Unsung Heroes: Andover Central, Eisenhower, and KMC

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we prepare for a small holiday break and some upcoming tournaments ahead, I had the opportunity to witness some juniors who I believe are worth mentioning, just before the weekend. These guys either kept their respective teams in the game until the very end or propelled their squads to outright victory. Andover Central, Eisenhower, and Kapaun Mt. Carmel were all on my watchlist before the new year, and each one got a huge boost from their star Juniors right before the sleigh bells started ringing. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"CJ Allen","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77246","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Andover Central","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-694768b9d10b4"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Excels as a full-court perimeter defender. Does a great job of applying pressure on the ball handler at all times. CJ was also Andover Central's leading scorer against Eisenhower and the primary option with 20 points on the night. He did a good job of drawing fouls and getting to the FT line and making it count from the charity strike. CJ prefers to attack the rim off the dribble but is willing to shoot from long range when he's open. More importantly, he shows promise as a communicator and leader on the floor and is more than willing to give up the ball early in the offense in order for the team's ball movement to prevail. CJ's impact on the game makes and keeps the Andover Central Jaguars a threat in the new year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["3223897"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-694768b9d1142"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Solid finisher around the rim, especially with his left. Strong slasher and cutter. Cooper is a threat on the offensive glass and is one of those players who always finds his way to the ball, regardless of whether a play is drawn up for him or not. Was very effective scoring in multiple ways against Andover Central, from the FT line to taking it to the basket off the dribble. Cooper's overall athleticism is something that needs to be accounted for as the new year approaches. As a runner from baseline to baseline, he can wreak havoc in a fast break. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2395695"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-694768b9d1192"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Prayers for his speedy recovery in the new year after a scary fall on his neck and shoulder against Wichita East after what seemed like a dunk attempt. Before this frightening injury that delayed the game for roughly 30 minutes or more, Jordan was the game's best player and the only guy who had anything going between the two teams. His cutting and slashing to the basket was textbook, and he was finishing strong around the rim to boot. He was starting to expand his game on the perimeter as well, with a few mid-range buckets that had KMC in complete control of the game against Wichita East, and Jordan spearheaded the movement while playing with fired-up energy that ignited KMC to rally against the Blue Aces. After Jordan's injury, the team rallied around his efforts and completed the onslaught for a 60-23 victory over Wichita East in a Greater Wichita Athletic League(GWAL) game last week, as they remain undefeated @ 4-0 so far this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->