East Pulls Upset at Memorial
MADISON — Madison Memorial has won or claimed a share of the Big Eight Conference for 14 consecutive seasons.
That streak is now jeopardy.
Madison East (10-6) traveled to the west side and came out with a 70-63 upset victory over the Spartans (14-4) Friday night, getting a huge lift from their seniors.
Ian Brown – 2019 – SF – Madison Memorial
Battling foul trouble, Brown didn’t get his usual minutes, but made the most of his time on the floor.
Brown connected on one 3-pointer in the second half that helped give the Spartans some momentum and converted two pretty finishes by slashing from the wing and maneuvering past multiple defenders. Brown also impressed defensively. He did a nice job chasing wings through screens and running them off the 3-point line. The 6-foot-5 junior has some nice length and athleticism and moves well laterally while defending the ball.
Look for Brown to start catching some Division 2 looks this spring as he’ll have a chance to be a scholarship player at the next level.
Nick Caropreso – 2019 – G/F – Madison Memorial
Helping Memorial survive an early onslaught, Caropreso hat the hot hand early.
Inside and out Caropreso was doing damage offensively. The junior has a smooth, effortless stroke from beyond the arc. He popped out on the wing and if defenders didn’t close quick enough Caropreso was letting it fly. Those who didn’t over-pursue, Caropreso hit defenders with a great shot fake, really selling the jumper before getting to his drive.
Caropreso can do a lot of different things offensively. He’s a spot-up shooter, slasher, and even goes down on the block and showcased some solid post work. Defensively, Caropreso also has a lot of value. He guards multiple positions, works hard on the glass, and understands his job isn’t done until he’s boxed his man out and his team has secured the rebound.
Caropreso finished with 21 points in Friday’s loss.
Cade Ellingson – 2019 – PG – Madison Memorial
Ellingson is a crafty, high-IQ guard. What he lacks in speed in athleticism, Ellingson makes up for with heady, smart plays.
A guard with really good shooting touch, Ellingson had some nice finishes over the top of the defense, showcasing a running floater to avoid being blocked. While he was bottled up early, Ellingson played his best ball down the stretch. The junior hit some timely shots to give Memorial a chance. Showing some three-level scoring ability, Ellingson looked comfortable from all areas of the floor and kept defenders on their toes, never knowing where he’d pull-up from.
Ellingson does a great job of running the show and getting guys to their spots. In the half court, you can tell this is a player that’s earned his teammates’ respect as they’re always looking at him for directions. He scored 11 points in the loss.
Keshawn Justice – 2018 – SF – Madison East
Justice scored a game-high 21 points on Friday.
The Santa Clara commit helped put the game away at the free throw line. With East protecting a lead, Justice took over the primary ball handling responsibilities and went 1-on-1. From there, he drew a number of fouls with the Purgolders in the bonus, which would eventually salt the game away.
A skilled, versatile wing with a sweet shooting stroke, Justice has the capability to explode in stretches. He won’t overwhelm people with athleticism, but Justice doesn’t need a ton of space to operate anyway as the 6-foot-6 senior isn’t fazed by tight coverage. Known more for his spot-up shooting, Justice is improving on the ball. He’s clearly quickened his handles and ability to get by people. When Justice wants to create in the half court, he’s now able to cross people over and pull-up from just about anywhere.
Blocks to buckets. @tiggo3justice pic.twitter.com/aSY93tzmYJ
— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) February 3, 2018
Justice had a couple of big defensive plays as well. He blocked a shot and ran it back the other way for an easy deuce to give East a 10-point halftime lead. Justice also grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds.
Earl Lewis – 2018 – PG – Madison East
Lewis came in averaging just shy of 12 points per game. By the 10-minute mark, the senior point guard already had 13.
Lewis came out on fire, burying a couple 3-pointers and slicing through the Memorial defense for easy buckets at the rim. A prospect that just challenges people for 36 minutes, Lewis will is an aggressive guard that can smell blood in the water. After he got in a rhythm, Lewis’ confidence was sky high. He pulled up for some deep triples early in sets, showing no hesitation in a hostile environment.
Finishing with 18 points, Lewis was deadly in transition. Able to play fast, but not out of control, Lewis has a knack for controlling his body and the ball, without having to slow down or collect himself once he gets near the rim. A fearless floor general, Lewis has played some of his best ball this season against East’s toughest opponents. Lewis loves to compete. This is a kid that gets the most out of his talent and it’s fun to watch.