New Faces & Top Performers from the “Doc” Edwards Tournament
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Like many of the December tournaments, the “Doc” Edwards tournament, hosted by Airline, has become a holiday staple. Some of the better teams and players from northwest Louisiana compete against teams from the area or from the western part of…
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Continue ReadingLike many of the December tournaments, the “Doc” Edwards tournament, hosted by Airline, has become a holiday staple. Some of the better teams and players from northwest Louisiana compete against teams from the area or from the western part of the state. This year was no different. During tournament play, there were some prep stars and newcomers who performed well during the three days in Bossier. We will take a look at both in this PHLA exclusive.
Javonte Howard Javonte Howard 5'8" | PG Lakeview | 2022 State LA
The point from Lakeview not have had big scoring numbers. However, his defense and passing were as good as ever. Howard played post defender blocking out against the BTW bigs and played the perimeter guards tightly from Minden and BTW. He made pinpoint one-handed bounce passes from 3/4 court and have several draw and kick dropoffs. Howard had his point guard skils on full display at the Doc Edwards.
Jaren Mitcham Jaren Mitcham 6'0" | CG Hornbeck | 2022 State LA
The Hornbeck combo guard was stellar during his play at the Doc Edwards. He was responsible for a large portion of the Hornbeck attack whether assisting or scoring. Mitcham is very good at getting into the teeth of the defense and making passes to the perimeter, tight interior passes, or short jumpers. His athletic ability mixed with his vision and IQ make him hard to defend. Mitcham was a true leader for his team.
Andri Lewis Andri Lewis 6'3" | CG Woodlawn Leadership Academy | 2022 State LA
Lewis was another guard who proved to be very formidable during his games in the Doc Edwards tourney. Named to the all-tournament team, Lewis proved that he can get downhill against any defense and finish at the rim. Lewis also showed glimpses of overpowering players in the post to score and putback opportunities. Scoring 20-plus while being the primary ballhandler showed that Lewis has a lot of skill on the court.
Zamarion Neal (6’2″ / Northwood / ’22)
The Falcon guard was one of the new faces that played well. He is a guard who makes good use of the handle when he has the ball. Neal creates driving lanes with the dribble and powers through contact to finish plays more times than not. He has a release similar to Lonzo Ball at UCLA but will knock down a lot of open jumpers. Neal is very tough to stop and was a surprise to see during the tournament at Airline.
Nick Dyer Nick Dyer 6'2" | PG BTW (Shreveport) | 2022 State LA
Dyer played a good floor game before fouling out against Lakeview and had similar success in the Lion rout against district foe Northwood. He showed extended range from three and the ability to get his set shot off without it being blocked. Dyer handled pressure well and had a limited number of turnovers in the halfcourt and transition. His improved scoring will aid the Lions chances in winning the Doc Edwards title.
D’evin McDonald D’evin McDonald 6'3" | CG Red River | 2022 State LA
McDonald lit the Woodlanw Knight defense up during the Red River victory over them. His tournament high 38 was a combination of drives and long range shooting on the evening. He displayed a very good handle in tight areas when driving to the rack and in transition. McDonald also showed creativity when finishing at the rim during the contest. His performance definitely opened plenty of eyes to his talent.
Maurea Hudson (6’3″ / Northwood / ’23)
Hudson led Northwood in scoring during one of their contest during the first days of the tournament. He has some eye-catching skill when it comes to changing ends in transition and finishing at the rim. Hudson has plenty of bounce which was shown during his dunks in transition and his lift on his jumper makes it hard to defend. His willingness to guard along with his ability to score makes him a must watch in class 4A.
The Doc Edwards will conclude with champion games on both girls and boys side. Captain Shreve will play Booker T. Washington (Shreveport) in the finals. A 5A district contest between Benton and Airline will conclude the tournament on the girl’s side of the ledger. Red River and Northwood will play for 3rd place as well.