The Showcase Recap: Awards

<p>This past weekend, the premier multi-team event in the state took place at Cornerstone University. Henry Ford, Williamston, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, Detroit Edison, Northview, and Ferndale all picked up wins. Check out my notes and awards from the weekend below.</p> <h5>MVP</h5> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="787685" first="Kyler" last="Vanderjagt"], 6’4 G, Northview 2022”</strong><br /> No one made a louder splash than Northview’s [player_tooltip player_id="787685" first="Kyler" last="Vanderjagt"]. The senior guard announced himself as a frontrunner for Mr. Basketball, and Northview should be the odds-on favorite to make it to the Breslin for Division 1 teams out of the Grand Rapids area. Kyler couldn’t be stopped on Saturday as he used his dribble drive to penetrate Brother Rice’s defense time and time again for high percentage looks in the paint. His jumper was also dialed in, as Kyler hit several high-pressure shots. The play of the day belonged to Kyler, who tied the game with a double-clutch corner three with under 10 seconds left to send it to overtime. The Wildcats would go on to win in overtime and announce themselves as one of the best teams in the state.</p> <h5>Best Backcourt</h5> <p><strong>Anthony Figures and [player_tooltip player_id="1076029" first="Antwon" last="Davis"], Henry Ford</strong><br /> Henry Ford knocked off East Kentwood 57-55 in the opening game of The Showcase in what was the second-best game of the day, behind Brother Rice-Northview. The two-guard backcourt of Anthony Figures and [player_tooltip player_id="1076029" first="Antwon" last="Davis"] kept the East Kentwood defense honest throughout the game and made several big shots to help Henry Ford escape with a two-point win. Anthony Figures knifed through the Falcon defense for timely buckets in the second half, while [player_tooltip player_id="1076029" first="Antwon" last="Davis"] provided some clutch jumpers and a smooth shooting stroke in crunch time. The two guards are both listed under 5’10, yet both played well above their stature.</p> <h5>Best Big</h5> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="863935" first="Max" last="Burton"], 6’10 F, Williamston 2022”</strong><br /> Max had an efficient 16 points in Williamston’s 63-48 win over Grand Rapids Union. The senior big showed why he’s one of, if not the best shooting forwards in the state as he knocked down a barrage of triples to keep the Hornets in front of a pesky Union team. Max has a smoothness to his game that isn’t common among big men and should be something that translates well to the next level. Defensively, Max kept the glass clean for Williamston and made life hard on any Red Hawk that attempted a shot near the paint.</p> <h5>Stock Risers</h5> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="863933" first="Genesis" last="Kemp"], 6’7 F, Grand Rapids Union 2022”</strong><br /> Genesis quickly reminded everyone why he has been one of the more talked about recruits since he began high school. The 6’7 wing has as much athletic upside as anyone who played in The Showcase and he used that skillset to keep Union within striking distance for the majority of the game. He had 20 points via a handful of crafty drives, pull-up jumpers, and transition finishes. In my opinion, Genesis is one of the more underrated prospects in the 2022 class.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="864018" first="Jalen" last="Charity"], 6’5 G, Northview 2022”</strong><br /> Northview needed Jalen to put together a solid showing in order for the Wildcats to stay unbeaten ad did he ever deliver. In my opinion, this was Jalen’s best overall performance and the most complete game he’s played at Northview. Jalen went up against multiple future Division 1 athletes and got the better of them, finishing with 21 points which included several clutch shots in crunch time. Defensively, Jalen made [player_tooltip player_id="985661" first="Curtis" last="Williams"] and Johnathon Blackwell work for every look they got in the halfcourt.</p> <h5>Top Underclassmen</h5> <p><strong>Jah Hatchett, G, East Kentwood 2025”</strong><br /> East Kentwood’s record may not signify a good team, but despite their 3-9 mark, the Falcons are a tough out and play with intensity until the final whistle. The main proponent of that was freshman guard Jah Hatchett. He kept the Falcons in the game by cutting through the Henry Ford defense on several occasions for high percentage looks. I was equally impressed with his dribble-drive and poise he maintained for being a freshman in the premier multi-team event of the season. I fully expect Jah to be one of the area’s most versatile lead guards for the foreseeable future and someone who East Kentwood can build its program around.</p>