State Tournament Recap: Class A First Round

<p><em>This week brings about the NSAA Boys State Basketball Tournaments in Lincoln. All six classes will crown champions this coming Saturday at Pinnacle Bank Arena, with the state tournaments stretched out to 5 days instead of the traditional 3-day long weekend format. Here are some prospects who stood out in the first round of play from the Class A Boys Basketball Tournament. </em></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="773443" first="Hunter" last="Sallis"] - 6’5 Senior (Millard North)</strong></p> <p>After a slow start for the Mustangs on Tuesday, Sallis took over in the second half of their first-round matchup against rival Millard South. He reminded those in attendance at Pinnacle Bank Arena why he’s not only the top recruit in the state of Nebraska but one of the top prospects in the entire country. Sallis’ patented pull-up elbow jumper is one of the best I have ever seen in person. Sallis also used his bag of finishing moves around the rim to avoid contact and finish strong. He also shot it well from outside finishing 3-5 from 3 point range. Sallis makes scoring look effortless from all 3 levels, and as we approach his commitment date, I’m sure he will have a tournament to remember as he looks to finish his high school career as a state champion. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="958192" first="Ryan" last="Larsen"] - 6’3 Senior (Millard West)</strong></p> <p>I have been saying all year that Larsen is one of the better shooters from distance in not just Class A but in the state as a whole. In Tuesday’s upset victory over Lincoln Pius X, Larsen led the Wildcats with 17 points on the contest, which included three huge makes from beyond the arch. He also had a couple of tough finishes at the rim as well. On the defensive end, Larsen used his good length for his size to defend Pius’ guards well both inside and on the perimeter. Larsen plays smart, and when his shots are falling the Wildcats are a tough team to play. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="982462" first="Brayden" last="McPhail"] - 5’10 Junior (Lincoln East)</strong></p> <p>McPhail is about as tough and gritty as they come when it comes to guards in Nebraska, as is the case with teammate [player_tooltip player_id="890474" first="Carter" last="Glenn"] who found himself in foul trouble for most of the night. McPhail stepped up big time and played tough for all 32 minutes of the Spartans’ clash with Bellevue West tallying 17 points on an efficient 8-11 shooting. McPhail has a nice mid-range jump shot and is also a skilled finisher around the basket. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="890486" first="Graham" last="Cassoutt"] - 6’7 Senior (Papillion La-Vista South)</strong></p> <p>The Titans gave #3 seed Creighton Prep all they could handle in the first round and that was thanks to a big shooting night from senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="890486" first="Graham" last="Cassoutt"]. Finishing the game with 18 points, which included a 4-6 tally from 3, Cassoutt kept the Titans in the game for most of the night. There aren’t many 6’7 prospects in the state who can stretch the floor offensively as Graham can. He also is a solid defender and uses his length to his advantage when walling up inside. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="946022" first="Mai’jhe" last="Wiley"] - 6’3 Senior (Omaha Creighton Prep)</strong></p> <p>Some people say that the most important players in a state tournament setting are the roll guys. This was the case for Creighton Prep on Tuesday night as they found a spark from senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="946022" first="Mai’jhe" last="Wiley"]. He’s received some interest from GPAC schools and is still uncommitted. Wiley made some big shots down the stretch to help the Junior Jays advance both inside at the rim, and from beyond the arch. He’s a tough, hard-nosed guard who defends very tough as well. Wiley could play a very key roll for Prep as they look to return to the state championship game this year.</p>