Five Stars: St. Croix Prep 80, Concordia Academy 56

<p>I got to cross off another gym on my list as 11-4 Concordia Academy played host to St. Croix Prep, undefeated at 15-0, in a big game between section and conference opponents. A back-and-forth first half (41-36 in favor of the Lions) gave way for a SCP battering ram of balanced offense and the visitors stayed unbeaten at 16-0. Here are five of the best performers from the game:</p> <p><strong>Daniel McCarrell, 6-2 G, Sr., St. Croix Prep - </strong>Dan was really the main attraction coming in with his high-powered offensive game, and he battled foul trouble and a somewhat quiet first half on his way to 22 points. The final five minutes was put-away time for the Lions and Dan's 3-point stroke made it easy. He shot 5-12 from deep.</p> <p><strong>A.J. Greene, 5-10 PG, Fr., Concordia Academy - </strong>Here's a name to know moving forward! The diminutive but shifty Greene started at lead guard for the Beacons and came alive late in half one to keep it a five-point deficit, hitting a couple contested treys and slipping his way past defensive cracks to finish at the rim. 17 points on the night, 3-5 from beyond the arc. Keep an eye on him this spring/summer at the 15U level.</p> <p><strong>Addison Metcalf, 6-2 SG, Jr., St. Croix Prep - </strong>One of the more aggressive and hard-nosed scorers we've seen this year, I was impressed with Addison's willingness to create from all spots on the floor. He drove the lane, used some post ups and also passed out of those areas well. He added four rebounds and four assists to a 15-point night.</p> <p><strong>Andrew Howard, 6-0 PG, Jr., St. Croix Prep - </strong>When Metcalf got his fourth foul at the 15-minute mark of half two, it was very important for SCP to find another dynamic creator. Howard turned on the jets and used his speed and dribble in transition to reach the basket often. He's the definition of guard depth at a competition level that requires consistent backcourt play. 16 points, six rebounds on 7-12 shooting.</p> <p><strong>Essay Hagos, 6-1 SF, Sr., Concordia Academy - </strong>I'd heard about Essay's frequent scoring outputs this season and was anxious to see one myself. The Lion defense didn't allow him to impose his will but he was patient and impacted the game in other ways, most notably his rebounding. A 16-point, nine-rebound performance is still impactful and he came up with some big steals and deflections on D too. I'm a big fan of how he balances his athleticism with making smart decisions.</p> <p><strong>Notes:</strong></p> <ul> <li>6-4 senior forward Gary Legvold played a big part in the hotly contested first half with seven early points. He's undersized in the post but still made his presence known defensively and finished in traffic well.</li> <li>Junior Teige Lethert was excellent off the bench for SCP hitting 5-9 three-pointers to help swing the momentum toward the Lions in half two, scoring 15 points.</li> </ul>