Tournament Weekend Recap: Earl’s Starting Five

<p>The Prep Hoops Magical Stream Machine took a look at several different tournaments around the state last week in order to feature some of our good under-the-radar talent at the smaller schools. We watched tournament games at New Franklin, Salisbury, Clopton, Owensville and Highland. Our first write-up features top Prime Cuts from last week’s tournament action. Here is my Starting Five and Sixth Man.</p> <p>Guard: [player_tooltip player_id="993528" first="Joshua" last="Talton"] 6’1" Monroe City: The stout 2022 guard was the Most Valuable Player of the Clopton Tournament after he led the Panthers to the championship in convincing fashion. He scored 21 points in the semifinals against host Clopton and followed up with 25 points in the championship game against Winfield. He impacts the game in several ways besides his ability to score. He rebounds, he handles the ball to facilitate offense and he can also defend well. His strong body also enables him to attack the basket through contact and he can knock down 3-pointers. He and his twin brother Josiah continue to the strong family tradition of basketball excellence at Monroe City.</p> <p>Guard- Isaac Danielson 6’1" Kirksville: A smooth 2023 point guard who helped lead the Bulldogs to the championship of the Highland Tournament. He is very skilled floor leader who plays with a lot of poise under pressure. He can create with his handles as well as drop dimes with his good court vision. His 3-point shooting was also on point during the weekend. He had 20 points and seven rebounds in the championship game victory against host Highland and 19 points, five rebounds and three steals in the semifinals against Macon.</p> <p>Guard: Lee Verslues 5’11" Fatima: The 2022 guard had such an impact at the Owensville Tournament, he was voted the Most Valuable Player despite playing on the team that finished as the runner-up. He averaged 24 points a game in the final two games, included a high of 29 points in the semifinals against Steelville. He is a penetrating combo guard who can really score when he’s getting to the basket. He can also pass it well and get the ball to his open teammates. He’s an excellent leader who doesn’t mind the pressure situations.</p> <p>Forward: Bryce Taylor 6’6" NE Cairo: The 2021 forward helped lead the Bearcats to the championship of the Salisbury Tournament. He scored 16 points in the semifinals against South Shelby and followed up with a dominant 25-point performance against host Salisbury in the championship game. In the first half, he showcased a delicate shooting touch from 15 feet while also knocking down a Corner 3. He plays a nice high-low game with 6’8" teammate [player_tooltip player_id="985418" first="Gage" last="Wilson"] with his passing ability. With the game on the line, he sank six consecutive free throws to seal the victory and the championship for his team.</p> <p>Forward: Langden Kitchen 6’6" Westran: A burly young 2023 forward who bumped and grinded his way to 20 points to lead Westran to the championship of the New Franklin Tournament over Sturgeon. He has a big body and he knows how to use it with his meat and potatoes game. He can really carve out some space underneath and he knows how to finish with strong drop steps around the basket. He established the paint early in the championship game as he team fed him early and often. He also passes well out of the double-teams, which he saw plenty of during the finals.</p> <p>Sixth Man: [player_tooltip player_id="986458" first="Luke" last="Abeln"] 6’4" Salisbury: The 2021 wing is a slender sniper who led his team to a runner-up finish in the Salisbury Tournament. He scored 24 points in the championship game and showcased some impressive shooting range from well beyond the 3-point line. He hit four long treys and scored 14 points in an impressive run in the third quarter. In the semifinals, he scored 21 points with most of them coming on nice takes to the basket off the dribble, which displayed a nice versatility in his game. Although he’s thin, he uses his height and length to also be a factor on the offensive boards.</p>