Player Evals: Assumption Advances to Substate Semis

<p>DAVENPORT -- After scoring just two points in the first three-and-a-half minutes on Monday night, Assumption exploded with a 27-2 run to take control of their 3A substate quarterfinal, cruising to a 66-41 win over Maquoketa.</p> <p>The Knights got off to a slow start, but quickly gained control and dominated the game on both ends of the floor, as their size, athleticism, and skill proved to be too much for Maquoketa, helping lead Assumption into the semifinals, where they’ll face Western Dubuque. Assumption took a 35-point lead late in the third quarter, prompting the running clock rule to go into effect.</p> <p>Assumption (17-5) was led by [player_tooltip player_id="962602" first="Noah" last="Mack"], who had a game-high 19 points in the win on 8-12 shooting. Ivan Prug chipped in 14 points, and Reese Harris had 10 off the bench.</p> <p>Maquoketa’s season ends with an 8-14 record. The Cardinals were led by Kasey Coakley, who had 8 points in the loss. They will return their top three scorers, and five of their top six, next season.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; height: 63px;"> <tbody> <tr style="height: 21px;"> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center; height: 21px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Team</strong></span></td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center; height: 21px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>1Q</strong></span></td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center; height: 21px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>2Q</strong></span></td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center; height: 21px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>3Q</strong></span></td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center; height: 21px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>4Q</strong></span></td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center; height: 21px;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>F</strong></span></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 21px;"> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center; height: 21px;"><strong>Maquoketa</strong></td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center; height: 21px;">7</td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center; height: 21px;">4</td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center; height: 21px;">10</td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center; height: 21px;">20</td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center; height: 21px;">41</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 21px;"> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center; height: 21px;"><strong>Assumption</strong></td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center; height: 21px;">16</td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center; height: 21px;">18</td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center; height: 21px;">24</td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center; height: 21px;">8</td> <td style="width: 16.6667%; text-align: center; height: 21px;">66</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Maquoketa:</strong> Kasey Coakley 8, [player_tooltip player_id="1376709" first="Carter" last="Meyer"] 7, [player_tooltip player_id="1235013" first="Ethan" last="Combs"] 6, Ty Hinz 5, Lucas Ihrig 5, Mitchell Roeder 3, Samuel Knotts 3, [player_tooltip player_id="1376691" first="Tye" last="Hardin"] 2, Cale Widel 2<br /> <strong>Assumption:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="962602" first="Noah" last="Mack"] 19, Ivan Prug 14, Reese Harris 10, Rico Byrd 8, Jay Costello 5, Luke Klostermann 4, [player_tooltip player_id="1158462" first="JJ" last="Stratman"] 3, Shawn Kopp 2, Nick Curoe 1</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>2022 [player_tooltip player_id="962602" first="Noah" last="Mack"] (Assumption)</strong></p> <p>The 6-0 off-ball guard was in complete control in this one, finishing with a game-high 19 points on 8-12 shooting. He has a smooth release both off the dribble and the catch, and he used his ability to bury 3s to open up the rest of his game, attacking hard closeouts with a strong dribble or two and then elevating into his mid-range jumper. He's a pure shooter who has posted 51-46-82 shooting splits this year, and it's easy to see why. </p> <p><strong>2022 Ivan Prug (Assumption)</strong></p> <p>This was my first time seeing the 6-9 Croatian play live, and I was thoroughly impressed. He moves really well, routinely beating his man down the floor, and he handles the ball really well for a young big with his size. He has a quick, smooth release off the catch with range out beyond the high school line, and he has good footwork and touch around the rim when he takes defenders down onto the block. He has surprising quickness and burst, taking his defender off the dribble a few times to get to the rim for finishes, and he is an outstanding passer who sees the floor at a high level. He averages a few assists a game, but he also makes a lot of "hockey assists", the pass that leads to the assisting pass. He finished with 14 points and 5 rebounds (in limited minutes) on 5-9 shooting, including 2-3 from behind the arc. It will be interesting to see where his recruitment goes and if he ends up going to a prep school or JuCo for a year or two. I think there is enough talent here to be a mid-major player, but he's getting onto the radar pretty late in the process. </p> <p><strong>2022 Reese Harris (Assumption)</strong></p> <p>Harris is an athletic 6-0 wing who comes off the bench for the Knights and provides some quickness and length on both ends of the floor. He had probably his best game of the season, finishing with 10 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists while looking to attack the rim and make the most of his opportunity.</p> <p><strong>2023 Rico Byrd (Assumption)</strong></p> <p>Another athletic wing who comes off the bench, Byrd also looks to attack the rim whenever he can, and he finished with 8 points on 4-6 shooting as a result. He handles it well and can finish through contact around the bucket. He chipped in 4 rebounds.</p> <p><strong>2022 [player_tooltip player_id="1235013" first="Ethan" last="Combs"] (Maquoketa)</strong></p> <p>A mobile 6-7 big man, Combs is a rim protector who uses his length effectively on the defensive end, finishing with 3 blocks to go with 6 points and 4 rebounds. He has excellent length and does a good job staying vertical to contest shots. His offensive game is still very much a work in progress, but you can teach the size and length that Combs has, which makes him an intriguing player for small colleges to take a look at. </p> <p><strong>2023 Kasey Coakley (Maquoketa)</strong></p> <p>A 6-0 guard who contributed on the glass, finishing with 7 rebounds, Coakley led the Cardinals with 8 points, knocking down a pair of 3-pointers and showing a lot of confidence in his stroke. He gets the ball into his shooting pocket quickly and isn't afraid to knock heads with bigger players in the paint. </p>