10 Best: Liberty North vs Grandview (Jewell Classic: Patterson Division)
Below are the 10 best things that happened during the close and hard fought battle between the Liberty North Eagles and the Grandview Bulldogs. Liberty North was able to squeak out the victory 55-52.
MVP: Robbie Hanson
Hanson was hands down the MVP of the game, working hard for every point and when he had open looks, he was ready to knock them down. Hanson hit a big shot at the end of the 3rd quarter which gave Liberty North a 43-41 lead in which they would never surrender. Hanson finished with a game high 20 points.
Best Offensvie Performance: Mason Taylor
It was easy to see that Grandview runs their offense through Mason Taylor, but they are also talented enough to have others step up if needed. Taylor moves pretty well off the ball, and that is what he did a lot of the game. He runs off a lot of screens and if he has any space at all, he isn’t afraid to light it up. He hit a huge 3 late in the game that closed the gap back to 2 points, but they weren’t able to finish off the comeback. Taylor finished with a team high 17 points.
Best Defensive Performance: Taylor Bayton
Bayton is a huge asset for the Eagles team off the bench and he played pretty solid for the most part. He came in and grabbed some big rebounds, but is also a great defender. He’s not out there to score a lot, but out there to disrupt whoever he is guarding. He also grabbed a couple of big steals right after the opposing team had just grabbed a rebound.
Best Player off the Bench: Reggie Morris Jr.
Morris Jr continued to look great and prove why he is one of the better sophomores around the area. Grandview has a few kids that can really shoot the ball, but Morris Jr gets the most elevation on his shot giving him a little more space and cleaner look. He was much needed in this game and finished in double figures with 14 points.
Best Underclassmen: Reggie Morris Jr.
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Hardest Worker: Macaleb Hughes
Hughes doesn’t look like the most gifted basketball player out there on the court, but he is a hard worker, and will surprise you on both ends of the ball. He is an aggressive guard who finds a way to score, but also will make the play which will benefit his team. He doesn’t really shoot from the outside, but puts his head down and gets to the bucket when needed. He finished the game with multiple steals and 13 points. He was also able to pull down 11 boards.
Best Under-The-Radar Performer: James Perry
Perry isn’t looked at much as scorer for this Eagles team, but he is capable of putting up 15 and maybe 20 points on any given night. He has a good looking shot and is a real team player. He doesn’t like to force the issue and will make the extra pass. During the 3rd quarter, he hit a big 3 which started the run for the Eagles. He didn’t shoot well, but he used his 6’5″ frame to body on some of the smaller players and grab big rebounds down the stretch.
Best Big Man: Tyson Cathy
There were a few big guys that would have been good for this award, but Cathy ultimately outworked all of the others. He is a patient big man who knows how to use his body in the paint. He has pretty good footwork and can finish at the rim. He played almost the entire game and looked gassed at times, but he just kept on trucking. He finished with 7 point and more than 10 rebounds.
Best Upside: Kamto Eze
Eze has a lot of potential and everyone can see it, but at times, he just isn’t aggressive enough. Standing at 6’6″ Eze is quite the big man, and proved that he has the ability to finish at the rim with either hand. He also can take his game outside and knock down an open 15 footer if given the opportunity. He is a big threat on the defensive end blocking 3 shots and altering others.
Best Coaching Decision: Chris McCabe
McCabe and the Eagles really struggled with the defensive pressure that the Bulldogs threw at them in the first half. Speaking with his team and telling them to take their time and get the ball to the middle might have been the reason for the victory. Liberty North began to break the press with ease which led to open layups and good looks from 3. Liberty North lost a heartbreaker to Grandview early on in the season, and now they got their revenge with a 3 point win and a championship bid. Liberty North will take on an undefeated Oak Park team on Saturday.