Governors Challenge: Local Standouts

Ian was a consistent force over the course of his two outings at the Gov Challenge. Impressed with the awareness he possesses on both sides of the ball. Always seems to be in the perfect position to make a quick layup or come down with the rebound inside. Ian was all over the paint, securing a 14-point double-double in the Bracket Championship match. Handled himself well when the defense closed in or when facing additional pressure inside. Good backside/help defender - ended a lot of possessions by coming over and making a play on the ball, whether that be at the basket or before the shot goes up. Great weekend for the big man as he puts his name on the map as an impact unsigned senior prospect.     Dez stepped up in a big way for the Crusaders in their championship run at the Governors Cup. Riverdale Baptist was dealing with a bit of adversity during the game but Dez helped clean up the damage done to gut out an overtime win. He was all over the glass, pulling down a lot of second-chance opportunities for the team. After DJ went down alongside Dez in the frontcourt, Dez picked up the scoring and aggression the Crusaders were lacking. Made a lot of plays underneath the rim using his strength and IQ to outwork the opponents. His effort on both ends of the floor helped the Crusaders come back and take the W in overtime.     Matthew was a constant force for Gilman in a tough matchup at the Gov Challenge. He could do a lot of different things on the floor for Gilman, while remaining a factor on the defensive end. Made some big shots to try to close the distance on the scoreboard. Matthew was decisive with the ball and could be counted on to make the right play with the ball. Stayed ready off the catch and defended the opposing team's best player more times than not. Very impactful player on the floor.     Jafet showcased exactly why he earned himself a scholarship at the Division-1 level (Delaware). Jafet was the all-around producer for EC, making plays dishing the ball to his scorers and also creating shots for himself off the dribble. His vision was very impressive, as he found his guys constantly through the game. Made some passes even beyond halfcourt after grabbing the rebound. Jafet was effective from the mid-post position, and just as effective slashing the basket and his matchup 1 on 1. On the defensive end, Jafet was very active and sent back a plethora of layups. Really imposed his will defensively. Drew many fouls and picked up a lot of points en route to a comfortable win.     Andrew played an impressive game through an intense and high-energy contest. He ended the game in double-digits scoring-wise, collecting 13 important points along with 9 rebounds. Andrew looked as smooth as ever from inside the paint. Didn't rush his looks at the rim and ook the time to find the best shot available before takng his attempt. Had a few moments in the game that he had to muscle off smaller opponents and still get his shot up, which he did successfully more then once. Andrew played sound fundamental defense that earned him a couple blocks and forced a lot of misses. Andrew played a winning brand of basketball and stood out to me because of how he starred in his role for John Carroll.     Corey had quite the efficient performance in his team's final game/win for the Bracket Championship. He was able to get whatever he wanted offensively, blowing by his matchup at the right times or exploiting the defense and sharing the wealth by way of the pass. Led his SMCA squad in scoring with an eye-catching 20 points. Spread the ball around well, finishing with 5 assists on the game. Nowhere that Corey couldn't get to on the floor. He could use his cat-quick first step to get by the defense and score, or bully his way to the rim with his stature and strength with the ball. This game was easy for Corey to attack in spurts and let the shot find him. Liked the way he took what the defense gave and got up clean shots beyond the arc and inside the perimeter.      Junior forward Michael Jones-Lloyd showed pretty well in his team's down-to-the-wire Championship game. Stretched his impact beyond just scoring the ball. He showed he can be a reliable player down the stretch that can make winning plays. Finished well at the basket although he could've been stronger with the body a couple times. Played some efficient defense and helped with his height against a smaller Riverdale B squad.