“The Invite” 2nd Team and Honorable Mention Teams.
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When it comes to the 2nd team and Honorable Mention Selections for “The Invite”, it was tough narrowing down the selections, but these guys made an impact on the success of the team or what they meant to their teams…
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Continue ReadingWhen it comes to the 2nd team and Honorable Mention Selections for “The Invite”, it was tough narrowing down the selections, but these guys made an impact on the success of the team or what they meant to their teams over the Saturday slate of games. Outside of the one or two guys on these lists, these players will be playing Robin to some of their teammates and even some nights stepping up and taking over a game. Having a reliable number 2 for teams is the reason for a team’s success. Some of these players fit perfectly in the description of being a glue guy for his team. Teams win when they have a solid glue guy!
2nd Team
Cam Ryans Northview: Could be arguably one of the best Freshman in the state of Michigan, the 6’3 “undersized” big man took complete dominance of the paint. The strong body freshman finished through contact for And-1s and feared nothing. He took players off the dribble without second thought and took care of the ball. As he progresses through his game, the jump shot will come about over time as he didn’t look to stretch the floor in that aspect. It’ll be fun watching him develop and become a top player in the area of Grand Rapids.
Carson Vis Carson Vis 6'3" | PG Grand Rapids South Christian | 2025 State MI South Christian: Vis coming off football season along with his teammates showed flashes of greatness throughout the game vs Northview Saturday night. I believe over time this season, he will get his basketball legs going and start dominating game in and game out. The way he drove with confidence taking countless defenders off the dribble to a finish should spark what the season will look like. He also has the ability to shoot off the catch to extend the defense. Coach Taylor Johnson has him playing the top of their 1-2-2 full court press which is perfect for him to get deflections and steals using his length. He also plays with a high basketball IQ by getting placed back in the game a minute after he picked up his 3 foul less than a minute in the third quarter. That IQ allowed him to continue to play his style of ball and be aggressive to get to spots he could exploit.
Sutton Tutas Sutton Tutas 6'2" | SF Kenowa Hills | 2024 State MI Kenowa Hills: The glue guys off all glue guys. 6’2 Sutton Tutas Sutton Tutas 6'2" | SF Kenowa Hills | 2024 State MI was the perfect Robin to Javion in the comeback dominance of the second half of Forest Hill Central. Tutas was an absolute bruiser of the player for Kenowa Hills as he made play after play in the paint. He finished everything he touched in the paint, ending the game with 12 big points as he added to FHC’s list of problems. When Kenowa went on an 18-2 run in the third quarter, Tutas was a big reason for some of those points making him a difference maker. The power he has as an undersized wing makes him someone that coaches will have to think about. He can cause mismatch problems all year and can take a good chunk of Otten’s workload in some areas. Sutton brought the team 12 crucial points in the dominant second half.
Levi mckenzie Levi mckenzie 6'0" | PG Hamilton | 2023 State MI Forest Hills Central: A known shooter in the Grand Rapids area made his name more known after his shooting performance vs Kenowa Hills. When the 6’1 senior was left wide open, it was pretty much automatic. He shot the ball with confidence and with that only good things can happen. He took care of the ball and didn’t have careless turnovers. Not only did he knock down the 3 but showed he can score in other ways for this FHC offense. He came off the bench for the team, but that didn’t slow down his potential as a scorer and came ready to play. Levi was the second leading scorer of the game putting up 19 points.
Caden Pokorzynski Caden Pokorzynski 6'7" | SF Rockford | 2023 State MI Rockford: It was tough to find shots when Andrew Landis was on the court, but when Caden got the rock he made sure to make an impact when he got it. Countless times he got down hill with ease for an easy finish at the rim. Another player on this Rockford team that doesn’t go out of their way, stays in system and uses their strength to finish. Caden ended the night with a strong 14 points showing he’ll be a great wing threat for the OK Conference and for college coaches. More and more coaches are jumping on board of having a 6’6 play making wings for them and Caden fits that mold very well. NAIA and D3 teams better get on board quickly because he will be a hot topic come March.
Honorable Mention
Kaden Brown Kaden Brown 5'10" | PG Grand Rapids Catholic Central | 2023 State MI GR Catholic Central: One of the most explosive guards in the area, had a tough night vs a scrappy Rockford defense. Kaden couldn’t find the range of his 3 ball but that didn’t stop him from getting down hill and playing through contact. One thing that really stood out from Saturday was the willingness to defend on the ball at a VERY elite level. Wright State is getting a point guard that just doesn’t love to shoot it and score but also to get in your face and cause trouble defensively. When he starts to pick up full court on defense, that energy is transferred to his teammates and even the crowd to put pressure on the opponent. Once he finds his rhythm from range, Kaden is one of the most dangerous ball players you can watch from game to game. He ended the night with 19 points.
Charlie Deutsch Charlie Deutsch 6'4" | SG Rockford | 2023 State MI Rockford: The calm senior made his presence known throughout the game vs Catholic Central. This unsigned senior will make any coach happy they recruited and got him. The way he works and never forces things and also the way he can be a leader and scorer. He has the ability to take guys off the dribble and get off 2 feet for a strong controlled finish. Late in the game, Charlie hit a big three point shot to keep the lead from Catholic. Charlie will never do too much to cause bad things for his team but he will be that strong tough leader that wins you games. His inside outside game along with his body build will make him a force to be reckoned with in the MIAA, which I think he could make a tremendous impact at. I look forward to seeing him play more and more throughout the season and finding out where he lands in the coming year. Charlie ended the night with 10 points.
Jonas VanderWoude Jonas VanderWoude 6'3" | PG Forest Hills Central | 2024 State MI Forest Hills Central: This guard started Saturday the best you could have asked for. Scoring in a variety of different ways for FHC. He attacked defenders off the dribble. Moved without the basketball. Then when left open he can knock down the open three ball. Jonas is going to be a big part of the Ranger offense this season. The challenge is will he want that “pressure” and how effective he can be to be a top threat on the team. I see the confidence in him to make some things happen. He’ll be the focus of the scouting report, that’s when big players rise to the occasion and come through.
Matt Elderkin Matt Elderkin 6'5" | SF Grandville Calvin Christian | 2024 State MI Calvin Christian: Matt owned the midrange throughout the game Saturday. He will be a solid wing this year for Calvin Christian and I think he can make big plays. As the season goes along I think he’ll have the confidence to take over possessions and be a threat to defenses being a 6’5 athlete. His progression this season will be only beneficial to his team at hand.