Drake Team Camp: Saturday Game Recaps
12:00 DeLaSalle (MN) 55 vs Center Point-Urbana 35
The Stormin’ Pointers held there own against one of Minnesota’s best squads through the first half, and trailed by just 12, 34-22 at the break. But then in the second half, Tyrell Terry, Minnesota’s 2nd -ranked 2019 who holds an offer from Iowa, took control for the Islanders. He’s 6’1 and very slight, you’d look at him and maybe think ‘He’s got an Iowa offer?!” But then you watch, and you see his smooth skill-set and his off-the-charts basketball IQ. Grant Dirks is the man for the Stormin’ Pointers. Iowa’s 63rd-ranked 2018 has a big strong build and some nice skill around the rim — he’ll post huge numbers next winter.
1:00 Dubuque Hempstead 52 vs Davenport West 31
This was out first-ever look at Davenport West, which we knew had a trio of 2018s that were certainly worth checking out. Brett Erwin, Kenny Clay and Trey Sampson all posted big numbers last winter as juniors for the Falcons, but it was going to take much more than them to get by this Hempstead squad. Keith Johnson and Lucas Duax make up one of the best duos in the state, and both were good in this one, particularly the very active Johnson.
2:00 Mount Pleasant 59 vs Norwalk 45
Every time we’ve seen Jordan Magnani play this offseason, and that’s several, he shoots it lights out. Today was no exception. His Panthers trailed Norwalk 31 -27 at the break, and Magnani took offense to that. The 6-foot-guard, with a load of help from skilled point guard Brady Satrorius, dropped 10 points in the third quarter, and helped send Mount Pleasant into the final quarter with a 13 point lead. Norwalk would cut it to five at one point in the fourth quarter after a Daniel Giestler slam (assist Bowen Born), but in the end it would be a relatively comfortable win for the Panthers.
3:00 Des Moines North 64 vs Dubuque Hempstead 60
This was easily the best game of the day for me, and before it started I foreshadowed a bit for the state tournament next March.
Next up : Dubuque Hempstead vs Des Moines North (maybe a 2018 state tourney game preview?) (maybe)
— TJ Rushing (@TjRushing) June 24, 2017
Well if the prophecy comes true and these two teams meet again in post-season play, we’d be OK with that. There was some chippiness and some serious competitiveness in this generally intense summer game. And it was Tyreke Locure and the Polar Bears who were able to come out ahead, albeit slightly. Locure was his normal dominant self, he notched a game-high 24 points. Newcomer to the Polar Bears, Sebit Kalio, is a 6’3 wing who could be a big difference-maker next winter, he scored 11, including two triples. Lucas Duax was the best player for the Mustangs in this one, he poured in a team-high 22 points.
4:00 Xavier 44 vs Ankeny Centennial 38
The Jaguars were playing without Iowa’s 5th-ranked 2018 Hunter Strait, he’s currently elite camping at Air Force in Colorado. Still, Centennial raced out to an early 8-0. That lead though was short-lived, and when Matt Mims decided he wanted to takeover, he took over. Mims scored the Saints’ first 13 points of the game after the sluggish start, and within no time at all, Mims and the Saints were up 13-12. That’s what Mims does; he’ll set the tome early and get his team a lead, and then fall back into a floor general and facilitator mode. If his team needs him again late to score, then he will. That wasn’t the case in this one. Mims’ early work catalyzed his team to the relatively easy win. The 5’11 point guard holds one offer, from North Dakota, but Drake will presumably have a close eye on him this weekend. He led all scorers with 20. Jackson Brannan led the Jags with 9 points.