SoCal-Vegas Showdown: Harvard-Westlake vs. Durango Ten Best
PASADENA — Gerry Freitas hosted his inaugural SoCal-Vegas Showdown on the campus of Pasadena City College last Saturday. The six-game event featured match-ups of some of the best that Southern California and Las Vegas have to offer. Here are the…
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Continue ReadingPASADENA — Gerry Freitas hosted his inaugural SoCal-Vegas Showdown on the campus of Pasadena City College last Saturday. The six-game event featured match-ups of some of the best that Southern California and Las Vegas have to offer. Here are the Ten Best performers from the opening game of the event: Harvard-Westlake vs. Durango.
Best Overall Performance: Mason Hooks, Harvard-Westlake
The Princeton-bound center is a tough cover because of his immense size and strength at 6-feet-10 and 250-plus pounds. The senior scored a game-high 19 points and did so in a variety of ways with a combination of low-block moves, face-up jumpers and the ability to get to the free throw line and connect with regularity.
Best Supporting Performance: Cameron Thrower, Harvard-Westlake
The Wolverines were in need of a spark in the second half and it came by way of the sophomore shooting guard. Thrower scored ten of his 14 points in the final two periods, including an eight-point third quarter which gave Harvard-Westlake a 14-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Best Passer: Spencer Hubbard, Harvard-Westlake
The 5-foot-9 senior doesn’t always score the most points or make the flashiest of plays, but his ability to control the game and set up teammates for easy buckets are what make him such an effective high school point guard. Hubbard initiates offense with efficiency and does a nice job with his post-entry passes to big men Hooks and Truman Gettings.
Best Scoring Performance: Keshon Gilbert, Durango
The 6-foot-3 junior finished with a game-high 21 points in defeat and came on strong in the second half. The UNLV-commit dropped 19 of those 21 in the final 16 minutes, including 13 in a fourth quarter comeback that fell short. Gilbert is a dynamic creator in transition who finishes with creativity around the basket.
Best Rebounder: Kendrick Gilbert, Durango
Hooks could have easily been the winner in this category, but what the elder Gilbert can do on the glass at only 6-feet-5 is quite impressive. The senior is an active pursuer of missed shots on both ends of the floor and rebounds well in and out of his area.
Best Defender: Holden McRae, Harvard-Westlake
The 6-foot-3 senior wing isn’t one of the Wolverines’ marquee players from a recruiting standpoint, but he’s definitely one of their most important pieces to success. McRae isn’t concerned with the glamour of scoring or having the ball in his hands and makes his impact as a high IQ on-ball and team defender who takes chargers and communicates on that end of the floor.
Best Performance off the Bench: Adam Hinton, Harvard-Westlake
Hinton is another Wolverine who doesn’t get caught up in what his scoring column looks like. The 6-foot-3 junior is the ultimate glue-guy who does what’s needed to get a win. At any moment, you can see Hinton on the floor for a loose ball, competing among the trees for a rebound or knocking down and open catch-and-shoot 3-point shot.
Best Rim Protectors: Mason Hooks, Truman Gettings, Harvard-Westlake
Can a rim protector be more than just a shot blocker? When it comes to the combination Hooks and Gettings, yes. The duo, who stand 6-foot-10 and 6-foot-8 respectively, aren’t the most explosive vertical athletes on the floor, but their size and physicality make guards think twice about trying to finish over them in the paint.
Best Under-the-Radar Performance: Anthony Hunter, Durango
The highly-touted senior point guard didn’t have his best scoring effort, finishing with 10 points, but it was good to see him not force the issue offensively with his shot not falling at as high of a clip as he’s used to. Hunter made sure to get teammates involved and make good decisions in both transition and half-court settings.
Best Freshman: Sebastian Mack, Durango
Mack had quite the reputation on the middle school circuit and it was easy to see why. The 6-foot-1 guard carries himself and plays with a lot of confidence. He has a smooth jump shooting form and knocked down a couple of deep 3-point shots. Mack is definitely one to track over the next four years.