Playoff Recap: Frisco Memorial vs. Lovejoy

<p>I was treated to a competitive postseason matchup between the Frisco Memorial Warriors and the Lovejoy Leopards on Tuesday in the UIL 5A regional quarterfinals. Both teams left it all on the court, but Frisco Memorial eventually emerged as the victor by a score of 66-53. They advanced to the regional semis where they will take on Mount Pleasant. </p> <p>Let’s take a look at some of the top performers from this playoff matchup:</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="892163" first="Drew" last="Steffe"] | 2023 | 6’5’’ Combo Guard | Frisco Memorial HS</strong> - Steffe was his typical self on Tuesday, showing off his entire arsenal of offensive skills. He had some gorgeous drives and finishes, was efficient from three-point land, and made some great passes.  His feel for the game is fantastic, as the Texas Tech commit always seems to know when to take over and when to ride the hot hand of teammates, as well as when to utilize his size advantage. Steffe ended the night with 12 points, four rebounds, and a pair of steals. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1352213" first="Karson" last="Templin"] | 2023 | 6’7’’ Power Forward | Lovejoy HS</strong> - Templin is not going to get outworked when he is on the floor. He is an explosive athlete with a great motor and toughness to spare. The junior forward battled on the boards at both ends, protected the rim, and showed that he can finish with either power or finesse in the paint. This is one of those guys who dunks the ball like he is angry at the rim. He also showcased that he could extend out and defend the perimeter when necessary. Beyond that, I loved seeing Templin compete even when his team trailed by double digits in the fourth quarter. The kid is a gamer. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="958600" first="Mason" last="Wujek"] | 2022 | 6’8’’ Power Forward | Frisco Memorial HS</strong> - Wujek would be my pick for player of the game. The 6-foot-8 senior was absolutely dominant as a rebounder. He did a great job of limiting Lovejoy’s second-chance opportunities. On offense, Wujek showed that he can consistently finish above the rim with two-handed flushes, as well as throw it back down with a <a href="https://twitter.com/ChadWujek/status/1499030192563576834">one-handed putback</a>.  Additionally, he showed that he can knock down spot-up jumpers from the elbow. He understands his role as Memorial’s big man and does it well. He ultimately accounted for 16 points and 15 rebounds in the win. </p> <p><strong>Jax Thompson | 2022 | 5’10’’ Combo Guard | Lovejoy HS</strong> - Thompson was a prospect that I knew nothing about before the game, but I was thoroughly impressed with his performance on Tuesday. He was fearless when it came to shooting the three-ball and sprinted to get open when playing off-the-ball, showing promise as a shooting specialist. The senior guard possesses good burst and is just a scrappy overall player who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty on defense. Simply put, Thompson is a straight up competitor. </p> <p><strong>Leon Horner | 2023 | 6’4’’ Small Forward | Frisco Memorial HS</strong> - Horner operates as a versatile glue guy for the Warriors. He is an unselfish passer who sees the floor well. The junior forward was great as a decision-maker on Tuesday, always willing to make the extra pass to turn a good look into a great one. Furthermore, he defended multiple positions and contributed as a rebounder. I am excited to see what he can do next season with an increased role and will certainly be on the lookout for him this summer. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1199944" first="Kidus" last="Getenet"] | 2022 | 6’3’’ Shooting Guard | Lovejoy HS</strong> - Getenet displayed solid ball handling in the open court as well as some consistent shooting from behind the arc. He drilled a pair of threes from the catch vs. Memorial, showing a confident and smooth shooting stroke. The senior two-guard plays within the flow of the offense and never tries to do too much. Both are traits that a lot of young players lack. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1009441" first="Avery" last="Jackson"] | 2022 | 6’2’’ Shooting Guard | Frisco Memorial HS</strong> - Jackson was outstanding on Tuesday night, providing steady production for the Warriors throughout the contest. It was efficient production too. He was always ready whenever his number was called on offense. Whether that meant getting to the rim off the bounce, running the floor in transition, or shooting the three, Jackson was there to get it done. The Frisco Memorial senior let the game come to him but made sure to make all of his touches count. In addition, he was very good defensively on the permitter and also chipped in on the glass. He ended up with an impressive 16 points, six rebounds, and four assists. </p> <h5><strong>Honorable Mentions </strong></h5> <p><strong> [player_tooltip player_id="889589" first="Isaiah" last="Foster"] | 2022 | 6’0’’ Point Guard | Frisco Memorial HS</strong> - Had one of the nastiest dribble moves of the year, <a href="https://twitter.com/MattSteffe/status/1498858802099232769">absolutely dropping the defender in front of him</a>, resulting in an assist for a three. </p> <p><strong>Garrett Norwood | 2022 | 6’4’’ Power Forward | Lovejoy HS</strong> - An undersized big who showed good toughness as well as decisiveness when finishing on the block down low. </p> <p><strong>Taiden Conner | 2022 | 5’8’’ Point Guard | Lovejoy HS</strong> - A speedy floor general who navigates the floor well and knows how to keep all of his teammates involved on offense.</p> <p><strong>Jack Mefford | 2022 | 6’3’’ Shooting Guard | Frisco Memorial HS</strong> - Knocked down a buzzer-beating three at the end of the end of the third quarter after playing limited minutes beforehand. Didn’t need any warmup shots to get into the groove. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>