Top Prospects: Fenwick vs. Westinghouse (Playoffs)
Fenwick and Westinghouse met in the 3A sectional semifinals Wednesday in a Thanksgiving tournament rematch. Fenwick led wire to wire, beating Westinghouse 94-71 in a physical, chippy game in which there were five technical fouls. Fenwick advanced to the sectional…
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Continue ReadingFenwick and Westinghouse met in the 3A sectional semifinals Wednesday in a Thanksgiving tournament rematch. Fenwick led wire to wire, beating Westinghouse 94-71 in a physical, chippy game in which there were five technical fouls.
Fenwick advanced to the sectional final against St. Ignatius, while Westinghouse ends its season 15-14 after a regional title.
How did the top prospects perform in this state playoff matchup?
Bryce Hopkins Bryce Hopkins 6'7" | PF Fenwick | 2021 State #32 Nation IL (2021 No. 2) | Fenwick
Simply put, Westinghouse didn’t have an answer for Hopkins. Most teams don’t. He’s 6-6 and plays bigger as the most physically imposing player on the floor. Hopkins drew 15 fouls in this one, going 24-27 from the line. He added 12 rebounds, and when he wants to get the ball off a miss, nobody is stopping him. He’s got massive, strong hands and just rips the ball away from players.
Hopkins can dominate in any game he chooses. He finished with 37 in this one and was clearly The Guy for Fenwick. Sometimes he can seem to drift mentally when a game is too easy – he had three turnovers in the third quarter as the Fenwick lead ballooned to 20-plus. But when Westinghouse clawed back, Hopkins helped put the game away.
Trey Pettigrew (2022 No. 2) | Fenwick
After Hopkins, Pettigrew was the second-rated prospect in this game, and you can see why he’s risen to No. 2 in the state for 2022. He has every physical tool a guard needs: He’s 6-2 with good strength for his age, and he’s springy enough to try and dunk on bigger players in transition (two misses). His handle is tight and he knows how to use change of pace really well for a young guard. He whips passes with either hand, and his three-point range is deep: He hit a 25-footer to beat the first-quarter buzzer and it looked natural.
Pettigrew finished with 21 points (7-for-11 shooting), 5 assists and 3 rebounds – a great all-around game. If there’s anything to critique, it’s his 5-for-8 shooting from the line. This state tournament is giving Pettigrew a bit of a coming out party for people who haven’t seen him yet.
Gabe Madej Gabe Madej 6'5" | SF Fenwick | 2022 State IL (2022 No. 30) | Fenwick
Madej is the second-ranked of the six sophomores on the Fenwick roster. At 6-5 190, he’s a big-bodied forward who has skill but does all the little things for the Friars. He’s strong and is asked to bang down low against opposing bigs, and he’s got the strength already to hold his own. Offensively, he has broad shoulders and sets good screens, freeing up Hopkins and Pettigrew. He reads the court well when he gets the ball at the free-throw line extended, though he wasn’t asked to do a lot in this one. He finished with three points, three rebounds and an assist off the bench. He was named a CCL honorable mention after the regular season.
Devin Davis Devin Davis 5'10" | PG Westinghouse | 2020 State IL (2020 No. 56) | Westinghouse
In his final game for Westinghouse, Davis went down swinging for the Warriors. He finished with eight points and three rebounds, finishing 3-for-12 from the field. The shot wasn’t falling, but he had the handle and quickness to get into the paint repeatedly. Davis had 33 points in the teams’ first matchup on a hot shooting night, but hit just one three in this one. He’s 6-0 and strong, and averaged 21 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists for the season. He’ll offer plenty of perimeter scoring for whoever gives him a look.
Martell Webb Martell Webb 6'7" | C Tinley Park | 2022 State IL (2022 No. 91) | Westinghouse
The most polished post player in this matchup was Webb, a 6-6, big-bodied forward. He was the first off the bench for the Warriors, but was arguably their most important player in the first half. He finished with 10 points and 6 rebounds before fouling out in the fourth on a technical. For an underclassmen, Webb showed real steadiness and patience on the block. He finished at the rim nearly every time he got his man one-on-one, timing his jumps well and absorbing contact. He’s already a physical force, but with some time in the weight room he could really become a monster over the next two years.