AL/MS All-Star Game Standouts

<p>The MS/AL All-Star game presented great talent from both states. With an exciting /up tempo pace the game generated a lot of highlights and showcased the 2022 class for the last time. Here are some standouts from the game that represented the state to the fullest in the 96-89 victory. </p> <p><strong><u><span data-preserver-spaces="true">[player_tooltip player_id="890737" first="Barry" last="Dunning"] 6’6 SF/PF Mcgill-Toolen 2022</span></u></strong></p> <p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Dunning was awarded the MVP of the game, and rightfully so. His blend of skill, size, and athleticism made him the best player on the court. As a versatile wing, his positional fluidity showed on both sides of the ball. As a primary ball-handler, he took on the responsibility of initiating the offense proficiently. He also showed his ability to lead as a primary scorer on the wing with a quick first step, the ability to finish through contact at the basket and rise over the top of smaller defenders to get into his mid-range game. Defensively Dunning took on the challenge of guarding 1-5 and did solid work. He can stay in front of quicker guards and wings while using his length to bother post and paint-based players. This game served as a solid representation of Dunning’s game as he heads to Arkansas for the fall. </span></p> <p>https://twitter.com/AHSAAUpdates/status/1502844777871597582?s=20&amp;t=tTdF0wkRPH_M1xiFAl8cjQ</p> <p><span data-preserver-spaces="true"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="725183" first="Martavious" last="Russell"] 6’4 SG Sipsey Valley 2022</strong></span></span></p> <p>Russell’s last game as a high school athlete epitomized how he played throughout his career. Elite athleticism, jaw-dropping dunks, smooth jumpers, and aggressive drives to the basket. Russell was easily the best athlete on the court and used that to his advantage frequently. His speed enabled him to go on one-man fastbreaks and break down defenders in the half-court. His vertical explosion enabled him to pull off some impressive dunks in transition ne and be a monster on the offensive boards. Russell had a dominant showing in the game and will look to continue this momentum into his first year at Mississippi St.</p> <p><strong><u><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Efrem 'Buta' Johnson 6’4 SG Grissom 2022</span></u></strong></p> <p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Johnson was an offensive standout with his smooth shot creation and consistent makes from deep. Even in an all-star game, he left his mark as an efficient scorer who can thrive at all three levels of the court. Johnson displayed an ability to work as an off-ball shooter who can reliably shoot off the catch, a shot creator in pick and roll situations, and a dominant force in isolation at the wing. Though Johnson is undecided, he remains among the top available players in the 2022 class, and with his elite scoring acumen, his decision will probably land him in the D1 program. </span></p> <p>https://twitter.com/Smoovlikbutta1/status/1502729039773151232?s=20&amp;t=b-9F135F4koms5DTR0cQmA</p> <p><strong><u><span data-preserver-spaces="true">[player_tooltip player_id="725171" first="Jacari" last="Lane"] 6’0 PG Lee 2022</span></u></strong><u><span data-preserver-spaces="true"> </span></u></p> <p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">The future Northern Alabama Lion capped off his championship season with a solid showing at the all-star game. He continued to put constant pressure on the defense with dribble drives, paint penetration, and transition baskets. Lane’s ability to live in the paint as a ball-dominant guard with minimal turnovers allows him to create open looks, put opposing bigs in foul trouble, and offensive rebound opportunities for his team whenever he gets the ball on the rim and force a rotation.  </span></p> <p><strong><u><span data-preserver-spaces="true">[player_tooltip player_id="965879" first="Elijah" last="Terry"] 6’6 G/F Enterprise 2022 </span></u></strong></p> <p><span data-preserver-spaces="true"> Terry showed tremendous upside and aborad skill set in the all-star game. He simply got in wherever he could fit in and impacted the game across the board. As a rebounder, Terry left his mark and capped off a lot of solid defensive possessions with strong boards. He moved to open space on the offensive end, set solid screens, and finished whenever he had the </span><span data-preserver-spaces="true">opportunity. Striving within a team concept on such short notice shows his basketball IQ, versatility, and ability to adapt tp different lineups quickly.</span></p> <p>https://twitter.com/Elijahterry211/status/1503092191073390592?s=20&amp;t=tTdF0wkRPH_M1xiFAl8cjQ</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>