Saturday Standouts: District Semifinals

<p>There were a few spectacular performances on Saturday night, and several more worth mentioning. Below are six players who stood out the most on film during their District Semifinal contest this weekend.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="890574" first="Isaac" last="Traudt"] SF Grand Island</p> <p>You won’t see a more ridiculous display of shot-making than what Traudt forced Gretna to endure Saturday afternoon. Early on it was a heavy dose of three point shots. The rest of the Grand Island was stagnant for long stretches, and Traudt bailed the team out with perimeter shooting. He can comfortably get into his shot from so many angles that it makes it nearly impossible to force him into something uncomfortable. A large portion of his late-game scoring came at the free throw line, where he hit all 13 of his attempts on the night. He finished with 34 points and 11 rebounds, but also went home with a two-point loss. He fought until the end but came up just short in overtime.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="890580" first="Daniel" last="Brocaille"] SG Papillion La Vista South</p> <p>Brocaille had an impact in multiple phases of the game for the Titans on Saturday. He finished with 18 points on 7/13 shooting, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists while letting the game come to him. In the first quarter, he took on a distributor role, but as he found himself in advantageous matchups later, he began to drive at and post up the smaller guard. He was comfortable with his back to the basket and displayed refined touch in the paint, even when being dealt contact. The Titans face Omaha Central in the A-5 District Final on Monday.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="890584" first="Payson" last="Gillespie"] SG Omaha Westside</p> <p>Payson continues to expand his game, especially his shooting versatility. He has expanded his range and improved his off the dribble shooting a significant degree. His footwork has tightened up and the transfer of energy throughout his movements is much more efficient. Loitering near the three point line is not his game, though. He earned himself a few easy baskets with well-timed basket cuts and smart positioning. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="890517" first="Chaz" last="Cullum"] SG Omaha Bryan</p> <p>Few have the instant burst that Cullum can produce. Even in tight spaces, Cullum showed off his explosion in an exciting game against Creighton Prep on Saturday. From the jump, it was clear his mission was to push the tempo and put pressure on the rim. In the first quarter alone he had 8 points, all at the rim, and an assist that sprung from a transition push. He brought intensity on the defensive end that helped ignite some of Bryan’s runs which kept this game somewhat close.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="890480" first="Jai’Lyn" last="Spears"] PG Omaha Bryan</p> <p>If anyone rivaled Traudt’s performance this weekend, it was the Omaha Bryan star, [player_tooltip player_id="890480" first="Jai’Lyn" last="Spears"]. Spears efficiently scored 31 points, and there was no adjustment that Creighton Prep could have made that would have kept him out of the lane. His shot creation and shot making was incredible. He is quick, possesses great length, can score with either hand, and handle the ball at a high level. Prep’s best option was to throw their best perimeter defenders in [player_tooltip player_id="1007526" first="Justin" last="Sitti"] and [player_tooltip player_id="946019" first="Brendan" last="Buckley"] at Spears, but his offense came just as easy. The Bears struggled as a team, falling to Prep 63–50, but Spears had one of the most electrifying performances of the month.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="946022" first="Mai’jhe" last="Wiley"] SG Creighton Prep</p> <p>The senior had possibly his best performance of the season on Saturday. With his decisive drives and off-ball movement, Wiley racked up 22 points on 9/14 from the field. His offense came easy, but it was earned. It just worked out that the ball was in his hands frequently in the first quarter, and Wiley did the most with his touches. He converted on his spot-up opportunities, finished drives with both hands, and ran like a deer in transition. </p>