Borgia Turkey Tournament: Friday Standouts
Prep Hoops Missouri was in attendance for Friday night’s action at the St. Francis Borgia Turkey Tournament in Washington, Mo. In the semifinals, McCluer North defeated host St. Francis Borgia while Pacific defeated St. Louis Christian Academy (Blue). McCluer North and Pacific will meet for the championship on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m.
Here are some of the standout performers from Friday night:
Cameron Van Leer 6’4″ (Pacific): The smooth 2018 point guard scored a game-high 22 points in the Indians’ easy victory over SLCA in the semifinals. Van Leer also rebounded well and dropped several dimes. He scored from all three levels and did a nice job of making his teammates better with his passing and floor generalship. His size at the point guard position gives him an advantage over smaller guards.
Atavian Butler 6’2″ (McCluer North): The explosive 2019 wing scored a team-high 15 points in the Stars’ 20-point victory over the host Knights. He is a tough matchup with his athleticism and ability to get to the basket off the dribble. He finished well through contact and also crashed the offensive boards to get buckets.
Patrick Evans 6’3″ (McCluer North): Another explosive 2019 athlete who scored 11 points against Borgia who provided the game’s biggest highlight when he threw down a thunderous slam dunk in transition and collected a body along the way. He is strong and physical with the ability to score around the basket on the drive. He and Butler make a stellar pair of athletic and versatile wings.
Cason Suggs 6’7″ (Washington): The improving 2018 forward had 19 points and 14 rebounds in the victory over the St. Louis Blue Knights in the consolation around. He plays with a high motor, which shows in his rebounding as he really gets out of his area to chase down missed shots. He displayed a nice touch around the basket and can also step out to make jumpers from the high post. He is the youngest of the talented Suggs’ basketball playing brothers.
Tom Hennessy 6’4″ (Pacific): the 6’4″ 2018 forward scored 10 points in the Indians victory over SLCA. He is a good athlete who was active around the basket as a scorer and rebounder. Tom also stepped out and knocked down a 3-pointer. His athleticism and blue collar style makes for good productivity.
Wil Elbert 6’8″ (Boriga): The 2019 post player scored nine points against McCluer North in the semifinals. He is very sound around the basket as he did a nice job of keeping the ball up high and finishing his shots. He is a very solid player who is poised to have a very productive junior year.
Steve Lee 6’2″ (McCluer North): A talented 2019 wing player who scored 10 points against Borgia, including a couple of 3-pointers in the first quarter that really got his team going after being stalled by Borgia’s zone defense early. Not only can he knock down 3-pointers, he is a solid ball handler who can also excel in the transition game.
Jacob Unnerstall 6’5″ (Borgia): The 2018 wing player scored a team high 10 points for the Knights. A standout quarterback on the football field, Unnerstall did a lot of the ball handling duties for Borgia, giving the Knights excellent size in the backcourt. He is solid with the ball and he can knock down open 3-pointers.
Sekou Gassama 6’10” (St. Louis Christian): A very intriguing 2021 prospect with a very high ceiling. He scored six points, but provided a couple of plays that displayed his vast potential. He ran the court about 50 feet for a very nice chase down block and he also displayed a couple of nice moves in the post with good footwork.