CBC vs Francis Howell: Class 5 Quarterfinal Standouts

<p>Prep Hoops Missouri was Francis Howell Central to watch a tremendous Class 5 state quarterfinal game between CBC and Francis Howell last weekend. It was a rematch of last year’s state semifinal game in which CBC rallied to defeat Howell in Springfield. The rematch had the same result was CBC outlasted the Vikings 62-53 to earn a Final Four berth in the final high school game of the season played in St. Louis.</p> <p>Here is a look at the standout performers from the CBC-Francis Howell state quarterfinal game:</p> <h4>CBC</h4> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="580366" first="Caleb" last="Love"]: The McDonald’s All-American concluded his stellar career with 24 points, which included 3-pointers, slashing drives, dunks and a pair of spine-tingling floaters in the game’s closing minutes with the outcome was in the balance. He saved his best act for last when the Cadets trailed with three minutes to play. He scored on a tremendous floater to tie the game, the followed up with a beautiful one-handed runner off the glass with 1:57 left to play to give CBC the lead to stay. Love also scored his 2,000th career point in the victory.</p> <p>Robert Martin: The 5’9" 2022 point guard scored 15 points, including six big free throws in the final minute to nail down the victory. He was a prime-time performer in the pick-and-roll as he was able to turn the corner and get to his spot to knock down one mid-range jumper after another. He also tossed in a nice 3-pointer for good measure. The electric quick guard is primed to become the go-to guy for the Cadets with Love moving on to North Carolina next season.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="824140" first="Chevalier" last="Brenson"]: The 6’3" 2021 guard was an unsung hero as he scored 14 points while providing his usual high energy play at both ends of the court. Brenson provided some unexpected perimeter offense in the first half when he knocked down three 3-pointers to surprise the Vikings. He plays a Draymond Green like role for the Cadets because he can handle the ball and facilitate the offense to free up his talented backcourt teammates to score, plus he is their main post defender in the front-court.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>Francis Howell</h4> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="822883" first="Matt" last="Schark"]: The 6’4" 2020 forward concluded his stellar career with a team-high 22 points. He kept his team in the game with 13 points in the first half as the Vikings fell behind by double-digits. He threw down a big dunk early in the fourth quarter to tie the game to complete the rally. He proved to be a difficult matchup with his big body and ability to score in the post with ease. He combined that with his 3-point shooting to make things happen all over the court. When he faced double teams, he was able to find the open teammate for easy scoring opportunities. Schark will play collegiate baseball at Jefferson College (MO).</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="824217" first="Sam" last="Maddox"]: The 5’11" 2021 guard scored 15 points and connected on three of five from 3-point range. He was big factor in the Vikings coming back from a 10-point deficit to take the lead in the fourth quarter. His 3-pointer from the wing gave Howell at 51-48 lead with three minutes left in the game. Not only did he make open 3-pointers, he had a nice pull-up jumper game with excellent elevation. He is a physically tough player who put in a strong effort on the defensive end.</p> <p>Justin Williams: The 2020 guard scored 10 points and did an excellent job as a secondary offensive player. He knocked down a couple of 3-pointers when the Cadets double-teamed Schark and he played well without the ball as he scored in transition and off a nice cut to the basket. He is a solid athlete who played with a high motor.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="583715" first="Sam" last="Thompson"]: The 6’10" 2021 forward was limited to three points on the night, but he was a big factor on the boards and on the defensive end with his size and length. He finished the game with 10 rebounds and three blocked shots, plus he had three assists as he showcased his passing skills when he faced a double team. He did an excellent job of getting through his junior season despite playing with Crohn’s Disease which limited his effectiveness.</p>