10 Best: Crab Ball Classic
Last night’s Crab Ball Classic featured a plethora of the top high school talents from the Washington D.C. and Baltimore areas. A total of 14 of the 22 players (all seniors) who participated were Division 1 commits to schools including: Maryland, Iowa, Towson, Delaware, Wake Forest, and more. Team Washington defeated Team Baltimore by a score of 126-114 in a very exciting 40 minutes of play.
The floor was smothered with tremendous talent, so handing out the PrepHoops routine 10 best was difficult, but without further ado:
MVP | Luka Garza (Iowa) | Maret
Garza was an absolute force in this game. His size at 6-11 was too much for Team Baltimore to handle despite having a bunch of players who play above the rim. Garza finished with 27 points, 13 rebounds, and two assists in 19 minutes. He went 10-11 from the field and 7-9 from the charity stripe. Whether he got the ball on the block or had to crash the offensive glass, he wouldn’t be stopped from putting the ball in the hole.
@IowaHoops BOUND, Luka Garza, is the 2017 Crab Ball Classic MVP ????
with @MDCrabBowl & Crab Ball Classic Director, Tony Kennedy. pic.twitter.com/QasusQdOxy— ⭐CRAB BALLCLASSIC ???? (@CrabBallClassic) March 19, 2017
Best Offensive Performance | Myles Douglas (UCF) | Aberdeen
Douglas can score from all three levels and can do so off the dribble or in catch and shoot situations. He had that on full display leading Team Baltimore with 21 points on 9-13 shooting from the field and converting 2-5 of his long-ball attempts. His 6-7 frame makes his crossover difficult to stay in front of because of the ground he can cover. A few defenders found that out the hard way and resulted in a Douglas lay up or stepback jumper.
(Video Credit/Varsity Sports Network)
Best Defensive Performance | Dre Perry (Temple) | Poly
Perry is one of the exciting players to watch. He led his Engineers to their first state title this season and followed it up with a solid performance in the Crab Ball Classic. He blocked three shots and pulled down seven of his nine rebounds on the defensive end. Perry finished with 15 points.
Best Under The Radar Performance | Deion Hammond (Monmouth) | Riverdale Baptist
While most fans love all star games for the entertainment of the dunks, basketball nerds everywhere would love to watch Hammond shoot the ball. He finished with 19 points going 8-13 from the field and 3-7 from three. To please the fans, Hammond also had a nice breakaway dunk as well.
Best Rebounder | Luka Garza (Iowa) | Maret
Garza had a dominant performance in the rebounding department. He finished with 13 rebounds total, eight defensively and five offensively. Every one of his offensive rebounds resulted in two point for himself. Again, there was just no answer on Team Baltimore’s end to control his size.
Best Passer | Darryl Morsell (Maryland) | Mount St. Joseph
Morsell tallied three assists on the night, which wouldn’t stand out if you look at strictly box score numbers. But throughout the course of the game, he continuously made the right pass. There were also a few times he threw lobs that his teammates bobbled and failed to finish, which would’ve bolstered his assists number.
Best Catch-And-Shoot Player | Melo Eggleston (Wake Forest) | Notre Dame Prep
Eggleston helped pace Team Washington with 20 points of his own. While he showcased ability to score at every level, he connected on a game-high four three-pointers, half of which game in drive-and-kick scenarios.
Best Intangibles | Elijah Clarance (Illinois State) | St. Maria Goretti
Clarance plays the game with incredible energy. Usually in all star games, the guys are more laid back, but Clarance was going at anyone who stepped to him. He finished the game with 20 points and five rebounds. Clarance also had a couple of powerful one-handed dunks and mesmerizing crossovers that caught the crowds attention.
(Photo Credit/KGHotShots)
Best Play
Andre Rafus (TCU) had the ball on the right wing foul-line extended with Garza guarding him. Rafus baited him into leaving his feet for a split second with a pump fake and took one dribble before taking off for a one-handed tomahawk in the lane.
Moving Forward
The Crab Ball Classic has become of the of top all star games in the area. Baltimore and D.C. is a hotbed for Division 1 basketball talent, and this particular event always scores the best of them. One of the coordinators told PrepHoops next year the event is expected to take place at Catonsville Community College.