1A/2A/3A/4A Holiday Challenge: MVP’s and Top Performers
The Northwest School in Seattle put on a unique tournament with only four teams which represented each of the four high school classifications. 1A: The Northwest School, 2A: Bellingham High School, 3A: Bonney Lake High School, 4A: Thomas Jefferson High…
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Continue ReadingThe Northwest School in Seattle put on a unique tournament with only four teams which represented each of the four high school classifications. 1A: The Northwest School, 2A: Bellingham High School, 3A: Bonney Lake High School, 4A: Thomas Jefferson High School.
I was able to watch both the Championship between Bonney Lake and Bellingham, as well as the consolation game between The Northwest School and Thomas Jefferson. Bonney Lake would take home the trophy after defeating Bellingham 53 to 46. Here is a quick look at 13 different athletes representing each of Washington’s high school classifications.
MVP
Owen DeVore | 6’3″ G/F | Northwest School, 2021
DeVore was very impressive in his teams win over Thomas Jefferson. The Northwest School runs a lot of their offense through DeVore in the high post, and from there, he was able to use his size and strength to get to the rim or step behind the arc and drain threes. DeVore finished the game with 28 points including five 3’s, two of which came on the first two possession of overtime. Defensively, DeVore showed off his basketball IQ by anticipating passes and racking up steals.
Connor McKay | 6’0″ G | Bellingham, 2020
The senior from Bellingham was an intelligent point guard who knew when to distribute and when to take shots. McKay racked up 5 assists in the first half of the game, but when time was winding down and his team still trailed, he showed off his range, knocking down back to back 3’s to cut into Bonney Lake’s lead. He would finish the game with 11 points.
Dylan Preston | 6’2″ G | Bonney Lake, 2021
Preston had a tough first half in his team’s championship-winning game, but he came back from halftime determined to make his mark on the game. He scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half. He would add 6 rebounds and 4 assists. He is only listed at 6’2″, but he plays much taller. He has a strong frame and impressive hops that helped him elevate over defenders on drives and grab defensive rebounds on the other end of the court.
Daviaun Gale | 6’1″ G | Thomas Jefferson, 2020
Thomas Jefferson’s point guard Daviaun Gale played an efficient game in their consolation game against The Northwest School. Gale scored 26 points in his team’s loss and shot 9 of 12 from the field with five 3’s. He has outstanding athleticism that he used to put pressure on the opposing guards, and he used his speed to push the ball in the open court. Gale also did well to work that ball into fellow senior Nehemiah Madison, the team’s main offensive threat for much of the game.
Offense
Miles Haon | 5’11” G | Northwest School, 2020
Haon had 30 points in his team’s win over Thomas Jefferson. He had a very efficient shooting day, showing his ability to score at all three levels of the game with five 3’s, a variety of mid-range shots and floaters, and drives to the basket. Haon knocked down the go-ahead basket with 36 seconds remaining in the game and would step to the line to give his team a 3-point lead that held up a last-second heave from Thomas Jefferson.
Chris Oesterling | 6’3″ F | Bellingham, 2020
The senior from Bellingham found a lot of success working in both the high and low post against Bonney Lake. Oesterling came off the bench to lead his team with 14 points. At 6’3″, he wasn’t the tallest player on the court, but he was clearly the strongest, and he used his strength to get to the block, finish through contact, and pull down offensive rebounds for his team.
Nehemiah Madison | 6’4″ F | Thomas Jefferson, 2020
Nehemiah Madison had a big game with 22 points for the Raiders in their overtime loss to The Northwest School. Like Oesterling, Madison was able to take advantage of his size and strength to finish at the rim and grab rebounds. Nehemiah has good chemistry with fellow senior, Daviaun Gale and the two of them found success working the ball into Madison for lay-ins and back out to Gale for open jumpers. Madison is strong, athletic, and an underrated passer.
Defense
Seth Horn | 6’8″ F/C | Northwest School, 2023
This one comes with a big asterisk. Horn only played a few minutes in his team’s consolation game, but the 6’8″ freshman has already shown his ability to take over games in the early part of this season. He is a double-double machine, and he has tremendous athleticism for a player his age and size. He has a chance to be a prolific shot blocker, and even in his limited time, he showed his ability to easily influence shots with his length. Horn is a star in the making and there is no telling what he’ll be able to do with a little more strength and maturity. Keep an eye on Seth Horn.
Aidan Bartlett | 6’4″ F | Bellingham, 2022
A 6’4 sophomore, Aidan Bartlett made a living on the glass against Bonney Lake. Bartlett isn’t going to blow anyone away with his athleticism (at least not yet), but he uses his size and weight to his advantage especially on the defensive end of the court where he can be physical with his opponents and control defensive rebounds. He grabbed 7 rebounds coming off the bench for the Red Raiders.
Feki O’Reilly | 6’5″ F | Bonney Lake, 2020
Bonney Lake’s senior forward scored only 4 points in his team’s victory over Bellingham, but he earned his playing time with scrappy play and physical defense. O’Reilly had 3 steals and a block in the win. O’Reilly is a solid athlete, and with his 6’5″ frame, he was able to make things difficult for Bellingham in the paint.
Hustle
Dash Salas |5’9″ G | Northwest School, 2023
The freshman from the host school was the smallest guy on the court more often than not, but that didn’t stop him from collecting big offensive rebounds for his team. When the game was close in the fourth quarter, Salas came down with a crucial offensive rebound to maintain possession. Salas used his speed to grab loose balls, and he had a quick six points off dribble-drives toward the end of the game when his team needed baskets.
Myles Tala | 5’2″ G | Bonney Lake, 2022
Myles was a very fun athlete to watch. He was the shortest athlete in the tournament at 5’2″, so it was no surprise that he made the most of his playing time by hustling and outworking his opponent. Tala is a sophomore, and although he came off the bench, he was able to collect 5 steals and 2 offensive rebounds. He was quick with the ball in his hands and showed off his offensive skills with a spin-move and layin as well as a pull-back mid-range jumper.
Andrew Dibble | 6’3″ W | Thomas Jefferson, 2021
Dibble was a crucial part of his team’s close loss to The Northwest School. Dibble scored 18 points, and he also added 4 rebounds and a steal. Dibble played with great efficiency, shooting better than 50% from the field. When the game was getting frantic, Dibble was able to find baskets by hustling around the court and finding open jumpers. He had 8 big points in overtime, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough for Thomas Jefferson to earn the win.