Week Five – Top Performers (Class of 2023)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In Week Five it was back to non-tournament play and even some league games started to get going as everything rolled into 2023. As usual, we got a chance to get out and take in some games in the Portland/Salem area and here are some of the top performers we saw, starting with the Class of 2023.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1315401' first='Spencer' last='Karsseboom'] (2023 Woodburn)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There's no question at times he may be streaky, but when Karsseboom has his shot going - watch out. That was the case on Monday night against West Albany as the guard got things going from long range, hitting 6 threes and scoring a game-high 26 points. Karsseboom isn't just a gunner though as he did a nice job passing the ball, dishing out 3 assists.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='962928' first='Moroni' last='Seely-Roberts'] (2023 Lincoln)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We've gotten accustomed to Seely-Roberts and his scoring ability - outmuscling guys in the paint, knocking down open threes at the top of the key - and he certainly did that against Grant at the PIL Showcase. But what impressed us on this evening were his passing and defense. Seely-Roberts made quick reads upon receiving the ball and getting it to open teammates and was quick in Lincoln's press, grabbing a number of steals that led to easy points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='962929' first='Malachi' last='Seely-Roberts'] (2023 Lincoln)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With this Seely-Roberts twin, we've gotten accustomed to his ability to hit bombs from long range - and indeed he did that against Grant. But what the senior also showed us with his scoring was his ability to get buckets in other areas of the floor. He hit some floaters in the lane, posted up for some points, created contact to get to the line, and broke free in transition to throw down a jam. "Only" two threes on the night among his 27 total points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1232162' first='Christian' last='Green'] (2023 Grant)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Grant may not have won against Lincoln at the PIL Showcase but there's no question that Green's presence on the team gives the Generals a guy who can provide some offensive punch. He was getting it done all over the court, using quick athletic drives to get to the hoop and finish at the rim, while also stepping out and hitting open threes. Green threw down a couple of highlight reel jams, continuing his reputation as one of the highest flyers in the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1085793' first='Jaylin' last='Ormond'] (2023 Mountainside)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ormond may be a bit undersized, but he's awfully strong and he certainly uses that to his advantage down low. In a win over Grants Pass, the senior fought hard for buckets and rebounds in the paint and played solid interior defense. Unlike guys his size who tend to drift out to the perimeter, Ormond knows his strengths and while he can hit open jumpers, typically sticks with his strengths in the lane.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->