May Day Challenge – Top Performers
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This past weekend we had the opportunity to drop by Reynolds High School for the HoopSource May Day Challenge and catch a handful of games, mostly from the 17U/18U and 15U levels, including the 17U/18U East championship game which was…
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Continue ReadingThis past weekend we had the opportunity to drop by Reynolds High School for the HoopSource May Day Challenge and catch a handful of games, mostly from the 17U/18U and 15U levels, including the 17U/18U East championship game which was captured by Carr Sports Academy in thrilling fashion, 84-82.
Here’s a quick look at some of the top performers in the 17U/18U division with a focus on Sunday’s action.
If there was an MVP named it likely would have been Spafford. The rising Milwaukee senior simply couldn’t be stopped on the offensive end, especially on Sunday as he was draining shots left and right, whether it was catching and shooting off the ball or using the dribble to create for himself. Spafford even used his little nudge into his defender and fall-down move to convert a couple of traditional and-one opportunities. Far from just being a gunner, he also showed in a couple of games his ability to run the point and find open teammates for scores. A true competitor, Spafford has a little bit of that chip on his shoulder “edge” that led to Carr Sports Academy winning the title.
Highlights
Pickett had an outstanding tournament and was hard for defenders to contain. The rising Putnam senior used his sweet lefty stroke to can shots from the outside but also sliced and diced his way into the lane for a number of finishes around the rim. One of 5A’s leaders in steals this past season, he used his length and quick hands to really disrupt passing lanes which led to a number of turnovers and easy buckets in transition. It was his score at the buzzer of the 17U/18U title game that gave Carr Sports Academy the victory.
McKenzie was the find of the weekend. With his solid 6-foot-5 frame and soft touch inside, he was able to really make a difference down low but also flashed his athleticism with a number of finishes in transition. He was a real factor on the boards and helped out defensively as well. McKenzie was a deep reserve on last year’s Central Catholic 6A title team but has since transferred and is now at Franklin and is a sleeper name in the Class of 2025 to watch out for.
Highlights
One of the top scorers on the weekend was Cordle. The rising South Albany senior shot the ball fairly well from the outside but made his mark using a quick first step to get to the basket and finish around the hoop, often using a number of creative flip shots and floaters. He was often in attack mode the second he got the basketball, but didn’t overly force the issue and made good decisions.
Hard-nosed play, stick ’em defense, and all-out hustle is what we’ve come to expect from Reyes – and he certainly displayed that the entire weekend for Oregon Prospects. What the rising Mountainside senior also showed was supreme confidence in his jumper and his marksmanship from three ranked him as one of the best outside shooters we saw in the tournament. He was a knockdown shooter from deep but also was good with his mid-range floater as well.
While the Prospects South team didn’t make the finals, they almost made it there thanks to Bentea. The rising Roseburg senior had his shot on lock all weekend long and they weren’t just open jumpers as he was nailing shots often with a hand in his face. He was all over the place on the boards and on defense and a knock to his forehead drawing blood didn’t prevent him from going all-out. One of the toughest competitors in the Class of 2025 unquestionably.