Showdown in the Lake Primetime Performers

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Showdown in the Lake is one of the premier tournaments in Louisiana during the high school season and this year's version did not disappoint. Four of the top Lake Charles area schools plus twelve top teams from around the state played in the three day tournament. In the final, Iowa defeated Wossman to win this year's Showdown. There were some primetime performances during the weekend from some of the top players in the state. In this review of the tournament, we will look at some of the players who performed well during Showdown weekend.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1105548' first='Michael' last='Mouton'] (St. Thomas More | 6'3" | 2024)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mouton was unconscious in the STM quarterfinal victory over Captain Shreve. He scored 33 points in the win and did it in a myriad of ways. Mouton drove left and right to the rim and used his upper body strength to finish through contact. He showed great touch from behind the arc tying the game with one three. His court awareness helped him make two steals to close out the game. Mouton was a star of stars at the Showdown in the quarters. Definitely a primetime performer on this day. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>E'Josuha McDonald (Captain Shreve | 6'3" | 2024)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McDonald just left the football field about a week ago but looked in mid-season form during the Shreve games at the Showdown. McDonald was aggressive going to the basket and took contact on several drives. Being fresh off the field helped him finish through that contact leading the Gators in scoring. His man-to-man defense was also stellar. McDonald displayed a multi-faceted game during his days in Lake Charles. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1480389' first='Dashawn' last='Ceaser'] (Iowa | 6'3" | 2024)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ceaser truly displayed the improvements to his game and his confidence in his game in his team's win over Madison Prep. Dashawn scored at all three levels during the contest. His three point shooting was consistent and timely throughout the game. He also took on the challenge of defending the Chargers best player for stretches which displayed confidence as well. What was probably the most impressive thing about his game on Friday night was his willingness to go to the rim and take hits. His resolve, along with his game high 29 points, was very impressive at the Showdown. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1105543' first='Krystian' last='Lewis'] (Wossman | 6'2" | 2024)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When the contest began between Wossman and Parkway on Friday, it looked as if Lewis was going to have a quick night. His three first quarter fouls had him sitting early. However, when he returned to the floor, he was in go mode the rest of the time. Lewis led all scorers with 36 points and did it from all points of the offensive end. He displayed his great finishing ability in transition which also highlighted his perimeter defense as he jumped into several passing lanes. His perimeter shooting and rebounding also helped the Wildcats secure their win in the quarters. Lewis is a two way guard who excels from having an all-around game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1218216' first='Jayce' last='Depron'] (Madison Prep | 6'3" | 2024)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Depron showed why he is regarded as a top ten player in the state during the Iowa game. His ability to attack a defense in various ways speaks to how talented a player he is offensively. Depron scored at every level beating defenders off the dribble or shooting over the top. He also displayed a willingness to take, and drain, mid-range jumpers. Depron also took turns guarding both of Iowa's top players defensively. His versatility was shown by leading the team in scoring on the night while defending at a high level. Depron was definitely a primetime performer even in a loss. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hamilton Christian hosted a very well balanced tournament on the girls and boys side. Hopefully next year's version will be just as good as this one. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->