10 Best: McCluer vs Jennings
Prep Hoops was on-site for Senior Night at McCluer as the Comets took on Jennings. McCluer got out to a sizable lead early on, but Jennings would not go down without a fight. McCluer led 30-22 at halftime and led…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingPrep Hoops was on-site for Senior Night at McCluer as the Comets took on Jennings. McCluer got out to a sizable lead early on, but Jennings would not go down without a fight. McCluer led 30-22 at halftime and led by as many as 13 in the fourth quarter. The Warriors made a spirited fourth quarter run, eventually coming within one possession late in the fourth quarter. In the end, the Comets converted at the line and got timely stops in route to a hard-fought 69-61 win.
Here’s our 10 Best from this contest:
Most Complete Scorer: 6’6 Sr Devon Barshow | McCluer
Devon has led the Comets (Class 4 #3) in scoring throughout the year and led McCluer with 20 points in Tuesday’s win over Jennings. He can score it at all three levels. He knocked down a pair of deep triples, displayed a tough pull-up game in the mid-range, and used his length well to finish drives and get his hands on the offensive boards for put back attempts.
Best Slasher: 6’2 Jr DeMarion Shanklin | Jennings
Shanklin is nearly unstoppable in the open floor. He was the fastest person in the gym and consistently left defenders in the dust when he was in attack-mode off the bounce. Combine his separation speed with his terrific finishing ability at the cup, and you have a game high 21 point performance that included several “and-1” conversions.
Top 3-Point Shooter: 5’10 So Isaiah Brandon-Payne | Jennings
Isaiah drilled three long range bombs in route to a 16 point night for Jennings. One of those threes was about a 30-footer from right in front of his bench during a fourth quarter rally. He has range and is a threat anywhere inside the volleyball line. He does not hesitate to pull the trigger either and nearly had a four-point play opportunity after rimming out a transition pull-up through contact.
Most Explosive Athlete: 6’5 Sr Kam Hubbard | McCluer
Kam is one of the most explosive, quick-twitch athletes I have seen this season. Tuesday night, he seemed to have his hands on every rebound opportunity and every shot. With his length and second jump ability, he is an absolute force on the glass. He finishes at and above the rim and is a threat to dunk everything. Kam finished with 19 points and a near double-double.
Top Floor General: 6’0 Sr Jeremiah Johnson | McCluer
Johnson continues to be the un-sung hero for the Comets. When things got dicey in the fourth quarter, he never flinched and navigated the Jennings pressure with poise and precision. He displayed a good feel for the game and did a nice job of recognizing mismatches and setting up his other play-makers for high-percentage opportunities. He was also nails from the line late to seal the victory.
Top Rim Protector: 6’4 Jr Karl Moore | Jennings
The amount of shots Karl blocks and alters is ridiculous. The stout junior forward leads the area by a wide margin in blocks per game and it is no exaggeration to say that he may have had double-figure swats Tuesday. Chase-downs in transition, weak-side step-overs, man to man in the post, you name it and Karl will reject it. What makes it all the more impressive is that he stands at only 6’4″!
Clutch Performer: 6’2 Jr Anias Futrell | McCluer
McCluer controlled the tempo and the game throughout the first half, but the momentum began to swing in the 3rd quarter as Jennings immediately made it a one possession game. In need of a spark, Anias came away with several big defensive plays, knocked down a huge corner three, a tough elbow jumper, and made his way to the free throw line to help McCluer regain a comfortable lead.
Youngster to Watch: 5’10 So John Baker | McCluer
Imagine being a sophomore on the junior varsity team, called up to varsity, on Senior Day, against a rival, and finding yourself in the game in the closing minutes of a tight battle. That is the exact scenario that Baker found himself in when he was fouled and stepped up to the free throw line in a one possession game. Calm, cool, and collect John buried both freebies and shortly thereafter notched a steal and transition score much to the pleasure of the loud and proud home crowd.
Sneaky Performer: 6’2 Sr Tariq Miller | Jennings
Tariq had a nice moment or two it seemed in every quarter. Although it was quiet, he sneakily found his way into double-figures and had a nice game. He finished a couple strong slashing scores, banked home a three, and buried a tough contested jumper in the lane.
Top Highlights:
5’10 guard Je’Codi McCrary had a Senior Day moment to remember when he came up with an open floor steal and went coast to coast for a thunderous one hand slam that sent the home crowd into an absolute frenzy.
The only time the gym may have been louder was in the second half with McCluer looking to regain momentum when Devon Barshow tipped a loose ball over the head of a Jennings defender, gained possession, and quickly tossed up a perfectly placed lob to Kam Hubbard that he flushed with authority.