Prep Hoops KY 10 Best: Warren East vs. John Hardin
Warren East and John Hardin squared off in a Region 4 vs. Region 5 matchup on Thursday night in Bowling Green, Ky. The Raiders and Bulldogs traded baskets and went back-and-forth throughout most of the contest in a very emotional basketball game.
In what would also be a very intriguing high school basketball game, numerous players had big outings, but one athlete from each side outdid the rest. Thanks to a stellar performance from TreQuon Patterson, Warren East escaped with a slim and hard-fought 69-61 victory.
- Most Valuable Player: TreQuon Patterson, Warren East — The versatile shooting guard and floor general was the Raiders’ main leader on Tuesday. The senior, who was coming off a 34-point outing on Wednesday night in a win against Logan County, scored a game-high 24 points while also pulling down two rebounds. It took Patterson a little while to get into a rhythm, but once he did, he took control of the affair and led the Raiders all throughout the night.
- Play of the Game: Patterson halftime buzzer-beating layup, Warren East — TreQuon Patterson’s halftime buzzer-beating layup was very easily the play of the game. Patterson caught a pass at the top of the key, took a few dribbles and then drove in and threw a layup attempt high into the air and it went in. The score gave the Raiders an eleven-point lead at the break.
- Best Offensive Performance: TreQuon Patterson, Warren East — Patterson, as already stated, put on an impressive offensive performance. Patterson is physically gifted and was virtually unstoppable attacking the rim on Thursday. He scored 16 of his 24 points all in the first half and helped give Warren East the lead at halftime. Patterson scored in a variety of ways including layups, free throws, mid range pull ups and even hit a trio of three-pointers.
- Best Defensive Performance: Tashawn Neal, Warren East — Neal made his defensive presence felt all night long. The strong forward altered many shots without fouling. He also grabbed two rebounds in the game and scored 11 points.
- Best Guy off the Bench: Logan Carter, Warren East — Carter, who has battled an ankle injury, came off the bench on Thursday and contributed in a big way. He finished with six points – and not just an ordinary six points. He scored those baskets in tough ways, including one where he was knocked down by a big John Hardin forward, but still managed to sink a runner. He played tenacious defense, set up opportunities for his teammates and followed head coach Brandon Combs’ play calls.
- Best Intangibles: Mickey Pearson, John Hardin — Pearson’s toughness and competitiveness stood out all throughout the game. He possessed a high basketball IQ and made the right basketball plays throughout the game. Pearson set excellent screens and found himself many opportunities to get to the lane and score.
- Best Under-The-Radar Performance: Devonta Guillory, John Hardin — Although most of his scoring came in the first half, Guillory hit big shots and was the backbone of the Bulldogs’ club on Thursday. He hustled, played tenacious defense and helped get others involved while also contributing points wise.
- Best Underclassman: Adante Barber, Warren East — Barber, a sophomore guard, came off the bench and scored 8 points and is the best underclassman on Warren East’s squad. Each game, he plays like a senior by knocking down big shots and controlling the tempo of the contest.
- Best Rebounder: Chauncey Greer, Warren East — Greer grabbed five rebounds in this game while just averaging 2.9 per outing. He made a pair of crucial rebounds Thursday that set up scoring opportunities on the opposite end of the court, as well as offensive boards that gave his team second chances.
- Best Coaching Decision/Strategy: Combs’ playcalling , Warren East — The best coaching decision or strategy of the game was Coach Combs’ playcalling all throughout the course of the contest. From the time the ball was thrown up to the final buzzer, Combs used his jam-packed basketball mind and guided the Raiders to another victory.