South Finals: Six Names That Showed Out Before Noon

The South Finals in Farmers Branch brought some really strong basketball early. Guards were making winning plays all morning. Getting downhill, making reads, defending, and setting the tone with toughness. The bigs were active on the glass and physical around the rim. Defensive stops, second-effort plays, and high motor basketball stood out before noon even hit.    Mark Floyd, a 6'8" center, had his fingerprints all over the closing moments of this game. Made two massive defensive stops in the paint during the final minute. Used his length, width, and quick feet to completely shut down scoring chances at the rim. Blocked a shot, immediately fired the outlet pass, sprinted the floor, and delivered a dime to Tyler Spraggins on a cut to put his team up two. Then came right back and made another stop defensively to finish the game off.     Tyler feels like the heartbeat of this team. True floor general that keeps everybody connected and organized possession to possession. Constantly putting teammates in the right spots and delivering passes on time and right into scoring windows. Makes smart cuts without the ball and understands how to keep the offense flowing. Defensively, he'll crawl into you for 94 feet and make you work the entire game. Tough kid. Fierce competitor. Winning player.     Jace was a constant interior presence throughout the game. Lived on the offensive glass and kept possessions alive with effort and toughness. Had one of the better hustle plays of the game when he sprinted back and blocked a layup attempt in transition. Also made a strong baseline attack to finish at the rim through traffic. Determined rebounder that brings energy and physicality around the basket.     Strong inside presence all game. Used good footwork around the basket and stayed under control playing through traffic. Caught the ball on the wing and immediately hit a cutting teammate for an easy score. Stayed active without the ball instead of standing and watching possessions. Rebounded on both ends, protected the paint, and had a block shot that instantly turned into a fast-break chance the other way. Did a lot of the dirty work that helps teams win.     Kelton kept showing up around the paint making winning plays. Used his length and long arms to control the interior and rebound through traffic. Catches the ball high and finishes high with power and touch around the rim. Also flashed passing feel, putting the ball where defenders had no chance to get to it. Defensively, he rotated over on help side action and protected the basket when guards got beat. Big body. Active motor. Impacted the game without needing the offense built around him.     Moves well in space and goes and gets rebounds. Consistently makes contact on box outs and works to finish possessions. Stayed disciplined defensively in ball-you-man positioning so he could see both the action and his assignment. Rotated over to help when guards got beat and covered up drives at the rim. When his man lifted out, he closed out correctly and took away the outside shot. High-IQ defender that understands team defense and positioning.

The South Finals in Farmers Branch brought some really strong basketball early. Guards were making winning plays all morning. Getting downhill, making reads, defending, and setting the tone with toughness. The bigs were active on the glass and physical around the rim. Defensive stops, second-effort plays, and high motor basketball stood out before noon even hit.