Mid State League- Cardinal Division Players To Watch

The Cardinal division of the Mid-State League has already gotten underway with some good games being played and players already receiving accolades already in the early part of the season. Harvest Prep (23-3) are off to a roaring 4-0 start this season and showing why they are the class of the division. Bishop Rosecrans (19-3) finished second in the division last year and despite their players not having statistics, are off to a 2-0 start this year in hopes to catch the Warriors and win the division in 2020-2021, much like Berne Union (14-11) which finished third in the division last year and are also 2-0 to start the year. The 2-0 Millersport Lakers (8-13) may have finished fifth in 2019-2020, but they could have the best player in the division who has already put up record performances. A struggling Fisher Catholic (11-12) and Fairfield Christian (3-20) both have won zero games so far this season while Grove City Christian (6-16) have only scored one victory in their five games. With the two best teams from last season already off to great starts, expect those teams to continue their roll as the season progresses and here are the players that will affect the outcomes of the game. Mason Purvis- Senior; Millersport: He’s gets funky in the kitchen like an old batch of collard greens, now all Snoop Dogg lyrics aside, Purvis can flat out fill it up on the offensive end of the court. The point guard scored his 1,000 point in a 28-point performance against Grove City Christian, after filling it up for 42 points against Miller. Purvis is a machine that can get his shot off over anybody and is fearless in his approach to the game. The 5-foot-10 guard is a knockdown shooter with a quick first step that gets him to the rim at will and can still stop and hit a 15-foot jumper over his defender. Purvis is an excellent scorer despite his height and it is a shame that no school has gone after this kid yet, he is special. Terrence Kee- Senior; Harvest Prep: A confident walk, an athletic build and the ability to get to basket at will, Kee looks to be one half of the backcourt that keeps the tradition of amazing Warrior guards alive. Kee is active on both ends of the court, causing havoc on defense and confusion on offense with all of his moving. When he has the ball in his hands he is a threat to get to the cup because of his explosive first step but if defense’s do not get out and guard him, Kee is not afraid to levitate and let it fly from deep. His height gives him the freedom to defend either guard spot, which he does with his savvy and strength by knocking the ball away from dribblers and starting fast breaks. The football standout is averaging 12.5 points per game in four games so far this season, Kee is a player that will continue to have a breakout season. Mario Davis- Senior; Harvest Prep: The 5-foot-9 Davis is a tremendous shooter, reminiscent of the former stud that just graduated from the same school, [player_tooltip player_id="800834" first="CJ" last="Anthony"]. Davis has a quick release and will shoot from anywhere on the court without a second thought. His height does not hinder him from being one of the better athletes on his team, with really good jumping ability, an explosive first step and attacking the basket fearlessly. So far through his team’s 4-0 start, Davis is averaging 12.5 points per game with a season-high of 18 on a Warrior team that is balanced on the offensive end. The small guard also plays with active hands, accumulating steals at a rapid pace. The Warriors always have high expectations and so far, as usual, they are living up to them even while replacing one of the best players in the history of the school. Small colleges should start looking more at him, he is everything that a basketball team needs in the new age of basketball. Caleb Ransom- Freshman; Grove City Chrisitian: The hottest rookie in the league, Ransom has been his team’s most consistent player in the 2020-2021 season. Playing in every game so far, he has averaged 14 points per game with a season-high of 17 during the early part of the year. The 6-foot Ransom is playing with the confidence of a senior, doing what he wants so far on offense. Running the point in his freshman year is tough but he is getting it done, showing a really good passing gift and the ability to get in the lane and finish over taller players. Ransom is not only a player to watch this year but for years to come, with his capability to consistently hit mid-range pull up jump shots. Josh Burke- Senior; Fisher Catholic: During the early part of this season, Burke has been the most consistent player for his team, averaging 14.5 points per game, even having a 22-point game in his team’s only victory. On the offensive end, Burke has shown himself to be a pretty good shooter, with a high arc and a quick enough release. The 6-foot-5 Burke can also protect the rim very well, using his long arms and surprising explosiveness to get his hands on the basketball. With active hands on defense, Burke records steals, is also able to lead the fast break himself and make the correct play as he leads the way. After averaging 6.8 points per game last season, his improvement has been outstanding by showing the ways he can score on offense. Burke is someone who can help a school next season, bringing good size, flexibility on defense and shooting. Jayden Akers- Senior; Fairfield Christian: The starting point guard for the Knights is starting off the season very well, despite his team’s 0-2 start. In the first game, he scored 18 points then followed it up with a quiet but effective 12 points. Akers has run the offense very well, trying to get his teammates involved with a decent passing gift and the understanding of when he needs to put the ball in the bucket himself. On defense, he is an excellent shot blocker at the guard position, possibly the best one this writer has watched this year, being able to block shots of jump shooters on the perimeter and helping from the weak side to knock shots away from offensive players. Keep your eyes on this young man because he is going to be the best player on this team and one of the best ones in this league, no matter what their record says. [player_tooltip player_id="805192" first="Brock" last="Unger"]- Senior; Berne Union: One of the better shooters in the league, even with an unappealing looking shot, Unger is really good at getting open on the offensive side of the court. He moves and cuts around the floor continuously, finding the open gap to get the ball and can shoot over anybody. Unger’s height, 6-foot-5, and strength allow to carve out space in the paint and rebound the basketball at a high rate. Defensively, Unger can guard multiple positions, compete hard and play with pride on that side of the court. In the 2-0 start for Berne Union, this young man has shown that he needs to be considered as a prospect that can help a college next season.   *All statistics provided by 270Hoops.com*