D5 MIAA Championship Review

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I went to the MIAA Championships for basketball on Saturday March 15. This game featured #1 Pioneer Valley 20-0 during the regular season and #2 Hopedale Jr/Sr High School whose record was 18-2 in the regular season. Pioneer came into the contest beating Prospect Hill, Old Colony, Ware and Drury in the playoffs all convincingly. Hopedale came in beating Hamden and Monson in the first two rounds easily. New Mission kept it close but Hopedale was able to pull away and Westport was a wire to wire buzzer beater. These two teams were destined to make the playoffs after their formidable regular season and playoffs up to this point. Pioneer won today 49-28 capping off a perfect 26-0 season and one for the history books.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":2821160,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='2868663' first='Brayden' last='Thayer']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77246","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Pioneer Valley Regional","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67e33253d7f6a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">First off great first impression, helping to coach up his teammates. He plays both ends of the floor getting tips/deflections on the ball. Offensively has a great skill set to put the ball in the cup. It makes sense why he achieved 1000 points scored in his junior year. He can create his own shots off the bounce. Great use of slide stepping defenders one dribble knock downs multiple times. Brayden doesn't need much space to get shots off, making a few shots heavily guarded. Smart player made some sweet passes specially to cutting teammates. Love the fact he also plays on the varsity baseball team at Pioneer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/jayjohnson88/status/1900971528876875801">https://twitter.com/jayjohnson88/status/1900971528876875801</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":2821168,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Alex McClelland","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77246","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Pioneer Valley Regional","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67e33253d8011"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A great 1-2 punch with him and Brayden. Another dual sport athlete playing on the varsity soccer team. Enjoyed watching his skills go to work being an above average passer, moves well without the ball, a great on the ball screener. A lean strong athlete who is always coiled up ready to shoot if need be. This player from what I read had a fantastic high school career in both soccer and basketball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/jayjohnson88/status/1900962437823639981">https://twitter.com/jayjohnson88/status/1900962437823639981</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Kurt Redeker","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'3u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77248","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Pioneer Valley Regional","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Middlesex Magic","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67e33253d80c1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Kurt showed tremendous effort today, love the energy diving for loose balls. A soccer player on the varsity team who did all the little things necessary to get a victory today. He contributed in every stat category both offensively and defensively. Kurt was a starter on this perfect team and was able to put up his fair share of points even when Brayden and Alex were red hot. Kurt is a coachable player that factored in why Pioneer was so dominating throughout the year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/jayjohnson88/status/1900962437823639981">https://twitter.com/jayjohnson88/status/1900962437823639981</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1532516"],"_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":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67e33253d8114"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A huge reason why Hopedale played in the championship, finishing at the rim as time expired in the Final Four. This player gets downhill curling off the ball screens. He has good use of ball fakes and stampedes the ball after catch. He is crafty baiting players into fouls. An important piece to this Hopedale team that will be hard pressed to replace next year. A leader and has all the tangibles a coach wants/needs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/jayjohnson88/status/1900963919004348636">https://twitter.com/jayjohnson88/status/1900963919004348636</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Nate Rutkowski","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'3u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77248","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Hopedale JSHS","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"NE Elite","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67e33253d819a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A good-sized player for this Hopedale team, that is getting good minutes as a sophomore. In the near future I see great things out of Nate. He is a smart rebounder, gets good positioning on both sides of the ball. I would have liked to see more offensive plays for him than in this game since the score was lopsided. Nate has a bright future ahead and probably will end up being a two-year starter with potential to be a junior captain. Moves well, coordinated athlete that needs to give quality minutes next year if Hopedale wants to get back to the championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"JJ Douglas","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'9u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77246","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Hopedale JSHS","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67e33253d8226"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Hit some much needed three pointers today. Has a good quick release, smooth stroke, feet ready. I definitely see good upside next year being a captain, scoring leader or top two option. I think a valuable option for Hopedale, another player that I would have loved to see more from after going 2/2 from deep today. You can tell by his confidence and demeanor he understands the game and lets the game come to him. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://twitter.com/jayjohnson88/status/1900945107819360357">https://twitter.com/jayjohnson88/status/1900945107819360357</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->