Shane’s Top Players from Districts – NWO

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This Past Saturday in NWO I went to two Disticti Finals games. The first was a D3 game as Margaretta beat Genoa 59-47 and a D2 game as Central Catholic came back to beat Scott 44-41. This article will talk about the top players from these games. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1827697"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Washington is just different. He simply does some things on the court that are different and no one else in the gym can do. He is one of the most athletic players I've seen this year. He is a tall and long guard with next-level atheism already as a sophomore. In a packed gym for a district title, he was one of the very few players who seemed to be comfortable and confident in the environment. Genoa had no one that could stay in front of him and that led to stopping him from being a team effort. He felt this and did a really good job of dishing it to teammates. He got to the rim and finished with ease. He got to the free throw line consistently and knocked down free throws. I am a big fan of this kid. u003ca href=u0022https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/Julian-Washington_DF1.jpgu0022u003eu003cimg class=u0022size-medium wp-image-2373555 alignrightu0022 src=u0022https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/Julian-Washington_DF1.jpg?w=300u0022 alt=u0022u0022 width=u0022300u0022 height=u0022200u0022 /u003eu003c/au003e","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["2140535"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Mack-Russell does not play like any normal freshman. I say this because the freshman is usually the most athletic kid on the court consistently. He has a bounce in his step when he runs and is a springy athlete. He played with much aggression and confidence all game. He has a great competitive spirit. He is a really good slasher who can get to the rim consistently and uses his length very well to finish. He has a great length and then uses it extremely well on both ends of the floor. He brought in a ton of rebounds. Mack-Russell was the highest scorer in his district game against Scott with 20 points. u003ca href=u0022https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/isaiah-Mack-Russell-DF.jpgu0022u003eu003cimg class=u0022size-medium wp-image-2373556 alignrightu0022 src=u0022https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/isaiah-Mack-Russell-DF.jpg?w=300u0022 alt=u0022u0022 width=u0022300u0022 height=u0022200u0022 /u003eu003c/au003e","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["1985934"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='1985934' first='Manny' last='Johnson'] singled handily put the team on his back in the 4th quarter and gave the Irish their only lead of the game with 2 minutes left. After being a defensive hound with his length and full-court defensive pressure. He made every dribble difficult for Scott's guards. Then he finally got a huge three to fall in the fourth to bring that game within three. The next possession came down and hit another one to tie the game. With all the momentum on Central's side, he hit a tightly contested layup to give the Irish the lead that would not give back up and win the district. It was one of the better 4th quarters from an individual player I have seen this year. u003ca href=u0022https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/Manny-Johnson-DF.jpgu0022u003eu003cimg class=u0022size-medium wp-image-2373557 alignrightu0022 src=u0022https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/Manny-Johnson-DF.jpg?w=300u0022 alt=u0022u0022 width=u0022300u0022 height=u0022200u0022 /u003eu003c/au003e","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":2373559,"_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"Daryl Barnett Jr","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"77248","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Scott","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Barnett is a really strong athlete who can get to the rim any time he wants. That is exactly what he did against Central on Saturday. He got the rim and finished through contact. He showed off a good ability to use his pivot foot. He has a really quick first step. Then he lowers his shoulder and defenders move out of the way. He is a really good defender as well that can defend multiple positions. He plays hard and showed good leadership for the Bulldogs. u003ca href=u0022https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/Daryl-Barrnett-DF.jpgu0022u003eu003cimg class=u0022size-medium wp-image-2373558 alignrightu0022 src=u0022https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/Daryl-Barrnett-DF.jpg?w=300u0022 alt=u0022u0022 width=u0022300u0022 height=u0022200u0022 /u003eu003c/au003e","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"Ryan Routson","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"5'5u0022","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"77246","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"Genoa","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_4_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Routson single-handedly gave Genoa hope in this game in the 4th. After the 1st Genoa trailed the rest of the game usually by double digits. Then Routson got hot. This short sophomore guard got hot in a serious way for the Comets. Once he saw one go in, they started raining in. He hit multiple threes from deep range and with not much space needed. He is a shorter guard but is really good at finding the space to get his shot up.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["1708687"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"This past Saturday was my first time seeing Plantz play at Genoa and he is a completely different role than he plays with the Buckets in AAU. He plays a true forward position as he does a lot of his operating with his back to the basket. I get it, this kid probably does not play against many teams with a player bigger and longer than him. He did a really good job of passing out of the post. I would have liked to see him implement a face-up game in the midrange. He is a strong kid that grabbed a lot of rebounds. I think he is more comfortable on the wing but it was nice to see that he can do whatever it takes to help his team win. u003ca href=u0022https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/Walter-Plantz.jpgu0022u003eu003cimg class=u0022size-medium wp-image-2373561 alignrightu0022 src=u0022https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/Walter-Plantz.jpg?w=300u0022 alt=u0022u0022 width=u0022300u0022 height=u0022200u0022 /u003eu003c/au003e","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["1985437"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"Peters can score in bunches and that is what he did on Saturday. He was cold to begin the game but once he saw one go down his confidence went through the roof and he played with aggression. This brought the points in bunches for him. He showed he could be more than a shooter too as he got to the rim and got good looks consistently. Peters is a good basketball player who can put the ball in the basket. u003ca href=u0022https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/Mario-Peters-DF.jpgu0022u003eu003cimg class=u0022size-medium wp-image-2373562 alignrightu0022 src=u0022https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/Mario-Peters-DF.jpg?w=300u0022 alt=u0022u0022 width=u0022300u0022 height=u0022200u0022 /u003eu003c/au003e","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":7,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-65ee073d816fc"} /-->