2A State Tournament Quarterfinals Superlatives

<p>The quarterfinals of the 2A State Tournament in Manhattan Kansas offered up a little bit of everything, exciting finishes, huge comebacks, blow outs, and dominating performances. A ton of great basketball resides in 2A and it was fun to see some live and follow some on the streams.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Here are some Superlatives from the games Thursday Night</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>The Dominant Force: [player_tooltip player_id="1076411" first="Fred" last="Criqui"], 6’7 F, 2022, St Mary’s</strong></p> <p>Put on probably the most dominant individual performance on the day from the offensive and defensive end. Offensively he gave St Mary’s a little bit of everything including 6 straight points against iced ball screens where he drilled two 17 footers and made a play driving off the bounce to score at the rim in the first quarter. Then he got going in the post getting to the middle and catching and spinning quick for little baby hooks. On the defensive end he made life miserable in the paint for Trego, blocking multiple shots and influencing even more. Had 18 points and 7 rebounds.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>The Spark Plug: Zac Evans, 6’ G, 2024, Valley Falls</strong></p> <p>Scored 28 in the quarterfinal, but his 2nd half performance sparked a massive late comeback to pull off the win for Falls. His anticipation mixed with his quickness on the defense end made him a pest all night leading to run outs and putting pressure on the opposition. He was electric in transition, efficient scoring in the paint, and got to the foul line. Made some tough buckets and was a part of key stops late.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>The X Factor: Noah Jacobson, 6’3 G, 2022, St Marys</strong></p> <p>With Trego taking away the three point line from the Hurla sharp shooters it freed stuff up on the perimeter for Jacobson who has been a steady hand in the starting lineup for St Marys all season. His length and athletic ability makes him a great wing defender and he was good on that end all night. However, from distance he made the difference especially in the second quarter, he had 4 threes on the game and helped push St Marys to a comfortable lead.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Stock Riser: [player_tooltip player_id="1195623" first="Grayson" last="Ratzlaff"], 6’7 W, 2022, Hillsboro</strong></p> <p>A Ratzlaff vs Criqui matchup needs to happen. Ratzlaff’s unique length, speed, and bounce really poured it on yesterday and he was too much for Independent. Made a living in the painted area, he can finish with either hand, can face up and take guys off the dribble, and his first step is very good. Last night he caught some eyes on the big stage, Ratzlaff can play, and a sneaky 2022 prospect who is due for some stock rising.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Bench Mob: Jalen Massey, 5’9 G, 2024, Lyndon</strong></p> <p>The Massey brothers both played great, but Jalen came in off the bench yesterday and gave Lyndon a much needed boost when it kind of got stagnant. Jalen is a steady and solid guard who can be relied on in big moments and big games. Showed his shooting ability hitting some big shots to help stretch out the defense. He is always game ready and when called upon he performs just like last night.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Keeping it Cool: [player_tooltip player_id="1382169" first="Jackson" last="Biggs"], 6’5 W, 2023, Lyndon</strong></p> <p>Easily could have let some early fouls get to him and take him out of the game, but Biggs kept his composure and when he was able to let it rip again he showed off his versatility on the basketball floor especially on the offensive end. Was able to get rolling in a hurry and drop 17 in the quarterfinal game. His inside/out versatility allows him to contribute in so many ways and in tough situations.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Going Out Swinging: [player_tooltip player_id="1139918" first="Charlie" last="Russell"], 6’4 F, 2022, Trego</strong></p> <p>Was a rough night to start for Russell and his teammates, but the senior would not go quiet into the night to end his high school hoops career. Russell is a multi level scorer from the forward spot as he showed last night with some unique finishes from the post utilizing the glass with both hands. He also stepped out and hit a couple of jump shots in the pop and catch game. He went out swinging scoring 24 points and grabbing 8 rebounds.</p>