Prep Hoops’ Midwest Cup: Saturday Recaps
12:20 (15U): Martin Brothers 81 vs Wisconsin Playmakers 41
This was no contest for one of Iowa’s premier 2020 groups, and the Martin Brothers certainly got their weekend started off on the right foot. They were especially impressive in the second half, playing with great energy and stifling the Wisconsin guys defensively. It was Sioux City East wing Jaleque Dunson who impressed this time around for the Martin Bros (last weekend it was Isaiah Johnson and Zach Lasek), the wiry 6-foot-4 wing was getting to the basket with regularity, and at one point in the second half notched eight straight points. These Martin Bros youngsters seemed poised for a deep run in this tourney.
1:25 (17U): Iowa Dynasty 69 vs Iowa Cornsharks Select 48
If the Martin Brothers 15s seemed poised for a deep run, then the Iowa Dynasty 17s are poised for much the same in their age division. This team is stacked, and puts out scholarship-level talent all over the court. Flashy point guard Marco Balderas is back with the team after playing with the ‘Sharks last weekend in Minnesota, he notched 10 points in the blowout win. Seybian Sims was a beast, he poured in a game-high 17 points, including two slams. Perhaps most impressive was Iowa City West’s 6-foot-5 wing Hakeem Odunsi, we knew he could shoot it, but his passing was precise and savvy in this one. Watch out for this Dynasty squad.
2:30 (17U): Iowa Intensity 82 vs Martin Brothers 74
This was about as entertaining of a game as I’ve seen this spring, with the not-so-secret-anymore Iowa Intensity squad prevailing in a hard-fought win over one of the the Midwest’s most talented groups. It was a typical gritty performance from Newton’s 6-foot-2 guard Garrett Sturtz, he was slicing and dicing Martin Bros defenders the whole game to the tune of 20 points. He’s as poised and under control as any player in Iowa. Tanner Foster was a nice surprise for Intensity, the versatile 6-foot-5 forward netted 15 points in the win. Grinnell sharpshooter Ethan Mitchell hit two dagger 3s late to the help seal the win just before a Zaine Leedom jam put the game on ice with under a minute to go. Luke Vaske was sensational in the loss, the Norwalk guard notched a game-high 23 points for Martin Bros. Van Rees poured in a tough 19, and Carondis Harris-Anderson added 15.
3:35 (16U): Martin Bros 52 vs Iowa Pump N Run Black 40
It was a tight one for a lot of the game, but early in the second half, the talent of the Martin Bros — despite not having its top two players — began to overwhelm Pump N Run. The backcourt duo of Dillon Carlson (Ankeny) and Jackson Molstead (Charles City) was formidable, and the two skilled guards combined for 24 points, and a handful of steals and assists. Carter Cuvelier was doing the gritty stuff for Martin Bros, the Aplington-Parkersburg wing finished with a game-high 13 points. Mason Porter headlines the Pump N Run group, he scored the team’s first seven points but was quiet after that — he finished with a team-high nine points. Look for this Martin Brothers group to make a deep run tomorrow in bracket play.
5:45 (15U): Tryon Gym 74 vs Wisconsin Academy 46
It was the Tyler Johnson show in this shellacking, and the Norwalk frosh dropped 30 on the Wisconsin boys, including five 3s. We knew very little about the Tryon squad coming into the game, and left quite impressed, especially with Johnson and his backcourt partner, Bryce Coppock, who dropped 13 points, all in the first half. Those two make up one of the more formidable backcourts in the state at the 15U level, and together will give their team a chance to make a lot of noise tomorrow during Championship Sunday.