Prep Hoops KY 10 Best: Franklin-Simpson vs. Greenwood (1/17/17)
Franklin-Simpson and Greenwood squared off in a Region 4 vs. Region 4 matchup on Tuesday night Franklin, Ky. In what would be a very intriguing high school basketball game, the Wildcats and Gators went back-and-forth all throughout the contest, but only one team could win.
Both clubs went at it from the ball was thrown up to the final buzzer, as numerous players had big outings, but one athlete from each side outdid the rest. Thanks to a stellar performance from Tavin Lovan, Franklin-Simpson used a big fourth quarter run and won a hard-fought contest over a dominant Greenwood club, led by stellar guard Dawson Crump, by a score of 60-51.
- Most Valuable Player: Tavin Lovan, Franklin-Simpson — The do-it-all guard/forward was the Wildcats’ main leader on Tuesday. The senior, who is a double-double machine, scored 26 points while also pulling down 10 total rebounds, with eight of those being off the offensive glass. It took Lovan a little while to get into a rhythm, but once he did, he took control of the affair and led the Wildcats all throughout the night.
- Play of the Game: Tavin Lovan’s put-back dunk, Franklin-Simpson — Tavin Lovan’s put-back slam dunk was very easily the play of the game. Ollie Eutsey shot a jumper and when it left his hand Lovan saw an opening in the lane and ran in, met the ball when it came off of the rim and put it back in with authority. The score increased the Purples’ run to 5-0, at the time.
- Best Offensive Performance: Dakota Thomas, Franklin-Simpson — Thomas put on an impressive offensive performance on Tuesday night. Thomas is physically gifted and was virtually unstoppable knocking down big-time shots on Saturday. He scored 15 points and helped his Wildcats club hold an eight-point lead over Greenwood at halftime. Thomas’ scoring were courtesy of four three-pointers and an and-one.
- Best Defensive Performance: Dawson Crump, Greenwood — Crump made his defensive presence felt all night long. The flashy guard played tenacious defense and made many crucial steals. He also scored 14 points to lead the Gators.
- Best Guy off the Bench: Will Moody, Franklin-Simpson — Moody came off the bench on Tuesday and contributed in a big way. He may of not filled the stat sheet, but he played tenacious defense, knocked down a big three-pointer amd set up opportunities for his teammates and followed head coach Dee Spencer’s play calls.
- Best Intangibles: Ollie Eutsey, Franklin-Simpson — Eutsey’s toughness and competitiveness stood out all throughout the game. He possessed a high basketball IQ and made the right basketball plays throughout the game. Eutsey set excellent screens and found himself a couple of opportunities to knock down big three’s.
- Best Under-The-Radar Performance: Luke Littrell, Greenwood — Although most of his scoring came in the first half, Littrell hit big shots and was the backbone of the Gators’ club on Tuesday. He hustled, played tenacious defense and helped get others involved while also contributing points wise, as he finished with 14 for the game.
- Best Underclassman: Jack Roberts, Greenwood — Roberts, a sophomore, played well all game long and is the best underclassman on Greenwood’s squad. Each game, he plays like an upperclassmen by knocking down big shots and controlling the tempo of the contest.
- Best Rebounder: Tavin Lovan, Franklin-Simpson — Lovan grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds in the game. He made a handful of crucial rebounds Tuesday that set up scoring opportunities on the opposite end of the court, as well as offensive boards that gave his team second chances.
- Best Coaching Decision/Strategy: Spencer‘s playcalling, Franklin-Simpson — The best coaching decision or strategy of the game was Coach Dee Spencer’s playcalling all throughout the course of the contest. From the time the ball was thrown up to the final buzzer, Spencer used his jam-packed basketball mind and guided the Wildcats to a bounce-back win over Greenwood.