Block’s Week 4 Roundup-Senior Performers

<p>Week 4 only consisted of two total nights of games before the Christmas Break started across the state of Iowa. I want to take a look at a handful of Juniors and Seniors who had good performances in those two nights of games. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> [caption id="attachment_1027305" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/Ben-Loverude.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1027305" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/08/Ben-Loverude-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a> Loverude[/caption] <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="964806" first="Ben" last="Loverude"], Des Moines Christian High School (2021)</strong></p> <p>In a game where the Lions really wore down the Bulldogs defense as the game went on, the 6’6 wing man was a big part of that. Loverude did a little bit of everything throughout the game whether that was scoring from the outside (2/5, 40% 3pt) or inside the 3 point line (5/8, 62.5% FG). Though Loverude may be the tallest player on the Lions’ team, he tends to play on the perimeter and guard quicker, smaller wing players, and he did a good job in this game of doing so. I would like to see him contribute more on the boards for his team with his length, but he is good at leaking out and getting out on the break. Loverude ended this game with 13 points for Des Moines Christian. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="796183" first="Grant" last="Veenstra"], Des Moines Christian High School (2021)</strong></p> <p>Veenstra struggled shooting from the floor, but did a lot of other things on the floor well for the Lions. He did end up with 10 points on the night on 1/8 shooting from the floor, but did what his team needed down the stretch in going 8/8 from the free throw line. Veenstra added 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and most importantly 5 steals and a block to his stat line against the Bulldogs. Veenstra will play more of the forward position for his team and does a good job using his strength and quickness against opponents to get into good positions offensively and defensively. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="678937" first="Emarion" last="Ellis"], Assumption High School (2021)</strong></p> <p>One of the top players in the state in this 2021 class, Ellis has moved over to Assumption from Davenport Central where he played his previous three prep years at. Whenever you add a top talent like Ellis to your roster and lineup you’re going to obviously raise the expectations of your team. Assumption is a different case in that they are a 3A school playing in a conference of 4A teams, like North Scott. It was very clear on the Tuesday before Christmas how much Ellis could bring to this Knights team. He used his athleticism and craftiness with the ball to get himself into good positions to score and dish to teammates. I’ve always liked his athleticism but his jumpshot was falling as well against the Lancers which is a really good sign. Ellis ended the game with a 15 point, 6 assist, 4 rebound, and 2 steal stat line. He will need to cut down his 6 turnovers, but nonetheless he was very effective in the win for the Knights.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="964862" first="Dayne" last="Hodge"], Assumption High School (2021)</strong></p> <p>Not the best shooting night for the senior guard, but when I was watching I couldn’t help but notice Hodge getting himself around the ball offensively and defensively and was usually a part of positive results throughout the game. Hitting some big free throws down the stretch for the Knights (5/6, 83.3% FT) throwing in a defensive steal to go along with 3 assists and 2 rebounds. Hodge would often times find himself guarding one of the Lancers better guards and showed well throughout the game. Hodge would end the game with 10 total points offensively, but did things that don’t show up on the stat sheet for Assumption.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="796118" first="Landon" last="Eiland"], North Scott High School (2021)</strong></p> <p>One of the biggest risers this summer playing with the Iowa Barnstormers-Gold team, Eiland continued his surge into the high school season. An athletic, 6’5 wing player, who can shoot it and get to the basket providing matchup problems for some teams that he’ll face this season. In this game, I would’ve liked to see him shoot it more from the outside as defenders were closing out short on him anticipating the drive, but nonetheless he ended the game with 15 points on 6/9 shooting from the field and was a big part of the fast start that the Lancers got in the beginning of the game to find themselves leading. Eiland is also a solid defender often times finding himself matched up on Ellis and making it tough. </p>