Tip Off Classic 5 Takeaways: Edina overcomes Kimmons, Tartan
Edina got 50 combined points from Jack Middleton and Jacob Hutson, overcoming a 43 point effort from Antwan Kimmons to beat Tartan 74-67 Saturday at Hopkins. Here are five takeaways from the contest: Jack Middleton was sensational Jack Middleton is…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingEdina got 50 combined points from Jack Middleton and Jacob Hutson, overcoming a 43 point effort from Antwan Kimmons to beat Tartan 74-67 Saturday at Hopkins.
Here are five takeaways from the contest:
Jack Middleton was sensational
Jack Middleton is one of the top players in the 2019 class and he showed why Saturday, leading Edina with 30 points while coming through with big plays in key spots throughout the game. The 6-foot-6 swingman was excellent getting to the rim and orchestrating an efficient Hornets offense, scoring at will when he got the paint. He did a great job setting the pace and balanced finding his own offense with getting others involved. It was a big-time performance and if Edina is going to be as good as many think they can be, Middleton will have to play like that more often than not.
Antwan Kimmons was unstoppable
Kimmons is one of the best pure scorers in the state and it was on full display Saturday as the senior guard dropped 43 points, almost single handedly keeping the Titans afloat. He proved impossible to stay in front of and for an undersized guard, he’s got an impressive ability to finish over bigger and longer defenders. I’m not sure how much of an outside shooter he is or how much of a setup guy he is because it looked like he absolutely needed to hunt shots, but for a night, his team needed points, and he provided a lot of them.
Jacob Hutson was a hoss inside
Hutson, a 6-foot-9 junior, ran into the perfect matchup offensively Saturday, as Tartan is almost certainly one of the smallest teams in Class AAAA. Hutson made the most of it, controlling the backboard and the paint on his way to 20 points. He did a great job being physical with smaller defenders and cleared out space inside all game. If he plays like that, he’ll be one of the hottest commodities from a recruiting perspective in the 2020 class.
What is Tartan’s supporting cast capable of?
The Titans got 22 points aside from Kimmons’ 45. Through three games, Tartan’s got just one guy averaging double figures in scoring. That’s not to say scoring is everything or the only thing, but at some point, I wonder what the team’s upside is if they run into a team capable of keeping Kimmons under 25-30 points. Do the Titans have guys capable of making teams pay for too much extra attention?
How good can Edina be?
Edina is 2-1 in the first three games with a close loss to Lakeville North and a solid win over Tartan. The Lake Conference and Section 2AAAA are extremely competitive and while Edina may not be the top team in either field, do they have the ability to make runs in either one? Middleton is always going to be one of the best players on the floor. Hutson is an impactful interior presence and the Hornets have a solid cast of complementary guys who are old and talented. Can they push for 20 wins? It seems doable.