Boylan Thanksgiving Invite: 2028's and 2029's Who Shined

Tuesday marked the start of Boylan's 52nd Annual Boys Basketball Thanksgiving Invitational Tournament. Teams participating in the event included Thornton, Freeport, Rockford Lutheran, Chicago Marshall, Peoria Richwoods, and host Boylan Catholic.   Here are the scores for the first night's games by quarter. Rockford Lutheran: 9, 20, 43, 65; OT – 72 Freeport: 17, 31, 49, 65; OT – 80 Thornton: 15, 28, 46, 68 Peoria Richwoods: 24, 38, 60, 73 Boylan Catholic: 15, 32, 50, 70 Chicago Marshall: 22, 29, 47, 69     In our first segment analyzing tonight's games let's breakdown a handful of guys in the classes of 2028 and 2029 who made an impact on the tournament's first day.    Possesses good length for age. Showed positive action in the paint on both ends. Started off the game with an And1 through traffic. Made his presence known on the glass throughout the night with nearly double digits in the rebounding department. Ran the court at a solid rate for the post spot. Had him down for 4 clean blocks presenting a challenge down low.     High level athlete with quick agility which makes for a challenge for any defender to stay in front of. Catches to face and see the floor then attacks into opening gaps or creates space to make a move. Not hesitant to put the pedal to the metal in transition and go from 0-100 in a hurry. Showcased shooting touch from 3 land tonight hitting a few smooth ones from the git go for team to take a double-digit lead in opening minutes. Got away solo on a fast break to finish with a 2 handed slam off 2 feet. Continues to show joy in playing the game.     Uses length effectively to challenge in the paint or around the perimeter. Can score it from 3 levels. Had him down for 2 trey balls in the first half. Kept team in it at the end of the game diving on the floor for a loose ball to retain possession. Hit a big baseline mid range jumper with 12 seconds to go to get team within 3. Has a mature size already for class to go along with an arsenal of skill.     Was the only true freshman I saw tonight that got a ton of minutes the whole game. Caused a ton of havoc in the back court with the other quick guard. Really active playing zero gap pressure on the ball. Counted at least 4 times he initiated the turnover to then get the ball out on the break for transition opportunities. Rebounded the ball extremely well for height making correct reads off of missed shots.     Played aggressive with the rock throughout entirety. Scored it from 3 levels. Liked his tenacity to put it on the deck and get to the cup at will during final minutes of game. Scored it on multiple possessions in a row at times. Draws contact on drives to get to the stripe consistently while utilizing ball screens effectively. Finished with a game high 27 to lead all scorers.

Tuesday marked the start of Boylan's 52^nd Annual Boys Basketball Thanksgiving Invitational Tournament. Teams participating in the event included Thornton, Freeport, Rockford Lutheran, Chicago Marshall, Peoria Richwoods, and host Boylan Catholic.