The Invite: Top Performers + MVP

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Calvin University and the Grand Rapids Storm hosted "The Invite" on Saturday, involving four games with Grand Rapids area teams. It was a resounding success in all aspects as all four games were highly competitive, plus we got to see some unique matchups that we don't see every season. Lets get into who the top performers were from the day's slate of games. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1356986' first='Cameron' last='Regnerus'], Grandville 23"</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cameron was a constant rim protector all game and made life in general hard on Calvin Christian's shooters. Cameron had a number of blocks by sliding across the paint and deflecting point blank looks. Cameron also showed his agility by erasing a couple of baseline drives with his length, and he even had a block at the top of the key on a three point attempt. In addition to his defensive prowess, Cameron led all scorers with 27 points. Offensively, Cam did the majority of his work in the paint, but also stepped outside and flashed a smooth stroke from the midrange. Although Grandville would go on to lose 56-45, you have to love the overall effort from Cameron.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1213127' first='Javion' last='Otten'], Kenowa Hills 23"</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Javion wasted no time in this contest, scoring a quick five points out of the gate and setting the tone in the first couple of minutes. His quick first step was evident all game as was his ability to drive past would-be defenders. He made a habit of getting into the paint and converting high percentage looks through contact. Defensively, Javion was equally as impactful, leading the way with a handful of forced turnovers and steals that led to easy buckets in transition. Kenowa Hills held Forest Hills Central to just two points in the third quarter, which ultimately led to the Knights getting a massive win over Forest Hills Central, 52-42.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1111924' first='EJ' last='Ryans'], Northview 24"</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The new-look Wildcats came away with a big non-conference win over South Christian, defeating the Sailors 48-46 in what was a highly competitive, back-and-forth game. The best layer on the court for this one was none other than [player_tooltip player_id='1111924' first='EJ' last='Ryans']. EJ ran the Wildcats offense masterfully, and played off the ball just as effectively, knocking down tough shot after tough shot. The variety with which EJ shot the ball was impressive to see. EJ had a handful of tough mid range pull ups where he rose over the arms of the defender. He also showed he could take on contact and make a tough bucket in a crowded lane. EJ also had his fair share of assists to go with his 15 points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1112374' first='Durral' last='Brooks'], Catholic Central 24"</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Durral "Phat Phat" Brooks had the best two-way performance of any prospect on Saturday, scoring 25 points, and creating several turnovers on defense. Everyone knows the skillset that Durral has at this point in his career, but it's still refreshing to see his game continue to evolve and develop. Durral made his living by driving the lane tonight, and his ability to take it to the rack, or stop and pop a 10 foot mid range shot just goes to show how hard it is to stop him. Defensively, Durral did all he could to force Rockford into tough shots, and he also did a great job of clearing the glass of second chance opportunities.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>MVP: Andrew Landis, Rockford 23"</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The player of the day and my pick for MVP was Rockford's Andrew Landis. The senior guard played out of his mind on Saturday night, scoring 32 points and leading Rockford to an impressive 68-64 win over Catholic Central. Andrew made at least four or five threes with a hand in his face. The icing on the cake was an end-of-the-shot-clock prayer that banked in from 30 feet out. In addition to his perimeter play, Andrew ran the Rockford offense with great execution and never let the moment get to big. This is a huge win for Rockford and an equally impressive indivdiual performance that should give the Rams a huge boost of confidence in the early stages of the season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->