Switching over to Tuesday’s highly-anticipated matchup between Ridge View and Dorman, JT was a player who stepped up for the Blazers. He did a little bit of everything for them, tallying 7 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals, by my count. Although his rebounding was huge, particularly as Dorman’s interior defense began to wear down, the biggest play of the night from Vankallen came midway through the fourth quarter when he hit a clutch right-wing three to put Ridge View up 64-58. The Blazers will have a size advantage in their next matchup, so look for JT to be active and effective early.

Another player who was key to the Ridge View victory was Vankallen. He played a small-ball 5 for the entirety of the second half 23 total minutes off the bench in the win. Although listed at 6’3″, JT is a terrific athlete and plays bigger than his size due to his vertical and motor. Vankallen had several high-flying rebounds on both ends of the floor and was a crucial protector of the rim. He also drew a charge, had active feet on defense, and made key plays finishing through contact with his remarkably soft touch in the fourth quarter. Vankallen finished with 12 Points, 7 Rebounds, and 2 Blocks in the game.

Vankallen was one of the biggest stock risers in the most recent Prep Hoops SC Rankings so he’s someone we are eager to see on the floor again. He plays bigger than his size because he is such a hard worker and a good athlete. JT will also do all the dirty work for his team protecting the rim, fighting for defensive rebounds, and chasing down offensive ones too. He is also a very strong finisher capable of scoring through bigger bodies.

Josh is an explosive wing at times on the floor with his play. He plays with a motor that never seems to stop while he is on the floor. He really made a strong jump this time around from #65 to #20. Josh plays the game with plenty of physicality and looks to overpower defenders at times.

Vankallen was the toughest player on the floor today in the high-level matchup between the Blazers and Lexington. He was a beast on both boards, but the offensive end stood out as it was his main way of scoring and earned lots of extra opportunities for his team. Joshua’s athleticism allows him to play taller than he is and that is particularly evident around the basket. He is a good finisher around the rim and protects it very well, tallying 2 Blocks and affecting several more. He also chipped in with a couple of steals, showing his defensive engagement at all times. JT finished with 6 Points and 8 Rebounds in the win.