Max's Weekend Playoff Standouts

With the playoffs now in full swing, I was able to watch a pair of high level games over the weekend. I saw Racine St. Catherine’s take on Shoreland Lutheran, as well as Whitnall face off with Martin Luther. These are seven of the top performers from those two games! [player_tooltip player_id="879981" first="Kamari" last="McGee"] (6’ 2021 PG, Racine St. Catherine’s)- The Green Bay commit absulutely stuffed the box score in Friday night’s game, taking what started off as a close game, and turning it into a comfortable win for his team. Kamari dictates the speed of the game with his change of pace and composure, able to gun it in transition or slow things down and get into the offense. Defensively he was a constant pest just ripping the ball from opposing players leading to easy buckets for his team. Despite being one of the shorter players on the floor, Kamari is so skilled at exploiting gaps and getting to the rim, and then going up balanced to finish at a high rate. Finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, and 6 steals on the night. [player_tooltip player_id="1095818" first="Tre" last="Burris"] (6’1 2021 G, Martin Luther)- [player_tooltip player_id="1095818" first="Tre" last="Burris"] always seems to elevate his game against tough competition, and against a red hot Whitnall team in the playoffs he did just that. Tre put up a team high 23 points while also chipping in 6 rebounds and 3 assists. He’s an extremely shifty ball handler with a creative and flashy handle that allows him to blow by his man to get to the rim. Once there he can explode off two feet, hang in the air, and contort his body for some crafty finishes. Tre also excelled at creating turnovers (3 steals) and then getting out in transition to score. He brought a ton of energy to the floor on both ends, and that energy was contagious as his Martin Luther squad was able to hang on in the end to defeat Whitnall. [player_tooltip player_id="994508" first="Jameer" last="Barker"] (6’2 2021 SG, Racine St. Catherine’s)- One of the top shooting guards still on the board in the 2021 class, Jameer matched Kamari’s 21 points in St. Cats’ win on Friday. The physically tough wing-guard scored it at all three levels, getting into the paint for some tough buckets, pulling up from mid-range, and knocking down a pair of threes. Jameer has no shortage of confidence, and has that under-dog mindset to go out and prove everyone wrong. When he gets going St. Cats is almost impossible to beat, because he can put up points in a hurry and then back up his game on the defensive end as well. Holds offers at the D2 level as well as some high level D3 opportunities. [player_tooltip player_id="761417" first="Danilo" last="Jovanovich"] (6’7 2022 F, Whitnall)- One of the most consistent scorers you’ll find in the state, Danilo is just so efficient at putting the ball in the rim. He’s a long and mobile forward who used his size to his advantage against Martin Luther, catching on the block or pick & roll, and also securing offensive boards leading to some high percentage looks around the rim. At 6’7 he was nearly half a foot taller than most of his opponents, and although often swarmed by defenders, he continued to fight to keep his team in the game. It’s scary to think that Danilo was just a junior this year, as he averaged 22.3 ppg on a ridiculous 69% shooting from the floor. With that level of efficiency, it’s no wonder he already holds multiple D1 offers heading into the AAU season. [player_tooltip player_id="804895" first="Tyrese" last="Hunter"] (6’1 2021 PG, Racine St. Catherine’s)- Had a bit of a quite second half against Shoreland Lutheran, but when the game was close in the first half it was Tyrese who absolutely took the game over. He scored bucket after bucket, getting to the rack for some crafty finishes, hitting a three, and even knocking down a mid-range shot off the dribble. If Tyrese sets his mind on getting to the basket, there aren’t many defenders who can stay in front of him. His ability to quickly shift directions, or hesitate and get his defender leaning before taking off in another direction makes him extremely difficult to defend, and once he’s in the paint he’s capable of dishing it off or elevating to finish at the rim. Finished with 15 points on 6-10 shooting and also dished out 5 assists. [player_tooltip player_id="764101" first="Quentin" last="Bolton"] Jr. (6’6 2021 SF, Shoreland Lutheran)- [player_tooltip player_id="764101" first="Quentin" last="Bolton"] finished off his senior season putting up huge numbers over his last 10 games, and against the #1 ranked Angels he scored a game high 22 points. One of the top unsigned seniors in the state, Quentin has an intriguing blend of length, strength, and explosive athleticism that already makes him a nice looking prospect. Add in his ability to dominate on the glass (averaged 10+ rpg), finish at the rim, and create his own shot off the dribble, and you have a scholarship level player. Against St. Cats he was aggressive getting to the rim, and had a handful of finishes in traffic. Quentin also showcased his ability to get to his spot and pull-up off the dribble, or catch in the high post and use his footwork to create some space before elevating to shoot. Holds offers at the D2 and junior college levels. [player_tooltip player_id="981038" first="Demerius" last="Shakur"] (6’3 2023 PG, Martin Luther)- Demerius has been a do-it-all type of player for Martin Luther this season, and with his team’s leading scorer out against Whitnall, he stepped up to score 15 points while dishing out 4 assists and grabbing 6 rebounds. Demerius excels at getting into gaps off the dribble and drawing in a help defender. Once that help comes he’s able to quickly recognize where the open man is, and kick it out to the open shooter, and dish it off to a cutting big for a clean look at the rim. At 6’3 he has a really long frame as a point guard, and that also allows him to guard a handful of spots on the defensive end. With Demerius playing like this, Martin Luther has a chance to continue their run in the playoffs.