Gotta Get It Classic: Top Performers of Games 1-3

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This past weekend, I was at East Kentwood High School for the Gotta Get It Hoops Classic. I was able to attend the first three games of the event and got to see a good group of talented prospects and several teams that have the chops to make a run in March. Let's get into some of my takeaways from who stood out the most.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Ottawa Hills 86, Arthur Hill 59</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3>[player_tooltip player_id='1433257' first='Quadir' last='Hatchett'], Ottawa Hills 23"</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Quadir scored at will pretty much from the tip until the final buzzer. He led all scorers with 27, leading Ottawa Hills to a comfortable win. The senior guard was explosive in his dribble-drive all game and made a living getting into the paint and finishing. Quadir's jumper was in a groove as well as he knocked down multiple looks from deep. Quadir also took what the defense gave him and knocked down a few stop-and-pop jumpers in the midrange. Defensively, Quadir did a good job communicating and applying pressure in the Bengals' full-court press. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3>[player_tooltip player_id='2933019' first='Boop' last='Hardy'], Arthur Hill 26"</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Boop did not look like a freshman in this game, playing well above his years and going toe-to-toe against a very talented Ottawa Hills backcourt. The freshman guard routinely made his way into the paint with his dribble drive and converted several tough shots in traffic. I was most impressed with Boop's anticipation on defense. He jumped passing lanes, executed his rotations, and had quick hands when defending the ball. There were several instances where Boop looked like the best player on the court.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Benton Harbor 64, Beecher 62</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3>[player_tooltip player_id='987622' first='Robert' last='Lee'] Jr., Beecher 23"</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='987622' first='Robert' last='Lee'] Jr. did everything he could to get the win for Beecher, but ultimately ball bounced Benton Harbor's way in the last 30 seconds as Beecher fell by two. Robert finished with 29 points to lead all scorers, putting together arguably the best overall offensive performance from any individual athlete on Saturday. Robert had his shot dialed in from the tip as he knocked down shots from the perimeter and in the mid-range off of iso sets and in catch-and-shoot spots. The way Robert used his strength in transition was as impressive. He proved to be too much to handle when he drove downhill with momentum. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3>[player_tooltip player_id='987285' first='Grant' last='Gondrezick'], Benton Harbor 23"</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Grant was, in my opinion, the most efficient shooter at the 12-team event as he made his 26-point performance look like just another day at the park for the senior guard. Grant had his mid-range game tuned in from the early stages of the first quarter. It was a breath of fresh air to see a guard in today's game still value the midrange shot, and his barrage of different pull-up and isolation-based moves that resulted in him knocking down shot after shot in the mid-range was impressive. Another aspect of Grant's performance that impressed me was his effort late in the game and his willingness to get Benton Harbor back on the winning side. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3>Brian Gillispie, Benton Harbor 23"</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brian Gillispie made the play of the day, putting back a missed shot at the buzzer to give Benton Harbor the narrow win. Additionally, Brian's impact on the game was most recognizable when he happened to be on the bench with foul trouble. It was clear that Benton Harbor was not going to get the win if not for Billie's work on the glass. Brian controlled the paint and largely dominated anyone who matched up with him for loose balls or rebounds. I didn't have final rebound stats, but I think it's safe to assume Brian recorded at least 10 boards to go with his 18 points. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Hudsonville 56, Carman Ainsworth 49</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3>[player_tooltip player_id='1439043' first='Griffin' last='Baker'], Hudsonville 25"</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In what was the slowest-paced game of the first three games and possessions were of heightened value, it was the play of Hudsonville's [player_tooltip player_id='1439043' first='Griffin' last='Baker'] that stood out the most in the Eagle's 8-point win over Carman Ainsworth. Griffin led Hudsonville with 12 points, making 4-of-6 threes. Defensively, Griffin used his length to make life hard on Carman Ainsworth's playmakers. Griffin forced several turnovers and did a good job competing on the glass. This was the type of performance that should instill even more confidence in the Hudsonville sophomore.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->