Kings of the Court: Sunday Recaps
9:05 15U Quarterfinals: Martin Brothers 56 vs Iowa Mavericks-Villagrana 41
The championship mission for this special Martin Brothers squad started bright and early and it did not come easy against this talented Mavs unit. At half it was 28-23. In the second half, though, the size and skill of Martin Brothers became too much, and they were able to pull away and secure the win by double-digits. Michael Duax looks like he’ll be one of the best players in Iowa’s 2021 class, the 6’3 guard scored a game-high 15 points. Davenport North point guard Alec Brown was good for the Mavs, he scored 14.
10:10 16U Quarterfinals: Iowa Mavericks-Cleveland 55 vs Team Factory-Foster 29
This was a rout from the very start, and the Mavs-Cleveland squad has a ton of talent, especially at the guard spot. Linn-Mar’s John Stefen, Cedar Rapids Jefferson’s Ozzie Meiborg and Camanche’s Cameron Soenksen are a dynamic trio, and they all do a little something different for the squad. Simply put, the guys from Nebraska were outmatched in this one. It was never close. Steffen led all scores with 19. Combo-forward Caleb Delzell chipped in with 10.
11:15 17U Quarterfinals: Iowa Mavericks-Gosnell 64 vs Iowa Prep Red 57
One of the more competitive games we saw this weekend, it was a shame one of these two ultra talented teams had to be ousted in the quarters. Willie Guy and Cortaviaus Selaes were sensational for the Mavs, and Marshaun Carroll continued to have a bit of a coming out party. Carroll is a stock-riser. Bettendorf’s Tyler Russo was the X-factor, he rained in four 3s and scored 14 points in the hard-fought win. Pleasant Valley’s Carter Duwa and North Scott’s Seales were going at it hard throughout. Maybe a carry-over from a heated regular season rivalry? Selaes scored a game-high 18, Duwa notched 15.
12:20 15U Semifinals: Martin Brothers 70 vs All Iowa Attack Black 51
This was no contest, and by halftime, the group of Martin Brothers standouts were up 45-19. The second half was just a formality. It was All Iowa Attack’s second best unit they beat, their first unit, the Red one, was not playing in Ankeny this weekend. In short, this Martin Brothers team was way too big, and that size was the biggest difference-maker in this one. Attack was very small, although they did have some nice skill players. Cedar Falls’ Chase Courbat, who goes 6’8 and Joe Knutson, who goes 6’7 combined for 20 first half points. And by then, it was well over.
12:20: 16U Semifinals: Martin Brothers 61 vs Iowa Mavericks-Cleveland 48
This was a bit of a closer affair than the relatively lopsided score might suggest. It was a one point game at the break, and it remained back and forth throughout most of the second half. It was Linn-Mar combo-forward Will Zahradnik who caught fore for Martin Brothers in the second half. The 6’7 sophomore scored eight second half points, and helped strengthen the lead from a few points to a wide margin. Easton Darling was also critical to the MB squad pulling away, he scored eight in the second half.
1:25 17U Semifinals: Kingdom Hoops-Mosley 59 vs Iowa Mavericks-Gosnell 55
It got dicey for a little bit in the second half for the eventual champs, Kingdom Hoops, but a clutch 3 by Hoover guard Hosea Treadwell –– stock riser — helped keep the surging Mavs squad at bay in the final minute. Cortaviuas Seales was incredible in the second half, helping the Mavs come nearly all he way behind from their 15 point second half deficit. He was doing what he wanted, when he wanted en route to 17 second half points. He looked to be on another level. In the end, though, it was Treadwell, and his team-high 14 points that advanced to the 17U final.
2:30 15U Championship: Martin Brothers 78 vs Kingdom Hoops Elite 61
After taking the L to this very talented Kingdom Hoops squad on Saturday in bracket play, it was a completely different story on Sunday, when it mattered more. Kingdom Hoops beat Martin Brothers 70-60 the day before, but this one was really never in question. It was another dominant performance for the deep, big and skilled Martin Brothers unit. Michael Duax continued to solidify himself as one of the class’s top prospects, he scored a game-high 25 points. Dylan Johnson was really good, and has been all weekend, the 6’7 small froward scored 15. Reid Grant scored a team-high 21 for Kingdom Hoops. Payton Sandfort added 18, all on 3s (six of them), and Nathaniel Mueller added 12, also all on 3s. That’s right, Kingdom Hoops canned 12 3s, and still took the big L.
2:30 16U Championship: Minnesota Heat-Moberg 44 vs Martin Brothers 42
Martin Brothers was down four with a minute to go in regulation, and came away with a couple big plays to get the game to overtime. Minnesota’s Jackson Nibbelink got a big bucket in OT, and his squad was in the driver’s seat, but briefly. It was Nick Pepin — who has been tremendous all weekend — who scored quick for Martin Brothers and tied the game back up. Then a amazing last second play happened; with six seconds left, an awry inbound pass was saved from going back out of bounds on the other sideline, it eventually landed in Tait Nelson’s hands, and the he canned a game-winner. We got video.
With 6 seconds left & the 16u Kings of the Court title game vs Martin Bros tied at 42 in OT, MN Heat-Moberg’s Grant Bokovitz makes this crazy save (clearing me out of he way), & eventually Tait Nelson gets off a game-winner before buzzer. Crazy stuff. @RyanJamesMN @NorthstarHoops pic.twitter.com/czUsN82R4G
— TJ Rushing (@TjRushing) May 20, 2018
3:35 17U Championship: Kingdom Hoops Elite 70 vs Martin Brothers 60
Kingdom Hoops came out red-hot, then the talent of Martin Brothers took over. Then the Martin Brothers would run out of gas, and Kingdom got red-hot again, eventually coasting to the Kings of the Court title. It was two unsung guys on this Kingdom Hoops squad that led the way, Creston’s Kylan Smallwood was at his best while notching 16 points. He set the tone early with back-to-back triples. Valley’s Agueck Deng chipped in with 12. James Betz was playing with the Kingdom guys for the first time this spring, he scored 12, and Valley’s Derek Emilifeonwu was, as usual really good, scoring 13 important points. Derek Krogmann was a beast down low for Martin Brothers, he scored a game-high 18 points. The Kingdom Hoops guys avenged a 69-61 Saturday loss to Martin Brothers, making this win especially sweet.