Mike’s SW Sectional Playoff Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Southwest region is a bit ahead of the rest of the state in terms of their playoff calendar, so that's where I stayed this week. I caught Moeller Vs Walnut Hills and Lakota West Vs Princeton on Tuesday then Cincinnati Wyoming Vs Cincinnati Woodward and Winton Woods Vs Middletown on Friday night. In this article we'll break down five standouts from the action.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2021229"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Moeller is obviously one of the most talented teams in the state of Ohio, but one of the reasons that they are so tough to beat is the way they share the basketball. With 20 assists on 27 made field goals, the ball was flying across the court on Tuesday night. The best passer on the roster is Mason, who led the team with seven assists on Tuesday. A quick processor and able to fit the ball in tight spaces, Mason can drop dimes with either hand. His toughness also translates from the gridiron to the hardwood as he's the perfect glue piece for the Crusaders.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["1222360"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"McBride has worked hard to come back from a summer injury and while he came back in mid December, it seems like he's finally getting his feet under him and looking closer to the athlete he was preinjury. In three playoff games, McBride is shooting 10/15 from the field. A couple above the rim finishes on Tuesday included a breakaway dunk and a layup where McBride's hand was above the rim as well. His efficiency, size and athleticism are reasons why he's signed to Niagara and has a chance to be an impact player down the line at the Division I level.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["2140178"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Lakota West took a disappointing loss to Elder on Friday, but we caught the Firebirds on Tuesday in a victory over Princeton. Curry has really taken a leap in 2024, becoming more comfortable on both ends of the floor and his production has taken a huge leap the second half of his freshman season. Tuesday night was arguably his best game of his young career, with 21 points, 4 steals, 3 blocks and 4 rebounds. I thought his defensive activity was a huge reason why he had these numbers, being active in the passing lanes with his length and turning those steals into transition buckets. Slowly gaining confidence as a 3-point shooter, Curry knocked down a pair of triples on Tuesday night. That skill will be crucial for Curry to continue to develop, he shot 36% on limited attempts as a freshman. His explosiveness as a vertical athlete is a special skill for a freshman, his putback dunk in transition was the highlight of the game. Curry is one of the top players in Ohio's 2027 class and will be a national name within the next year or so.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["2366691"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"A steady contributor, Evans has scored in double figures in every game in 2024. I love his basketball IQ for a player so young, not afraid of the big moment and taking efficient shots to help his team win. Evans is an example of a kid who just knows how to play and takes what his teammates offer him when he makes himself available. Making shots from the outside, taking open looks and taking care of the basketball is a good recipe to being a winning high school player and Evans checks all those boxes.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["1543003"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Middletown earned their win over Winton Woods in front of almost a sold out crowd at Princeton High School. I was impressed with how Middletown made the hustle plays and took care of the basketball. Landers fit both of those descriptions as he attacked the rim with a lot of aggression. A strong player, you can see why Landers is so productive on the gridiron as well. Able to finish through contact and plays with good balance at the rim. Landers also drew a lot of contact on his drives, shooting 11 free throws. I thought Middletown also got solid production from [player_tooltip player_id='1773217' first='Chandler' last='Shields'], [player_tooltip player_id='1511821' first='Isaac' last='Stamper'] and Michael Maldonado in the win.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65e3535281200"} /-->