Underrated Names: State Championship Edition

A lot was on the line over the weekend. State titles, legacies and bragging rights all came into play on the last day of the season. Many of the games featured household names and Division I signees from across the state. today, we will take a look at some players that may be seen as "under the radar". These players made a massive impact for each of their teams this season and are a big reason why their programs were able to have so much success in both the regular and postseason.    While Fairland came up short in the title game, losing to Dale, Schertz was a big bright spot for his team. The 6'4" guard proved to be one of the best athletes on the court and showed an ability to hang in the air and finish around the rim. The senior was able to get downhill and attack off the bounce, putting pressure on Dale defenders early and often. Carson is a long athlete that continues to show the state that he can be dynamic with the ball in his hands.     Royal is a strong wing that uses his body and frame well on both ends of the floor. Against Newcastle, Royal moved his feet well at 220 pounds and cut off perimeter drives from the opposition. Offensively, he is at his best when he can get his shoulders even with perimeter defenders, as his strength allows him to turn the corner and keep opponents on his hip. Royal also wanted the ball down the stretch and continued to attack in clutch moments. His drive with under a minute to play, put the Titans up by two. Unfortunately, Newcastle made the plays from there on and secured the title, 44-43.     Meely was major complement to [player_tooltip player_id='1672779' first='Denton' last='Forsythe'] in the title game. The junior added eight points in the first half and was also able to alter both shots and passes with his extremely long wingspan. Meely was able to take advantage of his length inside around the rim and converted in the paint. Meely has been very efficient from beyond the arc but against Fairland, his inside game proved to be too much for the Owls.     [player_tooltip player_id='1552339' first='Kolton' last='Brammer'] stole the show with his clutch play, however, Folsom played steady as he has all season. Continuing to run the show on offense and provide intensity on the defensive end of the floor. The junior navigated traffic on multiple occasions. On the other end of the floor, he provided a lot of resistance and ball pressure in the low scoring affair. While the game was won in overtime, Joey produced a big defensive stand at the end of regulation that proved to be a major moment in the game.     The matchup between Newcastle and Carl Albert was a defensive battle for much of the evening. Antwi-Donkor was pivotal for the Racers, as his length provided them with some strong defense on the perimeter. The senior also helped find Brammer for a pair of three pointers, reading the defense and finding the hot hand. Ivan also helped chip in himself on offense, providing some tough baskets with his ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the bucket. While Brammer led his team down the stretch, it was a team effort on both ends of the floor and Antwi-Donkor continued to show why he has been so important to his team this season.

A lot was on the line over the weekend. State titles, legacies and bragging rights all came into play on the last day of the season. Many of the games featured household names and Division I signees from across the state. today, we will take a look at some players that may be seen as "under the radar". These players made a massive impact for each of their teams this season and are a big reason why their programs were able to have so much success in both the regular and postseason.