Deep South Classic: Day 3 Top Performers

<p><strong>2021 6-8 F [player_tooltip player_id="869583" first="Elijah" last="Tucker"] – Cherokee</strong></p> <p>With Cherokee missing two starters, Xavier-signee [player_tooltip player_id="869583" first="Elijah" last="Tucker"] was pressed into heavy duty as he was required to score consistently throughout the game while still having to provide a defensive presence in the paint and on the glass. Though the Warriors fell 52-43 to Archer in the 29^th Annual Deep South Classic Championship, Tucker played his best game I’ve seen in person this season. He stayed out of foul trouble and had good body language throughout. A pair of putback dunks got him into the flow of the game early and he stayed in attack mode, scoring on coast-to-coast drives and tough hoops inside. Tucker finished with 19 points, 14 rebounds, 1 steal and 2 blocks.</p> <p>https://twitter.com/KyleSandy355/status/1344447984579334147</p> <p><strong>2022 6-3 G [player_tooltip player_id="870169" first="Christian" last="Drummer"] – Archer</strong></p> <p>The size and skill of [player_tooltip player_id="870169" first="Christian" last="Drummer"] as a primary ballhandler gives him great upside. He’s a long do-it-all type of player that can accomplish whatever a coach asks. If he needs to score 20+, he had the slashing abilities to do so. If defending the other team’s best scorer is the game plan, he can lock up and make life difficult.  Drummer had a strong showing, scoring 6 of his team-high 14 points in the fourth quarter to close out the Warriors. He added 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals as well. Drummer is a sneaky good athlete that has a quick first step when driving baseline. He is progressing rapidly and could have a blowup senior season.</p> <p><strong>2021 6-7 W [player_tooltip player_id="869625" first="Derrick" last="Brown"] – Monroe Area</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="869625" first="Derrick" last="Brown"] was mightily impressive in a loss to Collins Hill. He had his entire repertoire working on both ends of the floor. Brown finished around the rim with toughness, slamming home a few dunks but he also had the finesse and touch to finish in one-on-one situations when he was met at the rim. Brown hit turnaround jumpers from the post, pull-up threes and peppered the defense from the mid-range. He’s a smooth combo-forward that does damage inside and out. He concluded his day with 24 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals and 1 block. He’s an interesting option. D-I schools and D-II schools will want to track his progress and jump in before its too late.</p> <p><strong>2024 6-0 PG [player_tooltip player_id="1062212" first="Vonte" last="Newell"] – Monroe Area</strong></p> <p>There’s a lot to like about the future of [player_tooltip player_id="1062212" first="Vonte" last="Newell"]. He’s got a good frame that should pack on some muscle over the next four years and has nice feel for the game. Newell has no problem pushing the pace and getting Monroe Area off and running. Newell is a crafty driver that has wiggle when getting downhill. He was at his best when he was slashing into the lane. Vonte has the presence of mind to look for open teammates when getting to the hoop and doesn’t have his blinders on.</p> <p><strong>2021 6-2 PG Vino Glover – Collins Hill</strong></p> <p>Like a fine wine, Vino got better as the game went on. He set the tone and helped ignite a 37-point third quarter that turned a 5-point deficit into a 16-point lead heading into the fourth. Glover scores in bunches. He’s got a sweet stroke and plays with pace. In Collins Hill’s aggressive full court defense, Glover sees plenty of transition opportunities and makes the most of them. He scored 13 of his 14 points in the third quarter, hitting 3 threes in the process. Vino added 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in the 87-69 win over Monroe Area.</p>