10 Best: Danville at Highland

RIVERSIDE -- Highland won a cross-division SEISC tilt on Thursday night, pulling away from visiting Danville in the second half en route to a 69-57 win. The Huskies fell behind 8-2 in the first quarter before finishing the quarter with a flurry, taking a 21-16 lead after the first quarter. Star big man Zack Lasek picked up his second foul early in the second quarter, and Danville clawed back to a tie at the break, 32-all. With Lasek back on the floor, the Huskies opened the second half with a flurry, pushing their lead back up to double digits. He picked up his third and fourth fouls within about 30 seconds of each other, went back to the bench and Danville made another run before a buzzer beating 3 from Mason McFarland pushed the Highland lead back to 49-42 after 3. The Huskies pretty much cruised in the fourth quarter, making just enough free throws to keep the Bears at bay. Highland (6-1) was led by Mason McFarland, who finished with a game-high 29 points. Zack Lasek added 15 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Bill Laughlin chipped in 12 points and Cole Adamson had 11 and 6 assists in the win. Danville (3-4) was led by Ty Carr, who scored 25 points and had 5 assists in the loss. Taylor Kennsett added 10 points for the Bears.   <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">Team</td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">1Q</td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">2Q</td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">3Q</td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">4Q</td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">F</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">Danville</td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">16</td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">16</td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">10</td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">15</td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">57</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">Highland</td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">21</td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">11</td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">17</td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">20</td> <td style="width: 16.666666666666668%; text-align: center;">69</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>   Danville: Ty Carr 25, Taylor Kennsett 10, Cam Edle 9, Calin Vogelgesang 4, Cadence Williams 3, Brady Hall 2, Sam Perdelwitz 2, Sawyer Nelson 2 Highland: Mason McFarland 29, Zack Lasek 15, Bill Laughlin 12, Cole Adamson 11, Derick Sandburg 2   MVP: Mason McFarland (Highland) Best shooter: McFarland (Highland) Best offensive performance: McFarland (Highland) McFarland was on a mission in this one, and he was dominant, finishing with 29 points on 16 shots, including going 5-7 from behind the arc. He missed his first two attempts from the arc and made the next five. He's got a lightning quick release on his jumper but he doesn't take bad shots. He showed great confidence in his jumper, pulling up for a 3 in transition after a steal. He did most of his damage from the arc and with his jumper, but he did find his way to the rim a few times for buckets as well. Best pure scorer: Ty Carr (Danville) Best underclassman: Carr (Danville) Carr scored 25 points for the Bears in the loss, knocking down three 3s, showing some mid-range ability and the ability to get to the rim. He showed the ability to finish with either hand, but he did struggle to finish through contact at times. He finished with 25 points on 15 shots, going 3-5 from the arc and 5-11 from inside the arc. As he continues to develop physically and add more strength, he will continue to be able to finish at the rim more effectively. Just a sophomore, he's a solid all-around offensive player who also dished out five assists to go with his 25 points. Best passer: Cole Adamson (Highland) Best defender: Adamson (Highland) Adamson dished out a game-high six assists in the win for Highland. He looks to push the tempo after pulling down rebounds, sees the floor well in the halfcourt and is a well-built guard who can finish at the rim when he's looking to attack. In addition to his solid showing as a lead guard and distributor, he made some real hustle plays on the defensive end, getting back on defense after a teammate turned it over to prevent an easy layup. He's a high energy player who plays hard on both ends of the floor. Best rebounder: Derick Sandburg (Highland) Sandburg is the unsung player among the Huskies' starting five, but he pulled down six key rebounds in the win. He's not asked to score much, but he does a bit of everything else, making the hustle plays, gaining extra possessions and protecting the paint. Highest upside: Zack Lasek (Highland) There's no doubt that Lasek, Highland's 6-8 standout big man, is the most talented player on either roster. He's likely going to be playing football at the next level, but he'd be a good Division II big man at the next level with some more coaching and increased effort. He's the type of player who should put up 25 and 15 nightly against 1A competition with his blend of size, athleticism and skill set. Best player off the bench: Sawyer Nelson (Danville) Nelson provided a spark off the bench for the Bears, scoring two points, grabbing three rebounds and notching a big block in the third quarter while the Bears were in the midst of a run. The 6-2 sophomore is active on both ends of the floor and can contribute in a number of ways.