North Central Sectionals: Which prospects shined?

The IHSAA State Series has officially kicked off. We went to Muncie Central to see the first round of play between, Mt. Vernon and Richmond as well as Green Field and Pendleton Heights. From those games, a couple of players stuck out.    [player_tooltip player_id='1296984' first='Braylon' last='Mullins'] is a stud. I was impressed by his shooting range—he pulled up from the logo on multiple occasions and drained his shots. But he's not just a deep threat; he is great from mid-range and inside. Using a smooth floater and a solid pull-up jumper   Mullins has great ball-handling skills and opens his own shot opportunities. He also displays impeccable court vision, consistently finding open teammates. Mullins showed grit and heart taking a rough fall trying to save the ball from going out of bounds. Seeming a little banged up he shook himself off and got back to play.   Defensively, he was a pest on the perimeter. His quick hands and flawless timing made it very difficult to get past him, he was always applying pressure and disrupted passing lanes. When he was subbed out, he received a standing ovation from the Greenfield-Central fans.     Mikey started the game at center, winning the tip-off. But he played more like a guard. He played until late in the third quarter, never missing a beat, and playing with high energy. Most of his points came from the paint, where he either would finish strong at the rim or draw a foul and would make most of his free-throws.   Mikey electrified the crowd with his physical play, even throwing down two dunks. He was active on the boards, grabbing multiple offensive rebounds and often putting the ball back up—unless he spotted an open teammate beyond the arc.   He was constantly setting off-ball screens and was usually the first on his team to get back on defense. He also showed his defensive presence with a couple of impressive blocks. When he checked out of the game, he earned a well-deserved standing ovation from the Greenfield-Central fans.     Max is an athletic big man who made an impact on both ends of the court. He was always in the action, and always finding ways to contribute. When Ertel was off the floor, Vise became the team's primary scorer, consistently creating opportunities for himself in the paint.   Early in the game, he missed a couple of shots, but he turned up in the second half. Showing a never-give-up attitude. A real force to be reckoned with inside, he was relentless in his pursuit of rebounds and put-backs. Even when he struggled, he never took a play-off. On a couple of occasions, he grabbed his own rebound and put the ball back up for second-chance points.     Ertel plays with an aggressive style, constantly cutting and finding open space beyond the arc. He started the game by making two deep threes. One from the logo. On back-to-back possessions, following up his great shots with a solid defensive play breaking up a pass.   He was always ready for fast-break opportunities and was good at drawing fouls on layups. At the free-throw line, he was remarkably consistent, missing only one attempt in the game I watched. His high-intensity playstyle was evident in his smooth euro step and a couple of crafty layups.   Ertel also excelled at finding open teammates. Many times, he would make a pass and then cut toward the basket, often getting himself open in the process. If he wasn't, he found ways to relocate and create his own mid-range scoring opportunities.     Cooper was Pendleton's main scorer. He's the type of player who elevates his teammates' play on both sides of the ball. Bringing an energy to the court.   He was at the heart of most of their plays, threading passes through tight windows or using his teammates' screens and his off-ball movement to get open. He was a threat from deep and a solid finisher inside, making him a well-rounded offensive weapon.

The IHSAA State Series has officially kicked off. We went to Muncie Central to see the first round of play between, Mt. Vernon and Richmond as well as Green Field and Pendleton Heights. From those games, a couple of players stuck out.