Prep Hoops Summer Challenge: Sunday Recaps
11:15: 16U Final 4 — Breakaway Basketball 55 vs Wolverines 47
We were wondering if this Breakaway 16u squad would have a bit of a letdown after their dramatic win over one of the nation’s best teams, D1 Minnesota. But after a rocky start (for both teams), Breakaway settled in, and ended up leading this one wire-to-wire to secure a spot in the 16u title game. The inside/outside combo of Nathan Shockey and Colin O’Rourke was terrific for Breakaway, they combined for 29 points. Shockey hit some crucial free-throws late to help seal the win. For the Wolverines, it was Stevenson’s Matthew Kaznikov who led the way, the 6’3 small froward notched a game-high 21 points.
12:20: 17U Final 4 — Iowa Dynasty 62 vs D1 Minnesota Prospects 44
Marshalltown 2018 graduate Luke Appel went off (!) and the rest of the Iowa team played exceptionally well for the entirety of this semifinal against a really good Minnesota unit. When we say Appel went off, we mean that he scored 20 points in the first half of the second half, that equated to 20 points in eight minutes of game time. whoof. Appel was quite literally unstoppable during his stretch, and almost single-handedly turned a tight game into a blowout with his string of dominance. The dominant Appel performance overshadowed what was a really good effort by Iowa Cornshark turned Dynasty member for the weekend, Mike Barker, who threw down a nasty slam and finished with 11 points. Appel is signed with Kirkwood, they’re getting a good one. Barker is headed to Quakerdale Prep next season.
1:25: 17U — Team Iowa Red 68 vs Twin Cities Finest 42
The weekend may not have turned out exactly how this Team Iowa squad was hoping , but it ended with a bang. It was the last game of the season for the Iowa unit, and you could tell; they were playing well together, a finely tuned machine, very cohesive. That, plus a big-game from Cedar Rapids Prairie forward Sebastian Simmons were big reasons they ended their summer with a blowout of this Minnesota squad. Simmons finished with a game-high 16 points. Other standouts were Chandler Haug from Cedar Rapids Washington, he scored 14. Willie Guy was showcasing his quickness and smooth shooting stroke, he scored 11.
2:30: 16U Final — Meanstreets (2021) 50 vs Breakaway Ballers 40
This Meanstreets squad is actually a 15U unit playing up with the 16s, and they STILL came away with the title. That’s saying something considering D1 Minnesota, widely considered one of the very best teams in the nation, was in the bracket with them. Well, it was this very Breakaway team that ousted D1 Minnesota on Saturday night, but Meanstreets’ 15U guys proved to be better than the Breakaway team in this one. Did I confuse you? Sorry. I digress. For Meanstreets it was Tevin Smith from Danville who was the best offensive threat in this one, he scored a game-high 16 points. Grant Newell is a very intriguing 6’5 wing with a smooth stroke, he scored 12. Breakaway was again led by point guard Nathan Shockley and forward Colin O’Rourke, they combined for 22 points in the loss.
3:35: 17U Final — Iowa Dynasty 60 vs Kessel Heat 52
This was a very good game with two teams that certainly deserved to be in the final. This Iowa Dynasty squad had been breezing their way through the bracket, but were tested in this one, and even found themselves down eight midway through the second half. That’s when Dante Eldridge (Iowa City West) and Iziah Paulsen (Iowa City Liberty) took control. The guard combo is lightning quick and both of them have a knack for blowing by opponents and finishing through traffic. They were doing that plenty late in the game when Dynasty needed it most. Eldridge, especially, looked like one of the very best point guards the Hawkeye State has to offer, he scored a game-high 19 and was terrific on defense. Paulsen finished with nine points, all in the second half. It was Bryaden Adcock who hit a clutch 3-ball with a 1:30 left to give Iowa it’s first lead of the second half. Then Seybian Sims finished off the Illinois squad with a monster two-hand slam. It was a dominating finish to what was an utterly dominant weekend for the guys from Iowa.