State Tournament Standouts: 4A

<p>The 4A state tournament featured a lot of quality basketball over the weekend to go along with impressive performances from a few top players. Middleton was able to claim their first state title in a long time after defeating a tough Preston squad that battled until the very end. Middleton found a way to cap off a great season with a state title and their victory was truly the result of a team approach with a lot of players playing equally well for the Vikings. Continue reading for a look at a few of the top performers from the 4A state championship.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="921074" first="Tyler" last="Medaris"], Middleton:</strong> Voted MVP of the 4A state tournament, Tyler showed all of his skills and abilities throughout the championship weekend. Medaris averaged 17 points per game and 9 rebounds per game across three contests and he played very well in all three. Tyler used his size and post skills against teams with smaller defenders and showed his guard skills when playing teams with taller defenders. Tyler is a tremendous defender and rim protector and he is also a quality teammate who found ways to get all of his teammates involved during games. Tyler is going to be a handful at the next level.</p> <p><strong>Gabe Hammons, Preston:</strong> Hammons nearly led Preston to another state title but came up just a bit short in the closing seconds. Gabe was an integral part of the Preston offense and he helped bring the team success only a year after graduating the majority of offensive firepower from the squad. Gabe scored at will in all appearances and did a great job of leading the Preston offense against tough defenses. Hammons can score from anywhere on the court and he will make a great player at the next level.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1108111" first="Mikey" last="Lloyd"], Jerome:</strong> Lloyd was a standout for Jerome all season long and he topped off this season with a great state tournament. Jerome struggled throughout the weekend, but Mikey provided a bright spot for the Tigers. Mikey scored well all weekend and he did a great job of attacking defensive weaknesses however they presented themselves. His jumper looked great and he scored really well at the rim as well. Watch for Mikey to be an excellent option at the next level.</p>