EDC Game Report: Davies v. Shanley

<p>With an early season match-up between the Davies Eagles and Shanely Deacons taking place this last Tuesday, I was very eager to see how things would unfold. Would Shanley’s top guys be able to pull off the upset, or would the abundance of talent that the Eagles posses just be too much to handle. Well, it turns out that the latter of the two would be the outcome. After walking out of that gym, I knew that coach Bart Manson had one of the best teams in the state on his hands, and he knew just how to play to their strengths. </p> <p>Davies Eagles</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="812229" first="Ian" last="Motschenbacher"]</p> <p>Ian is one of the best guards in all of North Dakota, and in the game on Tuesday he showed us why. With an array of skilled and tough finishes including a dunk, impressive court vision, gritty on-ball defense, and a crafty mid range game, the Davies senior poses a threat to any team in the conference. When its all said and done, don't be surprised if this kid is named the Eastern Dakota Conference Player of the Year</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1169136" first="Mason" last="Klabo"]</p> <p>As just a freshman who starts varsity for one of the best teams in the state, it was pretty crazy to hear [player_tooltip player_id="1169136" first="Mason" last="Klabo"] getting "overrated" chants from the opposing student section. Did it bother him? Absolutely not. This kid plays with a confidence and swagger that you just do not see with players his age. Whether its driving into the lane for an and-1 finish, finding an opening in the mid range for a jumper, coming off of a screen to shoot a three, or hitting a teammate in the lane, Klabo can and did do it all. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1161524" first="Daniel" last="Yorke"]</p> <p>For a kid who is just getting his first taste of varsity basketball, sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="1161524" first="Daniel" last="Yorke"] looked like an experienced player on the court against Shanley. With explosive drives by his defender, a smooth looking shot, high energy, and good court vision, Yorke will be a difference maker for the Eagles all season. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1050247" first="Raymond" last="Brown"]</p> <p>Hard worker, hard worker, hard worker. Sorry, thats the first thing that comes to mind after watching [player_tooltip player_id="1050247" first="Raymond" last="Brown"] play. This kid is all over the court during a game, and his hustle creates opportunities for the entire team. Not only that, but Brown is active on the offensive boards, a good finisher around the rim, and splashed multiple shots from beyond the arc. I also can’t forget to mention that he spent a good amount of time guarding six foot seven Deacon [player_tooltip player_id="1128188" first="Conner" last="Kraft"], and held his own very nicely. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1167651" first="Max" last="Froslie"]</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1167651" first="Max" last="Froslie"] might just be one of the more interesting players to watch on the Eagles squad. This kid is tall and long, with the ability to move around the court as if he’s a guard. Against Shanley, Max showed his basketball IQ with a great cut and finish at the rim along with displaying a smooth three pointer in the second half. I fully expect Froslie to get better with each and every game, and show us why he’s considered one of the best players in his class. </p> <p>Shanley Deacons</p> <p>Jack Pollert</p> <p>Although things didn’t go as planned for the Deacons, we still have some great players to talk about. First up is senior forward Jack Pollert, a guy who finished well at the rim, showed skill from the outside, and played with tight fundamentals. Without Jack, things would have gotten a lot messier for the Deacons, and I expect him to continue to be a key player as the season moves along. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1128188" first="Conner" last="Kraft"]</p> <p>High ceiling, that’s what I think of when I see the name [player_tooltip player_id="1128188" first="Conner" last="Kraft"]. As a six foot seven inch forward for the Shanley Deacons, Kraft has the potential to be a legit player at the next level. Against Davies, the junior showed athletic rebounding, skill from the mid range, disruptive defense in the paint, and the ability to get up and dunk with ease. I was also very impressed with how positive Conner stayed when things weren’t going his way in the first half, and that payed off as he played much better in the second. With Shanley starting off the year 0-2, expect Kraft to rise to the occasion and put his team on the right track.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1123122" first="Tyler" last="Kraft"]</p> <p>After watching the game unfold last Tuesday night, I’m convinced that senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="1123122" first="Tyler" last="Kraft"] is one of the most skilled players in the conference. The Deacon showed off an impressive jab step, lethal mid range game, and tough on-ball defense. Tyler also showed how talented he is at the catch and shoot, knocking down multiple shots coming off a screen. I really enjoyed watching this kid play, and there is no doubt that he will have a great senior year. </p>