Stockton: Top Performers from Week 1

<p>We saw some outstanding displays in our first week of action, and it only makes sense to start with night one, and with the player that scored the first bucket of the 2020 season. [player_tooltip player_id="962674" first="Manny" last="Hammonds"] put on a scoring clinic. He has one of the most polished pick and roll games you’ll see this year, and Monday was no exception. He amassed 32 points shooting 13/23 from the field, and added in 2 rebounds and 3 assists. Manny is excellent coming downhill off a screen, and he stays low and explosive throughout his drives. It makes him difficult to push off his spot, and with his low center of gravity and tight handle, it’s very difficult to defend his dribble combinations.</p> <p>https://youtu.be/5v-wgfAtjtM</p> <p>The Hillcrest Academy Ravens were unable to overcome the length and scoring ability of Wapello, but [player_tooltip player_id="964859" first="Eli" last="Ours"] did his best to pull out a win. He manipulated the defense all throughout the game, creating open looks for teammates. He finished with a balanced sheet: 17 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, and 4 steals. Unfortunately for the Ravens, they shot only 11% from three, unable to capitalize on Eli’s shot-creation. Wapello, on the other hand, took full advantage of their point man’s generosity. Point guard [player_tooltip player_id="962646" first="Maddox" last="Griffin"] went 8/11 from the field and totaled 22 points. His 5 rebounds, 8 assists, and 6 steals are what finished the job for the Indians. He is a strong and athletic player who moves fluidly on the court. He is excellent at reading the pass and picking it off, which you’ll see in the highlights below. He is a gifted passer who created many open looks just using his eyes. </p> <p>https://youtu.be/9cWMcVjYaaE</p> <p>The 3A #1 Ballard Bombers opened their season with 25 point win over Norwalk. Ballard is loaded, but [player_tooltip player_id="964880" first="Mason" last="Murphy"] carried the torch on opening night. The senior guard tallied 29 points, 5 assists, 3 steals and had an effective field goal percentage of 85.7%. He fits seamlessly into the offense whether he has the ball or not, and he has great defensive instincts. His coach trusts him to play off his man as he likes. He is great at stunting and recovering, or giving a dig at the post player. This is such a balanced team, and I expect the star role to vacillate between Murphy, [player_tooltip player_id="962491" first="Ashton" last="Hermann"], and [player_tooltip player_id="796112" first="Connor" last="Drew"] game to game, and even possession to possession.</p> <p>https://youtu.be/HzdXRfcf2J8</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>