Cam Payne’s 2023 MLK Classic: 6 highlights
This week got off to a great start at Lausanne Collegiate School for this season’s Cam Payne MLK Classic. Here are the biggest highlights from the event: Brown provides a spark for Christian Brothers Freshman point guard BJ Brown had…
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Continue ReadingThis week got off to a great start at Lausanne Collegiate School for this season’s Cam Payne MLK Classic.
Here are the biggest highlights from the event:
Brown provides a spark for Christian Brothers
Freshman point guard BJ Brown had to play a lot of minutes in the Purple Wave’s 62-57 win over Memphis East. His minutes helping as the team’s floor general, alongside senior point guard Jack Pender, paid dividends for Christian Brothers. Brown was aggressively each time he drove to the basket. He was the smallest guard on the floor for the Purple Wave and never got rattled when the Mustangs turned up their defensive intensity. Brown remained calm, moved the basketball and took smart shots. He finished with 10 points on a night Christian Brothers was missing its best player Michael Pepper.
Hudson earned his stripes against Memphis East
Ashton Hudson made the Mustangs play each time they gambled for a steal by knocking down shots from the perimeter. The Purple Wave did a great job of pushing the basketball in transition, and Hudson leaked out multiple times for uncontested layups. The junior guard led his team in scoring with 16.
Christian Brothers had balance
Hudson and Brown were the only two players to score in double figures for the Purple Wave, but Christian Brothers had other guys to contribute. It had balance. Pender and senior forward Barrett Burchyett each had eight points. Senior forward Drew Petro and freshman forward Keeper Jackson both finished with seven.
Briarcrest’s size was too much for Cordova
Ole Miss commit Jacob Gazzo had his way with the Wolfpack in the Saints’ 76-65 win, finishing the night with 29 points and seven rebounds. Gazzo had easy dunks and layups each time he had position on the block. Freshman forward Fred Smith Jr. was another matchup problem for Cordova as he was able to get a lot of easy looks over the Wolfpack’s smaller defenders. Smith finished with 17 points and eight rebounds.
The team’s starting point guard, Jaye Nash, scored only five points, but recorded 11 assists.
Haynes was feeling it
Junior guard Cooper Haynes converted on four 3s in his team’s win to finish the night with 23 points. Not too many guards in the 2024 class can go shot for shot with Haynes. Over and over again, he continues to reign supreme as the premier shooter in the class.
Tenner puts on a show
Cordova’s junior point guard Emerson Tenner put on a show, scoring 37 points in a losing effort. Each point was needed for the Wolfpack to have a chance of pulling off the upset. Tenner didn’t have a teammate that could match his competitiveness, his drive to will the team to a win. At one point in the fourth quarter, Cordova was only down three points (54-51) before Briarcrest pulled away for good.
Tenner, who went 13 for 21 from the field, has done this so many times, displaying his ability to score, doing so at an efficient rate. At some point, Tenner’s teammates will have to step up to the plate and match his competitiveness. His assist average of 3.6 would be much higher if other guys can consistently make shots. Cordova has its leader, but Monday night showed not everyone is built to go to war.