Walnut Grove Tournament: Friday Standouts

<p>Prep Hoops Missouri takes a look at the top standouts from final day of the Morris Brothers Holiday Tournament at Walnut Grove on Friday.</p> <p>Forsyth defeated Sparta to win the championship while Hollister defeated Seymour in the third-place game.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1160826" first="Jacob" last="Lafferty"] 6’5 Sparta: The robust 2024 power forward was force throughout the tournament in leading his team to the championship game. He scored 14 points in the championship game despite fighting double teams and foul trouble. He passed the ball well out of the double teams to open teammates and he got his buckets by crashing the offensive boards. He also knocked down a pair of perimeter jumpers. Throughout the week, he was putting a hurt on the rims with his relentless dunking. He's one of the top young bigs in the SWMO region.</p> <p>Ryder Blevins 6’3 Forsyth: The 6'3" 2022 guard scored 10 points in the championship game and was selected the Most Valuable Player of the Tournament. The athletic wing also provided the play of the holiday tournament season when he threw down a reverse all-oop dunk in transition in the fourth quarter to give his team a 47-46 lead. Forsyth would not trail again. The lefty can get into the lane and shoot over any defender with the elevation that he gets on his shots.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1180548" first="Josh" last="Barlow"] 6’4 Hollister: The 2022 wing earned All-Tournament honors after leading his team to a third-place finish. He scored 11 points in the third-place game victory over Seymour. He is the best natural offensive player in the tournament. He has a nice mid-range jumper and he can get a bucket at all three levels. He received plenty of defensive attention from Seymour, so he adjusted well by setting up his teammates with his passing.</p> <p>Gage Blevins 6’0 Forsyth: The 2022 guard scored a game-high 17 points in the victory over Sparta in the championship game. He showcased a nice 3-point stroke as he knocked down three triples in the game. He is also a good athlete with solid bounce, which he used to scored on a couple of good takes to the basket.</p> <p>Tanner Baird 6’9 Forsyth: A talented 2025 big who scored nine points in the championship game. He did an excellent job on the defensive boards and he had a good presence in the lane on defense with his size. He got real assertive offensively in the third quarter and scored on some nice drop step and power moves around the basket. The youngster has a big frame and a big upside for the future.</p> <p>Garrett Snyder 6’2 Hollister: The 2023 guard scored a game-high 17 points in the victory over Seymour in the third-place game. He had solid handles and a nice cross-over move to help him break down defenders off the dribble. His pull up jumper in the mid-range area was also very effective. He ate quite well from the mid-range on Friday.</p> <p>Dexter Loveland 6'2" Sparta: A big-bodied forward who scored a team-high 16 points in the championship game against Forsyth. He is physically strong and he had the ability to power his way into the lane, which included his go-to spin move. He also knocked down a pair of Corner 3's during the game.</p>