Saturday “Dagger” Sheet Episode 1: Top Performers from Tournament of Champions Day 2, Gym 2
Teams that had taken it at each other on Day 1 of the Tournament of Champions at Wheeler High School did so for a second day Saturday, as they scrambled up the matchups and took to the floor in 2…
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Continue ReadingTeams that had taken it at each other on Day 1 of the Tournament of Champions at Wheeler High School did so for a second day Saturday, as they scrambled up the matchups and took to the floor in 2 gyms again. Several teams I hadn’t seen were on the Gym 2 slate, and here are some top performers.
Zyair Greene (11)Miller Grove vs. Cedar Grove – The Wolverines had played solidly this year out of 5A Region 5, so I was glad they made the trip up to Marietta, prevailing 73-40. While not overly blessed with size, they make up for it with grit and a lineup of interchangeable parts that can give opponents fits. Junior wing Zyair Greene led the way with 18, and with his physical frame showed he’s an inside-outside threat, knocking down three 3’s as well as taking it at the smaller Cedar Grove defenders. Miller Grove still gets plenty of interior presence from three hustling forwards, 6-4 seniors Njogu Bah and Michael Lewis and 6-3 Jahmil Barber, all three can score in close and hit the glass with abandon. Bench contributions came from juniors Matthew McCullum and Julius Coleman, both of whom were able to stretch the defense with their outside shooting, with the 6-4 McCullum also shining on the glass and as an on-ball defender.
Cedar Grove’s Jeff Daniels, a wiry, smooth 6-4 shooting guard, starred for the Saints, facing a flurry of Miller Grove defenders and finishing with 13 points. The senior showed an adept slashing ability, as well as nice versatility jumping between guards spots, and he’s an elite finisher when close to the basket.
Braxton BeatyLambert vs. Meadowcreek – Getting my second look at Lambert, it was clear coach Scott Bracco was using the weekend tournament to stretch his bench and see what he has, as 12 players saw action in the 62-44 win. As we’ve come to expect with the Longhorns, outside shooting ruled the day, with senior Luke Champion once again showing off his sweet long-range stroke, getting three 3’s in the first 3 quarters among his 16 points before sitting down in the 4th with a comfortable lead. He got able backcourt support from seniors Braxton Beaty and Will Baker, and 6-8 senior center Colin Granger fought and scrapped inside against a smaller Meadowcreek lineup. Difficult to ignore was the play of a pair of freshmen, point guard James Tyre and shooting guard AJ McIlwain. Both just 5-9, Tyre, who you’d almost miss if he didn’t have a uniform on, nonetheless showed a terrific handle with the ball and a vision of a highly intuitive young player. McIlwain has a scorer’s mentality and took advantage of the extra minutes off the bench to show it, knocking down a three and also getting to the basket for a nice deuce. With the kind of hot shooting Lambert can display, together with superb senior leadership, in a competitive 7A Region 5 they’re a definite threat to take home the crown.