Area Round Playoffs: 2021 Standouts

Duncanville 61, Sachse 51 <img class="size-medium wp-image-1141141 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/09/IMG_3439-crop-896x589-1614533992-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" />[player_tooltip player_id="779870" first="Zhuric" last="Phelps"] - Point Guard - Duncanville Phelps made his presence felt in a major way against Sachse. From the tip to the buzzer [player_tooltip player_id="779870" first="Zhuric" last="Phelps"] played with a refuse to lose mentality. His defense was hellacious as usual, and his motor was at its best. Zhuric put on a show and even threw down two powerful slam dunks that got everyone on their feet, one coming off a pinpoint alley-oop from fellow point guard, C.J. Ford. This was yet another game where the SMU commit, was the top defensive weapon as well as the most effective offensive option. Phelps put up 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals in this second-round playoff win. <hr style="padding-left: 40px;" /> South Grand Prairie 70, Denton Braswell 47 [player_tooltip player_id="959224" first="Jordan" last="Roberts"] - Shooting Guard - South Grand Prairie [player_tooltip player_id="959224" first="Jordan" last="Roberts"] continued his success and his hot shooting from the game prior, putting up a strong 29 point performance. The South Grand Prairie two-guard looked as if he was just on another level and going at a faster speed than the rest of the pack. His footwork and ball skills were impeccable and his shot release was immaculate. Braswell didn’t have an answer for Jordan and his elite scoring prowess. [player_tooltip player_id="959224" first="Jordan" last="Roberts"] has been one of Dallas’s most outstanding and highest scoring players all year long. <hr style="padding-left: 40px;" /> Waxahachie 74, Rockwall 62 <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2019/02/C.J.-Noland-Wax-crop-2198x1444-1614534072.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-1141144 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2019/02/C.J.-Noland-Wax-crop-2198x1444-1614534072-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="594588" first="C.J." last="Noland"] - Shooting Guard - Waxahachie Nationally ranked guard, [player_tooltip player_id="594588" first="C.J." last="Noland"] continues to show and prove that he is by far the most complete guard in the state. Noland beat Rockwall in every aspect of the game by staying aware on defense, picking up blocks and steals, beating everyone in transition which led to multiple open dunks for him, knocking down his three-point attempts with his smooth and fluid looking jumper, dishing the ball around finding open men, and completely out muscling his competition with his next-level strength, guys were bouncing off of Noland left and right as he went in for layups. [player_tooltip player_id="594588" first="C.J." last="Noland"] and his talented Waxahachie squad have been making noise the entire season and they haven’t seemed to skip a beat yet. C.J. finished the game with an easy 15 points, 3 steals, and a block. <hr style="padding-left: 40px;" /> Byron Nelson 64, Abilene 48 <img class="wp-image-1020883 size-medium alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/image3-rotated-e1614534252899-295x300.jpeg" alt="" width="295" height="300" />[player_tooltip player_id="1047576" first="Jesse" last="Iweze"] - Power Forward - Byron Nelson [player_tooltip player_id="1047576" first="Jesse" last="Iweze"], reigning Defensive Player of the year winner added his contribution by bringing high energy, a tough competitive nature, the ability to control the glass, protect the rim, and score anywhere within 15 feet of the basket. Iweze completed his Senior season averaging double figures in points as well as rebounds and he’s continued to stack up the double-doubles in the playoffs. This Byron Nelson forward was relentless, dominating the boards all game long, his timing, leaping, and long-standing reach were just way too much for Abilene to handle. Iweze has a motor that just won’t quit, snatching down a monstrous 17 rebounds over the Eagles. He simply looked as if he wanted the ball more than the next guy while pulling down rebounds over his opponent, sometimes with one hand. Jesse even got physical by continuously putting his body on a man before beating them to the ball. [player_tooltip player_id="1047576" first="Jesse" last="Iweze"] scored 21 points, threw down 2 mean two-handed slam dunks that gave his team all the momentum, and he went 8-of-12 from the foul line. If Jesse keeps this level a play up, Byron Nelson will be hard to defeat. <hr style="padding-left: 40px;" /> <img class="wp-image-1009078 size-medium alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/07/DSC_0019-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> [player_tooltip player_id="1008492" first="Kaden" last="Morgan"] - Combo Guard - Byron Nelson [player_tooltip player_id="1008492" first="Kaden" last="Morgan"] was a major piece to the win over the Abilene Eagles, he put up 13 points, and was extremely productive on both ends of the court with and without the ball. Morgan did it all out there, he rebounded and created second-chance opportunities, locked down on defense, dropped dimes, and got deep into the lane finishing with layups and floaters, he even showed off his footwork when hitting the defense euro and hop step moves. [player_tooltip player_id="1008492" first="Kaden" last="Morgan"] contributed in every way possible, filling the stat sheet across the board and making a difference with his defensive presence, he seems like he always finds a way to fall into a couple of steals. <hr style="padding-left: 40px;" /> Lancaster 78, Frisco Heritage 58 <img class="wp-image-1090433 size-medium alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/DSC_0354-1-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> [player_tooltip player_id="779855" first="Wade" last="Taylor"] - Point Guard - Lancaster Mr. Taylor has been playing like a man on a mission this season and his ability to take over games on both sides of the ball has been unmatched. Whenever Wade is on the court, everything changes dramatically for the Tigers. He’s highly unselfish and an extension of the coach on the floor. Taylor ran the offense exceptionally well, exploiting the mismatches and openings the defense gave them by directing his teammates and setting them up for opportunities to score. The Texas A&M signee got buckets in plenty of ways, knocking down his three-point shot attempts, beating defenders off the dribble in one-on-one situations, and also forcing his way inside by using his next-level footwork and sturdy upper body strength. [player_tooltip player_id="779855" first="Wade" last="Taylor"] dropped a smooth 15 points, 4 assists, and 4 steals, as he continues to show why he’s the top floor general in the state. <hr style="padding-left: 40px;" /> Ranchview 54, L.G. Pinkston 62 <img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-1108808" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/12/IMG_3785-300x192.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="192" />[player_tooltip player_id="1047566" first="JoCorian" last="Freeman"] - Shooting Guard - Ranchview Texas ranked two-guard, [player_tooltip player_id="1047566" first="JoCorian" last="Freeman"] finished off his senior season on a high note, putting up a monster stat line of 19 points and 20 rebounds, making this his second 20 rebound game of the year. The lefty can be crucial in isolation situations, he rocked his defenders to sleep and got them off balance with his between the legs combo moves before attacking their weak side and getting inside to the hoop. Freeman is an impressive offensive talent that can handle the ball, and score with the best of them. JoCorian was also dangerous in the open court when coming down with a full head of steam. He was incredibly tough to stop or slow down due to his ability to pull a move out of his bag and make a defender look silly while moving at top-speed. His high school career may be over but don’t count him out, you’ll likely be hearing the name [player_tooltip player_id="1047566" first="JoCorian" last="Freeman"] at the next level.