Midwest Live! — Saturday 17U Game Recaps
1:25 — Iowa Prep 20 vs Crossfire (MN) 47
This Crossfire team is dangerous and they made a good — but short-handed — Iowa Prep squad look bad. With great size, and great defensive discipline Crossfire held their opponent to just 13 points at halftime, where they took a 10 point lead into the break. In the second half it was all Crossfire and the game ended at the two minute mark with the mercy rule being enforced.
MVP: 2017 Kieran Kohorst, 6’4 PF (Mount Pleasant)
He was the best player early for Iowa Prep and though he was shorter than many of the bigs he was banging against, he held his own as the primary post presence for Prep.
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2:30 — Shoot It! 58 vs All Iowa Attack Black 60
This was a tremendous game that culminated with a tip-in buzzer-beater from Attack and Dowling Catholic big-man Joseph Lathrum. Shoot It! was down 11 with less then five minutes to play before Ryan Van Wyk and Levi Jungling lead a furious late-game comeback. With eight seconds to play and his team down one Jungling split a pair of free-throws, tying the game at 58. Ballard’s Tyler Ihle got a look at 10-foot runner at the other end for Attack, and the miss was tipped in by Lathrum at the buzzer securing the thrilling win for Attack.
MVP: 2017 Ryan Van Wyk, 6’4 SF (Pella)
We don’t do this often, but we’re giving the MVP to a guy from the losing team. Van Wyk was sensational, especially in the second half, slicing to the rim, banging down low, and scoring bucket after bucket to help his team make it interesting late.
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3:35 — SW Iowa Select 49 vs Showtime Hoopers Black 48
In another thriller, it was Southwest Iowa Select who came from behind and got the win against an athletic Showtime Hoopers Black squad. Council Bluffs Lincoln’s 6-foot-5 wing Landon Torneten was easily the most productive player on the floor in this one, using his great length to grab offensive boards and disrupt shots. Sioux City East guard James King slammed home a dunk to start a personal 6-0 run to end the first half for Showtime, and give them an eight point lead heading into the break. But turnovers and missed shots plagued King and his teammates in the second half as SW Iowa slowly salted away the lead.
MVP: 2017 Landon Torneten, 6’5 SG (Council Bluffs Lincoln)
The tall and rangy Council Bluffs Lincoln guard was all over the court for SW Iowa Select, and could emerge as a star next season with a Lynx team that looks to reload after this season’s state tournament run.
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5:45 — All Iowa Attack Red 58 vs KC Pacers Blue 53
This very talented Attack Red squad withstood a sluggish start, and used a flurry of second half 3s to overcome an early deficit and remain undefeated in Pool A. The Pacers were quick and athletic, but Attack’s persistence and fundamental basketball was too much in the end. Connor Kasperbauer was raining in 3s in the team’s win earlier today, and again catalyzed a second half comeback with his elite shooting. Max Techau was very good in the paint, and Kolby Molinsky was steady at point guard per usual.
MVP: 2017 Connor Kasperbauer, 6’4 SG (Ankeny Centennial)
I was told by a Division II coach that he was lights out in the first game of the day. And after a couple early misses in this one the sharpshooter was again showcasing his beautiful shot, raining in consecutive triples in the second half, the latter giving his team its first lead of the game.
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6:50 — Kingdom Hoops Elite 68 vs Spiece Indy Heat Red 62
Perhaps the favorites to win the top division of the 17U field, Kingdom Hoops Elite led wire-to-wire in this one against a speedy and talented Spiece group. Some unsung heroes stepped up for Kingdom, including Valley big Charley Crowley, who was outstanding in the second half. Des Moines Christian’s Ben Juhl continues to establish himself as one of 2017’s top guards, and is approaching elite jump-shooter status. Quinton Curry was steady and efficient as usual for Kingdom, and he hit four clutch free-throws late to help seal the win.
MVP: 2017 Ben Juhl, 6’1 G (Des Moines Christian)
He moved up a bunch in our latest rankings, up to 50th. Well, the lethal lefty is going to move up a bunch again when the next installment of 2017 rankings is released next month.
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7:55 — Iowa Dynasty 68 vs NL Elite Gold (KS) 85
Next Level Elite was playing out of their minds in this one and a quick deficit for Dynasty was never able to be overcome, no matter how well Max Smith-Drahos and Chuck Johnson played on Saturday night. The Kansas-based program was hitting big-shot after big-shot and stepping up defensively in the win. It was Dynasty’s first loss of the weekend, they had wins over Minnesota Fury Kallman and AEFS. They’ll be back in action tomorrow night against tomorrow morning at 12:20 against Nebraska Select (1-2)
MVP: 2017 Max Smith-Drahos, 6′ G (Prairie)
A quick first step allows for an ability to create his own looks and he’s crafty around the rim, utilizing a reverse lay-in and often using the rim to shield defenders. He’s in-line for a big senior season with the Hawks.