10 Best: Millard North vs. Omaha Westside

OMAHA- Friday night's contest between two Class A powerhouses featured a bevy of talent and prospects all over the court. The game itself more than lived up to the hype for the crowd of over 2,000 that filled the stands at Millard North High School, including UCONN assistant coach Kenya Hunter and Louisville assistant coach Luke Murray who were in the building watch 2021 Millard North guard <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/hunter-sallis/">Hunter Sallis</a>, one of the most sought after recruits in the country. He was not the only standout performer of the night, however. A first-half that saw Millard North's lead buoy to as much as 18 points, would be quickly forgotten when Westside stormed back after halftime. Millard North would seal the game with 4 emphatic dunks in the final 3 minutes. Two of them on emphatic alley-oops thrown to Stanford commit <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/max-murrell/">Max Murrell</a> by rising 2021 guard <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/saint-thomas/">Saint Thomas</a>, and the other two by Sallis, with his second coming on a highlight reel pass from his point guard <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jadin-johnson/">Jadin Johnson</a>. Millard North came out victorious by a final score of 68-60. Nebraska- Omaha commit <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jadin-booth/">Jadin Booth</a> came alive in the 2nd half and would end up being the game's high scorer with 22 points. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/hunter-sallis/">Hunter Sallis</a> and 2022 forward <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jasen-green/">Jasen Green</a> lead the way for the Mustangs with 18 points each. Here are my top 10 performances from this game. Most Valuable Player: <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jadin-booth/">Jadin Booth</a> (Omaha Westside) After being held to a mere 4 points in the first, Booth came alive in the 2nd half for the Warriors. If not for Booth's 2nd half resurgence this game could've gotten ugly. The senior guard and Nebraska-Omaha commit showcased his ability to score at all three levels. Where Booth is at his best is in the midrange game, and driving to the basket. Booth had some tough finishes through contact and finished 7 for 10 from 2 point range. Booth is a tough player who makes smart plays and his a great get for Nebraska-Omaha. Best Offensive Performance: <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jasen-green/">Jasen Green</a> (Millard North) Though he was one of the younger players on the court, <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jasen-green/">Jasen Green</a> picked up an offer from Nebraska going into his sophomore year for a reason. A 6'7 athletic forward, Green thrived inside the paint this game. He finished with 18 points on the night, with all 8 of his made field goals came around the basket. Green also pulled down 8 rebounds, and half of those were on the offensive end. In terms of efficiency, nobody had a better night on offense. Best Defensive Performance: <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/reggie-thomas/">Reggie Thomas</a> (Omaha Westside) Another youngster, this sophomore guard, is an absolute dog on the defensive end. He was not afraid to challenge all 5 positions on defense, even when he was at a disadvantage size-wise. Thomas pulled down 6 rebounds and also had two steals on the night for the Warriors. Best Outside Shooting Performance: <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/chandler-meeks/">Chandler Meeks</a> (Omaha Westside) The final standout sophomore of the evening, Meeks came out on fire, nailing a deep three to open the game and staying hot the rest of the night. Though Meeks certainly has more facets to his game than 3 point shooting, he finished 3 for 3 from deep on the night. He's got a good looking shot and is a 2022 guard to keep an eye on. Best Under the Radar Performance: <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/saint-thomas/">Saint Thomas</a> (Millard North) When the big names for Millard North couldn't quite get going, the Mustangs looked to Thomas to right the ship. One fan in the crowd referred to him as both "Mr. Fix It" and "Mr. Midrange." Thomas has been a pleasant surprise this year for Millard North as the junior guard averages 15 points a game and finished the matchup with Westside just below his average with 14. He also added 5 rebounds and 9 assists. Thomas is the Mustangs' second-leading scorer, and I'd only call him under the radar because he sometimes can be lost when game-planning for the likes of <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/hunter-sallis/">Hunter Sallis</a>, <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jasen-green/">Jasen Green</a>, and <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/max-murrell/">Max Murrell</a>. Hardest Worker: <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/pj-ngambi/">PJ Ngambi</a> (Omaha Westside) Ngambi is a grinder in every sense of the word and compliments <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jadin-booth/">Jadin Booth</a> extremely well. He is not afraid to defend the opposing team's top scorer. PJ has a great handle, as well as having a crafty layup package in and around the paint. An effective mid-range scorer as well, Ngambi finished the game with 13 points. Best Intangibles: <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/hunter-sallis/">Hunter Sallis</a> (Millard North) There is not that can be said about <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/hunter-sallis/">Hunter Sallis</a> that hasn't already been said. The 2021 guard's laundry list of high major D1 offers is all the evidence some need, but your perspective is bound to change watching him in person. Though this was not Sallis' best game in terms of offensive efficiency, there were still multiple flashes of his elite skill set. The word to best describe his game, smooth. Whether it's gliding through the lane, pulling up for 3, or catching a lob, Sallis makes it all look easy. He's got a skill set that is unlike any guard I've seen in Nebraska in quite some time. Best Effort: <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/max-murrell/">Max Murrell</a> (Millard North) For 3 quarters, you would hardly know that the man in the middle for Millard North is committed to play college basketball next year at Stanford, then in the fourth quarter <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/max-murrell/">Max Murrell</a> decided to remind everybody why he's a power 5 prospect. Catching lobs and finishing emphatically on back to back possessions reminded the capacity crowd what makes him special. The entire night he was hustling down the floor, and taking great position in the post. Best Facilitator: <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jadin-johnson/">Jadin Johnson</a> (Millard North) A true point guard in every sense of the word, Johnson didn't light up the stat sheet with points, but he did tally 9 assists, with his most standout assist being his last, but we'll talk about that later. Johnson, who transferred to Millard North before this season looks like he has a great feel for his teammates' tendencies and that is excellent for a point guard, and a key to the team's success. Best Moment: Johnson Through the Legs, Off The Backboard to Sallis The final of Millard North's 4 dunks in the final minutes was the one that brought the house down. A dunk straight out of a Harlem Globetrotters tape, <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jadin-johnson/">Jadin Johnson</a> and <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/hunter-sallis/">Hunter Sallis</a> were on a 2 on 0 fast break following a late Westside turnover. Johnson went up and threw the ball off the backboard after taking it through his legs and Sallis punched it down with an emphatic finish. It was one of the craziest things I have ever seen on a high school basketball court and belonged in the SportsCenter Top 10. My only regret is that I didn't have my camera out.