Fridley vs DeLaSalle Standout Prospects
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Fridley traveled to the island to take on DeLaSalle on Saturday. It was the Islanders’ senior night and they made sure to put on a show. DeLaSalle got the win in blowout fashion, 91-54. Could the Islanders be the new…
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Continue ReadingFridley traveled to the island to take on DeLaSalle on Saturday. It was the Islanders’ senior night and they made sure to put on a show. DeLaSalle got the win in blowout fashion, 91-54. Could the Islanders be the new favorites in class AAA?
It has been an incredible season thus far for Nas and he continues to turn in impressive performance after impressive performance. He scored a game-high 31 points, scoring from all three levels. He knocked down threes both off-the-dribble and in the catch-and-shoot and also hit a smooth pull-up mid-range jumper after using a shot fake to get inside. The Lehigh commit showed off what he can do around the rim as well, embracing contact and finishing through traffic. Whitlock is a top-3 option to take home the Mr. Basketball award in my eyes and has the opportunity to lead a talented DeLaSalle team on another deep playoff run.
Israel was dominant in Saturday’s win over Fridley. He stands at 6’3” but looks like he’s 6’6” or 6’7” when he is on the floor. He is so athletic and has a very long wingspan, this allowed to pin two shots from opponents off the backboard and flush home a transition dunk. These traits are also why he is a standout player on the gridiron and why he will be playing football at Kansas next year. The senior forward plays with a lot of passion and energy and is a great player to have to keep up the intensity. Moses will be a key piece for the Islanders as they look to push for another state championship run.
Despite the loss, Antwan was flying around the floor on both ends making plays. He handled the majority of the ball handling duties for his team. He is incredibly quick when with the ball and was blowing by defenders for takes into the lane all game. The junior guard had two highlight reel passes with one threading through defenders to a teammate on the block for an easy layup and the other being a crosscourt pass that hit his shooter right in the hands for an open three. Smith also came away with some steals and was a pest for opposing ball handlers to deal with.
Highlights
PJ held down the painted area for DeLaSalle on Saturday and was tough to match up with, factoring in the combination of his size and ability to move. The 6’7” forward did a great job altering opponent’s shots and playing lockdown interior defense without fouling. He had a sequence in the second half where he pinned a shot off the glass then ran in transition to receive a pass and throw down a two-handed dunk. Plays like this show the advantages of having a player like PJ on the floor. He also crashed the offensive boards for a pair of second chance baskets and used his post skills to finish a tough layup over a defender. Pounds finished with 11 points.
Carieon Powell
Carieon Powell
Carieon showed flashes of what he can do scoring the ball in Saturday’s matchup with DeLaSalle. He has super smooth shooting mechanics and connected with a catch-and-shoot three-pointer. He also got downhill for a right-handed floater over a contesting defender. He brought the energy on defense, sending a shot into the stands and making life difficult for opposing ball handlers. It has been an up-and-down year for Fridley, but they have a chance to make some noise in section 4AAA. They could match up with St. Anthony Village who they were in a nail biter with a couple of weeks ago.
Myles Dillon-Parks
Myles Dillon-Parks
Myles came off the bench and provided a huge spark for the Islanders in the senior night win. He highlighted his performance with a fast break one-handed dunk, getting everyone in the gym on their feet. He has good size for a wing player and used it to convert some finishes over defenders in the transition. He also had some impressive offensive rebounds that led to second chance looks. Dillon-Parks may not light it up scoring the ball but has carved out a role that could allow him to make some big plays as we get into the playoff season.
De’Von Irvin
De’Von Irvin
De’Von was a nightmare for opposing ball handlers on Saturday. The sophomore guard did not record a basket, but really stuck out to me with the effort and success he had defending Fridley’s best scoring option the whole game. He has the ability to completely shut down a part of the opposing team’s gameplan and not every team has that luxury. He was causing five-second violations and poking the ball free all game. It will be fun to see him match up with some of the best players in class AAA in the coming weeks in sections and hopefully state. The Islanders toughest task will likely come in the section championship where they will likely face St. Thomas Academy or South St. Paul who are both top-15 teams in the class.