Louis O’Neal Classic: Top 10 Performances

<div> <div>In its second year the Louis O’Neal Martin Luther King Classic at Saginaw Valley State is beginning to establish a tradition of presenting excellent high school basketball. Following are ten standouts from what was an entertaining and highly competitive six game slate.</div> <div> </div> <ol> <li><strong>Jaylen Hodges 6-4 2021 Bridgeport</strong> A truly electrifying performance. Did everything for the Bearcats as they stayed undefeated against a good Ann Arbor Skyline team. Long and rangy athlete. Scored at all three levels. Good elevation on jump shot. Had a huge and emphatic finish in transition. Showed toughness by playing through an injury in crunch time. Simply put, there was not much Hodges did not do Monday night. A deep March run and a good summer could rocket this young man up recruiting boards. Scored a game high 25 points.</li> <li><strong>Joseph Ostrowsky 6-0 2020 Mt. Pleasant</strong> Got off to a slow start necessitating the Oiler comeback against Carman Ainsworth. Once he got it going he was lethal from deep. Not the biggest guard but doesn’t need much space to be effective. Not a pump and he runs a team well. Points came within the offense. One of the most underrated guards in Michigan’s 2020 class. Finished with 25 points.</li> <li><strong>Reece Hazelton 6-7 2020 Glen Lake</strong> Looked like a completely different player than the one I saw earlier this year in a loss to Traverse City West. Obviously has worked off the football rust. Played well with foul trouble as the Lakers were down two post players, including freshman standout and brother <strong>Luke Hazelton</strong>. Flair for the dramatic as his game winning drive and basket doubled as his 1,000th career point. Ferris commit compiled a double double with 20 points and 10 rebounds.</li> <li><strong>Mason Docks 6-0 2022 Williamston</strong> Perhaps the best lead guard prospect in the 2022 class and did nothing to dispute that. Got wherever he wanted with the dribble. Very shifty and creative ball handler. Once at the rim attacked hard and without fear. Excellent elevation on his jump shot, but lands a little flat at this point. Floor general for a loaded lineup so he should have no problem racking up assists. Finished with 16 in a decisive Hornet victory.</li> <li><strong>Chris Cayton 5-11 2021 Ann Arbor Skyline</strong> Faced heavy defensive pressure all night and thrived against it. Solid all around floor game. Was able to find the balance of finding teammates while looking for his own shot. Had an excellent second half and almost brought Skyline back from a first half deficit. Finished with 19 points in the loss.</li> <li><strong>JJ Bradford 6-2 2020 Glen Lake</strong> With the Lakers shorthanded, stepped up to play a huge role in the victory. Scored nine early points early in the contest on three deep 3’s. Continued to play well particularly on the defensive end throughout the game. Heated up again offensively in crunch time when his team needed it most. Finished with 16 points and 5 rebounds.</li> <li><strong>Kabir Bergin 6-6 2020 Ann Arbor Skyline</strong> Like the rest of his team, Bergin took a little time to warm up Monday night. Once he did, displayed the mixture of size and soft touch that makes him intriguing. Also showed himself to be proficient in the lost art of moving without the basketball. Quick and efficient release that you don’t usually see in players his size. Has a definite fit as a small college stretch 4. Finished with 16 points.</li> <li><strong>Parker Day 6-7 2021 Saginaw Heritage</strong> If you consider Day’s prospect status, probably did not have the type of game you would expect. However his effort was highlighted by his trademark above the rim finishes. It is in the open court where his next level athleticism becomes readily apparent, and it is quite a sight. Two huge dunks, one in the half court and one in transition had the gym buzzing. Finished with 15 points in Heritage’s last second defeat to Glen Lake.</li> <li><strong>Jacob Wallace 6-4 2022 Williamston</strong> The opposite of his 2022 partner in crime, <strong>Mason Docks. </strong>Not a uber athlete, but displayed a crafty old school game. Did most of his damage in that forgotten area known as the mid range. Has excellent size for his position, but probably not enough to play without the threat of the long ball. Not saying he can’t hit it, just didn’t see it on Monday. Is going to team with Docks to give the Hornets a scary backcourt for the next two years. Finished with 13 points.</li> <li><strong>Kevin Mills 6-8 2020 Bridgeport</strong> Type of prospect you don’t need a program to identify. Tall and possesses extreme length. Announced himself to the crowd with a huge tip dunk to start the game. Unfortunately received a T for hanging on the rim. This kind of put him behind the 8-ball in terms of foul trouble limiting his floor time. In the time he was out there he was huge presence defensively. Blocking and altering numerous shots. Will definitely have to put on weight to play at the next level, but has a chance as you just don't see players with vertical size and agility very often. Scored 10 points in Bridgeport’s close victory.</li> </ol> </div>