward for Orr opened things up for them strong. He is an undersized power forward for the next level, but his high motor makes up for a lot of it. Drake is a big time athlete that throughout his career has relied heavily on that. We were impressed with the development of some skill. Specifically his mid-range game. He has always been a streaky mid-range shooter, but in this game showed more consistency with a quick release from 12-15 feet on a face up jump shot. This is one way for him to alleviate some of the concerns about his height at the college level. In the post he scored multiple times with right handed hook shots. He is so explosive off the floor finishing with power. Capped the game off with a monster slam. Usually a plus rebounder he didn’t get on the boards quite as much in this game. Showed his athleticism and timing on the defensive end blocking shots. Drake finished with 17 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Low-major prospect in 2018.
Best offensive performance
C Jackson Marcotte (Mt. Carmel – 2018)
Marcotte is a 6’8” center that has good strength and has improved his mobility as a junior. The post is a power player that likes to get deep post position burying his man on the interior for scores. Marcotte has a nice touch around the hoop. Soft hands receiving the ball and a feel for scoring with his back to the basket. Can face up a bit and handle from 15 feet and in attacking. Gets to the free throw line at a high rate. Could be a big spring for Marcotte as he has his stock going up at the right time. Marcotte had 17 points and 6 rebounds. Low-major prospect.
Best rebounder
PF Justin Carpenter (Mt. Carmel – 2017 – SEMO)
Carpenter is the #4 power forward in the senior class. At 6’7” he has great mobility which will be his calling card at the next level. The SEMO commit struggled to score in this game. His usually reliable jumper wasn’t falling as he went 0-4 from three. Scored a couple times in the paint and had a monster dunk to close out his career. Like what he did as a passer. Solid overall skill level that can score, pass, and handle it. Despite his struggles scoring he still rebounded well. Got on the glass for a put back and cleared the defensive glass. Should be a three year starter for SEMO. Finished his high school career with 8 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks.
Best passer
SF Dannie Smith (Orr – 2018)
Smith is a wing that has emerged on the radar as a junior. At 6’5” he has a thick body, but has trimmed down considerably which has helped elevate his stock. Smith is at his best slashing to the hoop using his strength to finish at the cup. Handles it well in tight spaces off the bounce. His best move of the game was crossing his man and then finishing at the hoop with a layup. Also he is a player that gets a lot of points in transition. Solid shooter from the perimeter especially off the catch. Not a big time athlete, but he runs the floor hard. Quietly he really passes it well from the wing position. Defensively he is solid on the wing using active hands to get steals. He had 19 points, 7 assists, and 4 rebounds. Potential low-major/D2 prospect.
Best intangibles
SF Tyron Mosley (Orr – 2018)
We are big fans of Mosley. Look for this 6’6” wing to move up considerably in the next rankings update. He is a long and lanky prospect with upside. Orr played him on the ball on both ends of the floor for a lot of his game. He is more of a traditional wing, but was effective in a point-forward role. Love what he brings to the table defensively. Pressures opponents on the perimeter with his length and lateral quickness. Played with a high motor. Offensively he wasn’t overly dominant, but handles the ball well and flashed in a major way toward the end. He had a monster tip dunk and a few possessions later brought down the house with a drive down the lane for a one handed poster. Rebounded well throughout the contest. He had 6 points and 4 boards. Potential low-major/D2 prospect.