Class 2 Semis (Greenwood vs Plattsburg): The Stars, Shooters, and Sneaky Studs

Curtis Wilkerson

March 8, 2019 @ 05:32 PM

The second Class 2 semi-final matchup featured the Greenwood Blue Jays (27-3) and the Plattsburg Tigers (22-7). It is believed that the true stars shine brightest in the biggest moments and that certainly held true in this contest. Greenwood’s phenom 6’4 So Aminu Mohammed and Plattsburg’s star 6’2 Sr Garrett Stephens put on a show that will be remembered for years to come. Folks, this is the stuff legends are made of.   Recap: It was a slow start offensively for both teams, as evident by the 7-7 score at the end of the 1st quarter. Plattsburg did a nice job of controlling possession, limiting Aminu, and using their size to own the offensive glass. Things began to open up in the second quarter for both teams and there was a feel in the gym that we were going to be in for a battle. Greenwood led 22-20 at the half and the rest of the game featured numerous ties and lead changes punctuated by incredible individual efforts on both sides. In the end, Greenwood’s consensus 5-star national prospect Aminu Mohammed was too much to handle and the Blue Jays earned a 61-54 victory and a berth into tomorrow’s Class 2 Championship Game.   The Stars: 6’4 So Aminu Mohammed - Greenwood Aminu continues to impress and wow fans, coaches, and scouts across the country game after game. Plattsburg did not make things easy on the sophomore phenom. They held him in check most of the first half, limiting him to a dozen hard earned points. He made his mark in the half mainly on the boards and with some impressive blocks and steals. However, with his team reeling a bit in the second half, he absolutely took over for the Blue Jays. He had several highlight sequences, punctuated by a smooth give and go two hand slam over a defender to tie the game in the 3Q and closed the quarter with 6 straight points punctuated by a ridiculous step back pull-up from behind the backboard to tie it up again. He is lethal off the bounce and continues to improve his jumper. He finished with a game high 35 points and 23 rebounds.   6’2 Sr Garrett Stephens - Plattsburg Garrett nearly willed his team to an upset and championship game berth with a gutsy, relentless effort for the Tigers. For most of the game, Greenwood had no answer for him inside. His combination of footwork and post moves, driving scores, and offensive rebounds flustered the Jays. In addition, he buried four three pointers, including some clutch contested shots from range late in the game to keep the Tigers within striking distance. He left it all on the floor, finishing with a team high 28 points.   The Shooters: 6’2 Sr Garrett Stephens - Plattsburg Again, despite dominating in the paint Garrett showed off impressive versatility burying 4 tough triples for the Tigers. He has range and showed the ability to get his shot off in a variety of ways.   5’6 Jr Isaiah Graham - Plattsburg Isaiah had a very quiet first half for the Tigers but was a key part to their big third quarter. He nailed back to back threes from each corner and followed up a couple minutes later with another big one to extend the lead for Plattsburg.   6’2 Jr Kaden Hodge - Plattsburg Kaden hit a pair of big threes for Plattsburg including an immediate answer to one from Greenwood that proved to be a much needed momentum shift for the Tigers.   6’0 Sr John Sharp - Greenwood In a game where Aminu Mohammed did a good amount of the damage, John Sharp kept the defense honest with a pair of big threes for the Blue Jays.   Sneaky Standouts: 5’11 Fr Tommy Pinegar - Greenwood Although capable, Tommy did not light up the scoreboard for the Blue Jays in this one. However, he came up clutch down the stretch in the win. He forced a huge turnover in the 4th quarter with some tenacious on ball defense. He followed that up by knocking down 5-6 free throws with under a minute left to seal the game for Greenwood.   6’6 Jr Austin Stevens - Plattsburg Stevens was quiet by his normal standards, but converted when it counted for the Tigers. His length and versatility created problems for Greenwood throughout. He was a factor defensively and on the glass and took care of some dirty work around the basket.