5 Takeaways from Bellevue West vs. Millard North

<p>BELLEVUE- There was one clear game on the Class A slate Friday night that stuck out among the rest. Millard North hit the road down Highway 370 to visit the Thunderdome at Bellevue West to take on the Thunderbirds. These two teams are listed as the top two teams in most class A rankings across the state. The two teams also feature the top two players in the state's 2021 class in Bellevue West guard and Wisconsin commit <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/chucky-hepburn/">Chucky Hepburn</a> and Millard North guard <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/hunter-sallis/">Hunter Sallis</a> who was recently anointed as a five-star recruit, the first in the history of Nebraska high school basketball. Hepburn drew Wisconsin Head Coach Greg Gard and his 3 assistants to the game as they were just down the road in Lincoln for a game of their own. For a moment I was actually worried I wasn't going to be able to find a seat in the gym, and the crowd was near capacity and raucous throughout the game. It was a back and forth affair throughout and was tied at 51 entering the final quarter of play before <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/hunter-sallis/">Hunter Sallis</a> and the Mustangs flexed their muscle to pick up a big road win against a talented Bellevue West squad by a score of 70-60. Here are my 5 Takeaways from this clash of two Class A titans that more than lived up to the hype.</p> <p>https://twitter.com/PrepHoopsNE/status/1228483564301406208?s=20</p> <p><strong>When <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/hunter-sallis/">Hunter Sallis</a> Does <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/hunter-sallis/">Hunter Sallis</a> Things, Millard North is Tough to Stop</strong></p> <p>Sallis earned his fifth star in various recruiting rankings for a reason. The word I keep coming back to describe his game is smooth, and that applies to all aspects of his game. When it came down to winning time in the 4th quarter, Sallis turned it up a notch and went on a personal 8-0 run to start the period, and Millard North never looked back, outscoring Bellevue West 19-9 in the final quarter. Sallis finished the game with 23 points on 8-13 shooting to go along with 4 rebounds and 2 assists. He was also 9-9 from the free-throw line. Even if you're just a casual basketball fan, watching this kid place is well worth the price of admission. </p> <p>https://twitter.com/PrepHoopsNE/status/1228496401161740290?s=20</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>https://twitter.com/PrepHoopsNE/status/1228504919495364608?s=20</p> <p><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/saint-thomas/">Saint Thomas</a> Continues to be Mr. Efficiency for Millard North </strong></p> <p>A 6'6 junior guard, <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/saint-thomas/">Saint Thomas</a> has casually flown under the radar while having an excellent season for Millard North. He finished this game with 13 points on 5-8 shooting from the field, while also playing very good defense on both of the Fidler brothers Frankie and Louis. Thomas, on the season, averages 15 points a game and is a 55% shooter from the field. His mid-range game is his biggest strength, which is where he shows why he's the Mustangs' Mr. Efficiency. </p> <p><strong>Josiah Dotzler is a 2023 Guard to Buy Some Stock in ASAP</strong></p> <p>The Bellevue West freshman has been in and out of the rotation this year for the Thunderbirds, but I have been enamored with the youngster's game since I first watched him play in the OSA Fall League before the start of this year. He comes from a great basketball family, and his biggest strength this year has been as a 3 and D player. He came off the bench early and nailed his first two 3 pointers to ignite the home crowd. Buy some stock in young Dotzler now; he's bound to be a top tier in-state prospect sooner rather than later. </p> <p><strong>Black Hills State May Have Found Themselves a Steal in <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/john-shanklin/">John Shanklin</a></strong></p> <p>The 6'8 senior Bellevue West big man more than held his own against the talented Millard North frontcourt which has plenty of depth and length inside. Shanklin started the game with some emphatic dunks to get the home crowd into it. Shanklin logged himself a double-double on the night and was the only player in the game to do so. His final tally was 12 points and 10 rebounds on the game. </p> <p><strong>We Could Easily See These Two Teams Meet Again in the Postseason</strong></p> <p>Millard North and Bellevue West have been two of the top teams in the state throughout the entirety of the 2019-20 campaign. Both teams are very complete with talent from top to bottom at all positions. It would probably be very intriguing to see these two teams meet again at the state tournament in Lincoln in a couple of weeks. Marquee matchups like this are part of the reason metro crowds have been top-notch all season long. </p>