Margaretta 54 @ Western Reserve (Collins) 79 Recap

<p>The OHSAA basketball season tipped off on Wednesday evening and I was in Collins Ohio to check out Margaretta and Western Reserve. Margaretta was without Army Football commit [player_tooltip player_id="920611" first="Mitch" last="Raifsnider"] and really missed his interior presence as the Polar Bears struggled to finish defensive possessions with rebounds. Western Reserve broke the Margaretta press with ease most of the night and used their size and shooting skill to score at will. Here were the top performers from the contest.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1078614" first="Luke" last="Rowlinson"], 6’4 SG Western Reserve 2021: Rowlinson looked every bit like a scholarship worthy kid in his season opener. Just a clear tier above everyone else on the floor, the game looked so easy for him tonight. Took advantage of over-aggressive defense with pump fakes to gain advantages over defenders. Used his length to score around rim contests. Flashed athleticism with a two hand jam on the fast break. Ended the game with a very efficient 31 points to lead the way. One NAIA school has already offered the sharp shooting wing but that number should grow this season.</p> <p>John Skrada, 6’4 SF Western Reserve 2021: Skrada nailed almost every mid-range pull-up he took. At 6’4 he’s able to post-up smaller defenders and use his height to bully shorter opponents. Not the quickest but got to his spots and nailed shots when left open. Looked capable of having the offense flow through him when Rowlinson sat on the bench. Scored 26 points tonight, when him and Rowlinson score 50+ (they had 57 tonight) I think Western Reserve is going to be tough to beat. Skrada is a name I was unfamiliar with before tonight but deserves some looks from D3 schools looking for a forward with size and shooting.</p> <p>Jake Leibacher, 6’0 PG Margaretta 2022: Leibacher struggled with the denial defense to start the game. Got going at the free-throw line in the second and third quarters when attacking the basket. Attacked relentlessly from the left wing, looking to score with his right hand on the left side. Only got three 3-point looks and nailed one of them. Considering the noticeable talent disparity between the two teams, Leibacher did his best to keep his team in the game but will need to be more willing to take over when the offense is stalling. A name to monitor for sure around the NW Ohio area.</p> [caption id="attachment_1090587" align="alignright" width="403"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/wr-photo.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-1090587" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/wr-photo-300x189.jpg" alt="" width="403" height="254" /></a> Western Reserve was able to host a game on Wednesday night, something many schools were unable to achieve due to the COVID-19 pandemic[/caption] <p>Jude Muenz, 6’1 PF Western Reserve: Muenz is a patient player around the post, had a productive evening around the basket. Used the spin move to create space for layup opportunities throughout the game.</p> <p>Cameron Sosa, 6’1 SG Margaretta 2023: Sosa nailed four 3-pointers that helped keep his team in the game in the first half. Showed his outside shooting ability in this one but couldn’t get anything cooking inside the arc.</p>