2K Showcase: First Weekend Takeaways

The 2K Showcase at Aquinas College completed the first of two Saturday events this past weekend. Four east-side teams and four west-side teams battled throughout the day with the east side taking three of four games. Be sure to check out who I tabbed as <a href="https://prephoops.com/2023/01/2k-showcase-first-weekend-mvps/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MVPs of the tournament</a> as well.   [player_tooltip player_id='1356946' first='Travis' last='Ambrose'], 6'8 F, Muskegon Reeths Puffer 24"   [player_tooltip player_id='1356946' first='Travis' last='Ambrose'] was the most dominant all around player in game one. He was too much to handle for Catholic Central's bigs as Amrbose converted several second-chance opportunities. Travis did a great job of keeping the ball chin high and finished over double teams on multiple possessions. Travis flashed a bit of his potential at the next level with an excellent iso move that resulted with him knocking down a jumper in the midrange. Defensively, Travis did a good job of taking away any second-chance opportunites, and erased a couple of shots with his length.   [player_tooltip player_id='1112299' first='Jaxson' last='Whitaker'], 6'4 G, Muskegon Reeths Puffer 24"   Jaxson had an excellent first half, scoring 16 of his 18 points to help Reeths Puffer stay within striking distance of Detroit Catholic Central at the break. I thought Jaxson did a good job of taking what the defense gave him to get his 18 points. He knocked down open jumpers and deferred to his teammates when the Shamrocks sent help. Jaxson also fed his big man with great passes all game and did a good job overall operating the Rockets' offense.   [player_tooltip player_id='1130666' first='Josh' last='Ross'], 6'5 F, Detroit Catholic Central 23"   Josh was one of the most active rebounders of the day, and created a handful of extra possessions for Detroit Catholic Central in the final minutes of the game. I thought he did everything he could to limit Reeths Puffer's big man, [player_tooltip player_id='1356946' first='Travis' last='Ambrose'] from taking over in the paint. Despite giving up four-five inches on Ambrose, Josh won the battle on the glass on multiple possessions thanks to his physicality and good box-outs.   EJ Jones, 6'0 G, Reeths Puffer 23"   EJ played an excellent game for Reeths-Puffer, providing a scoring burst and high energy on both ends of the court. EJ knocked down a handful of threes which provided a nice momentum boost for Reeths-Puffer in the second half. EJ also got his hands dirty for loose balls and put his body on the line in order for the Rockets to maintain possession. His nine points in the second half were nearly enough for the Rockets to come away with the win, and should one of the main positive takeways Rocket players and fans take away from the day.   [player_tooltip player_id='1587858' first='TJ' last='Nadeau'], Detroit Catholic Central 24"   TJ had an efficient offensive game for the Shamrocks, scoring 16 points in Detroit Catholic Central's win over Reeths Puffer. The senior guard did the majority of his damage in the midrange where he showed off a couple of smooth pull-up jumpers from the foul line extended. TJ finished one play by knocking down a 10-foot floater off one foot, further showing he can knock down tough shots with a hand in his face.   Jonathon Coffey, 6'7 F, Detroit King 24"   Detroit King won by a comfortable margin over Unity Christian, and Jonathon was arguably the most dominant player of the day, mainly because of his work in the paint. Jonathon was great in pick-and-roll sets and did a good job of sealing lanes for his teammates to drive to the rim. Jonathon was as effective on the glass for King and produced a number of second-chance points.   Colin Nieuwenhuis, G, Unity Christian 24"   Unity struggled as a whole to get an offense going, however, Colin was a bright spot for Unity in that regard. Colin knocked down a handful of perimeter shots, getting good lift and holding a consistent follow-through on his jumpers. I thought Colin played with good pace and brought an overall burst of energy to Unity's offense.   [player_tooltip player_id='1373853' first='Jake' last='Chapman'], Unity Christian 25"   Just looking at Jake, you can see the potential. The 6'7 sophomore is long, athletic, and has a wingspan that is highly coveted by collegiate basketball programs. Jake still has a ways to go in his development, but his natural feel for the game combined with his athleticism and motor should make him one of the more sought-after prospects in the 2025 class.   Nate Brinks, 6'1 G, South Christian 23"   South Christian had the most dominant performance of any west-side team and one of the prospects who stood out to me the most was senior guard Nate Brinks. Nate was a calming presence when the game was in question in the early portions of the contest and made several heads-up plays that prevented turnovers for the Sailors. Nate's defense also stood out as one of the most consistent performers on that end of the court all day.   [player_tooltip player_id='1437543' first='Jace' last='Petree'], 6'4 G, Detroit Edison 25"   Jace had his jumper dialed in from the beginning, and did everything he could offensively to keep Edison within striking distance of South Christian. Jace's energy and confidence that he plays with is evident as he knocked down multiple tough shots over an outstretched hand. I was most impressed with Jace's competitive drive and willingness to compete even with the score out of hand.

The 2K Showcase at Aquinas College completed the first of two Saturday events this past weekend. Four east-side teams and four west-side teams battled throughout the day with the east side taking three of four games. Be sure to check out who I tabbed as MVPs of the tournament as well.