5A Game Feature: Highland Park over Aquinas

<p>There were a lot of great 5A ball games Tuesday night. One that promised a glimpse at the present and the future was the meeting between Highland Park and Aquinas.</p> <p>Highland Park, the #3 seed in the East, got by the 14^th seeded Saints 78-65. They will host Piper on Friday. Here are some players who stood out from Tuesday night’s action:</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1300865" first="Ketraleus" last="Aldridge"], 6-foot-4 forward, 2023, Highland Park:</p> <p>The ultra-explosive Aldridge showed off a full bag of tricks Tuesday. He handled the ball under pressure and hit from deep. He found open teammates off the bounce. But it was his incredible spring that always jumps out. He was a beast on the defensive glass, got a few tip ins at the offensive end, and blocked a few shots. Most impressive where when he practically reached the rafters to intercept a long pass, and when, with no momentum, he leaped off two feet from the low block to dunk with both hands. He tallied 27 points on some impressive efficiency.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1076400" first="Juan’Tario" last="Roberts"], 5-foot-10 guard, 2022, Highland Park:</p> <p>The Scots have ball handlers who can beat a defender off the dribble or fly down the open court. But Roberts is their best option to penetrate for a score in the half court set. For years, the senior has been getting to the rack, scoring in traffic or drawing fouls on penetration. He’s the senior leader and by far most experienced player on the team. Roberts got 24 against Aquinas.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1185196" first="Ryan" last="Yankovich"]</strong>, 6-foot-6 forward, 2022, Aquinas (pictured):</p> <p>Yankovich may not have posted huge numbers as a senior, but he was by far the Saints top performer in his final game. He showed a lot of low post moves, and was effective popping into the lane to catch and shoot. He used his quick spring and high release to get shots off in traffic, and he showed nice touch off the glass. He fought hard for rebounds, particularly going aggressively after misses on the offensive end. He had 21 points and provided most of the Aquinas offense for the first three periods.</p> <p><strong>Will Goode</strong>, 6-foot-9 center, 2025, Aquinas:</p> <p>The game didn’t go the way the Saints would have liked, but it provided a great look at what could be the future for Aquinas. Goode was…better than good Tuesday night. He is a powerful, physical specimen in the paint with good hands and great touch on his jumper from all the way out to the arc. He even buried a 3-pointer late. He also showed some ability to pass in the high post, and grabbed a lot of boards.</p> <p><strong>Isaiah Freeman</strong>, 6-foot-1 guard, 2025, Aquinas:</p> <p>Freeman brought some energy off the Aquinas bench and wasn’t the least bit overmatched by the athletic Scots. In fact, a couple of the most interesting series came when Freeman was assigned to guard Aldridge. Freeman blocked two of Aldridge’s shots in the lane in one possession. Though he’s listed at 6-foot-1, Freeman looked the 6-foot-4 Aldridge eye to eye, so he’s probably a little taller. He is quick and confident and looked ready for more varsity action. Freeman hit a 3-pointer to boot.</p>