Jam At The Van: Session Two Top Performers
In the second session of the Jam at the Van, we saw four elite teams from Michigan square off in two matchups that should offer a glimpse of the level of talent that is expected to be seen at the…
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Continue ReadingIn the second session of the Jam at the Van, we saw four elite teams from Michigan square off in two matchups that should offer a glimpse of the level of talent that is expected to be seen at the Breslin this March. Below are my thoughts and top performers from each game. Be sure to check out the top performers from session one as well.
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 70, Ferndale 51
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s left Grand Rapids with an impressive, double-digit win over an arguably considered top-10 team in the state. However, the score wasn’t indicative of how close the game was until late in the 4th when the Eaglets pulled away. Ferndale struggled a bit with the overall physicality of Orchard Lake and missed a fair share of bunnies that would have made it a much closer game.
Kareem Rozier Kareem Rozier 5'9" | PG Orchard Lake St. Mary's | 2022 State MI , 5’10 G, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 2022”
Kareem did a good job of controlling the pace of play, especially in the second half when the Eaglets made their run to put away the game. Kareem was able to penetrate Ferndale’s defense and kick out to his open teammates for open looks on the perimeter. Defensively, Kareem made life hard on Ferndale’s guards and even forced a five-second call in the halfcourt and several turnovers. He also added 12 points in the win.
JaVaughn Hannah JaVaughn Hannah 6'4" | SG Orchard Lake St. Mary's | 2022 State #221 Nation MI , 6’5 G/F, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 2022”
Javaughn played like the best player on the court, overpowering his opponent on several drives for close-range buckets. Several times, Javaugn out-muscled his man for a rebound and scored off the miss. His shots weren’t falling at as high of a clip as we’re used to seeing from Javaughn, yet he still managed to lead Orchard Lake with 23 points.
Trey McKinney, 6’4 F, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 2025”
It was my first time seeing Trey in person, and I was taken aback by how big this kid is for a freshman. He looks every bit of an upperclassmen and it’s easy to see why Juwan Howard pulled the trigger and offered him a scholarship not too long ago. Trey’s mid-range game was smooth and efficient and should be something he can go back to at any time. His effort was great on both sides of the floor. Definitely keep an eye on Trey, who will most likely be garnering national attention very soon.
Treyvon Lewis Treyvon Lewis 6'5" | SF Ferndale | 2022 State MI , 6’5 G/F, Ferndale 2022”
Treyvon had the biggest impact for any player on Ferndale, leading his team with 13 points. Every bucket was hard-fought, yet he didn’t force shots or seem to get discouraged at Ferndale’s inability to get consistent production from its offense. Defensively, Treyvon kept his man in front of him consistently and did a good job of taking away a couple of transition opportunities from Orchard Lake.
Grand Rapids Catholic Central 64, Grand Blanc 59
The best game of the day was saved for last as the reigning champs from divisions one and two fought punch for punch until Catholic Central finally created separation in the final minutes of the game. It capped off a great day of hoops and offered a glimpse of teams across the state who should have as good of a chance as anyone to make it to the Breslin in March.
Jack Karasinski Jack Karasinski 6'5" | SF Grand Rapids Catholic Central | 2022 State MI , 6’7 F, Catholic Central 2022”
Once again, Jack took over with the game on the line and largely dominated on both offense and defense in the 4th quarter. In one sequence, Jack rejected a Grand Blanc shot in the paint, then converted a tough basket through contact to help the Cougars gain momentum down the stretch. His 23 points led all scorers.
Durral Brooks Durral Brooks 6'2" | PG Grand Rapids Catholic Central | 2024 State MI , 6’1 G, Catholic Central 2024”
The more I see Catholic Central in person, the more I’m impressed by the play of Durral Brooks Durral Brooks 6'2" | PG Grand Rapids Catholic Central | 2024 State MI . He has a presence about him that is resemblant of a senior, whereas the moment is never too big for him, and he almost seems to relish in such high pressured situations. Defensively, Durral made life extremely hard on Grand Blanc’s star guard RJ Taylor RJ Taylor 6'0" | PG Grand Blanc | 2023 State #262 Nation MI . In the last minute of the game, Durral denied Grand Blanc to get a quality shot up, which effectively sealed the game for Catholic Central. He also scored 17 points in the win.
Amont’e Allen-Johnson Amont’e Allen-Johnson 6'1" | PG Dream City Christian | 2023 State AZ , 6’1 G, Grand Blanc 2023”
Amonte showed exceptional quickness, using his dribble drive to cut through the Catholic Central defense to get quality looks in the paint. Amonte also used his strength to finish contested drives through contact, getting to the line on a handful of drives. His 18 points led Grand Blanc.
RJ Taylor RJ Taylor 6'0" | PG Grand Blanc | 2023 State #262 Nation MI , 6’0 G, Grand Blanc 2023”
RJ had a slow start to the game but responded in the second half to finish with 13 points. Although he didn’t get too many shots up in the first half, RJ facilitated the offense efficiently and kept Catholic Central from getting out on the run via turnovers. RJ gets great lift on his jumper and is a dead-on shooter if he gets an inch of space.