Playoff Recap: McKinney vs. South Grand Prairie

<p>I was only able to make it out to one playoff game this week. Fortunately, I managed to pick a good one, as the matchup between the McKinney Lions and South Grand Prairie Warriors was loaded with talent. McKinney got a 60-45 win and earned a spot in the 6A Regional Quarterfinals where they will take on Richardson in what should be an incredible game. </p> <p>Let’s take a look at some of the top performers from this postseason matchup:</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="958893" first="Alex" last="Anamekwe"] | 2022 | 6’6’’ Small Forward/Power Forward | McKinney HS</strong> - Anamekwe scored 12 points and was a huge factor on the glass at both ends for the Lions on Friday. His athleticism is off the charts. He gets so much hang time when he leaves his feet and is great at making adjustments in the air to finish through traffic and contact. The SMU commit is also a grinder who is willing to get his hands dirty and sacrifice his body. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1205208" first="Ringo" last="Deng"] | 2022 | 6’6’’ Small Forward | South Grand Prairie HS</strong> - Deng possesses tremendous height and length and posts a wiry frame. He is a versatile wing who can win 50-50 rebounds with his leaping ability, as well as score in a variety of ways on offense. He is capable of knocking down the three but is at his most dangerous when using his long strides to penetrate off the dribble. Additionally, he has solid versatility at the defensive end.  </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1327538" first="Devin" last="Vincent"] | 2022 | 6’3’’ Combo Guard | McKinney HS</strong> - Vincent had a nice all-around showing vs. SGP. He turned the Warriors over several times in the first half with some well-timed steals and deflections. He got it going offensively in the second with a pair of triples and some nice takes to the basket on his way to a 12-point outing. The senior guard demonstrated that he could knock-down the three from the catch or off the dribble with some crafty step-back moves. I also thought he did a good job with his shot selection and letting the game come to him. </p> <p><strong>Chandler Burnett | 2022 | 6’4’’ Shooting Guard/Small Forward | South Grand Prairie HS</strong> - Burnett is a versatile two-way wing. He drained a pair of threes from the catch and displayed the ability to defend multiple positions on defense. The South Grand Prairie senior has solid all-around athleticism and is an unselfish teammate. Furthermore, he contributes on the boards and has a good motor. He could be a valuable three-and-d player for colleges who are still looking. </p> <p><strong> Jackson Steele | 2022 | 6’3’’ Shooting Guard | McKinney HS</strong> - Steele operated as the sixth man for McKinney on Friday. He knocked down important threes in the second and fourth quarters, both of which helped swing the game’s momentum in the Lions’ favor. The McKinney senior is a key rotational player on a roster that doesn’t go deeper than seven or eight guys from the few times I’ve seen them. His timely shot-making and solid perimeter defending certainly had an impact on the outcome of this matchup. He ended up with eight points in the win. </p> <p><strong>Vaughn Loud | 2022 | 6’4’’ Small Forward | South Grand Prairie HS</strong> - Loud provided some terrific bench minutes for the Warriors. He was a consistent factor in the paint, showing that he can finish vs. size on the block with good body control and toughness. He converted through contact and played with urgency on offense. The senior wing hit a spot-up three too. There was a lot to like about his game. He was constantly active, made smart cuts to the basket, and most importantly, he found ways to answer when McKinney started to go on runs. </p> <p><strong>Donavhn Sanford | 2022 | 5’8’’ Point Guard | South Grand Prairie HS</strong> - Sanford was the most active defender in the building on Friday night. He came away with three steals and numerous stops thanks to his tenacious on-ball efforts on D. The senior point guard is gritty and really gets after it at that end of the court, displaying quick hands in the process. Beyond that, Sanford made some excellent passes, ending the night with four assists. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="892132" first="Ja’Kobe" last="Walter"] | 2023 | 6’5’’ Shooting Guard | McKinney HS</strong> - Walter was fantastic per usual. He made some truly difficult runners and floaters from tough angles look easy, smoothly sinking them with hands in his face. The junior guard made some incredibly difficult mid-range jumpers as well in addition to his loan triple. I loved seeing him adjust his game after his first few attempts from behind the arc didn’t fall while still maintaining his aggression and fearlessness as a scorer. He began attacking off the dribble and had success doing so. The No. 2 ranked prospect in our <a href="https://prephoops.com/texas/rankings/2023-rankings/">2023 rankings</a> ultimately accounted for 19 points and 6 rebounds in the victory. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="892148" first="JaCovey" last="Campbell"] | 2023 | 5’8’’ Point Guard | McKinney HS</strong> - In my opinion, Campbell was the difference maker in McKinney’s win over SGP. He got things going for the lions on offense with a beautiful tear drop finish, showing that he can score vs. size. The junior floor general also was responsible for some brilliant assists, piling them up throughout the matchup. He was particularly effective in drive-and-kick situations, showing great accuracy on those deliveries. He is an outstanding decision maker as well as a good ball handler who navigates the floor and controls the tempo with precision. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1267170" first="Cameron" last="Carroll"] | 2025 | 6’2’’ Point Guard | South Grand Prairie HS</strong> - Carroll’s game is incredibly mature for a freshman. He is a confident ball handler with some crafty dribble moves. His agility and playmaking were evident, as well as his vision. Beyond that, the 2025 prospect showed solid three-point shooting capability and the ability to score through contact at the rim. He finished the contest with eight points, four rebounds, and three assists. This is definitely someone to watch this summer, as he could prove to be one of the top Texas guards in his class. </p>