FIVE TAKEAWAYS: Blue Valley (Kan.)-Oak Park (Mo.)
FIVE TAKEAWAYS: Blue Valley (Kan.)-Oak Park
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The fourth boys’ basketball in the two-day Cable Dahmer Shootout held at Avila University in Kansas City saw Oak Park fend off a scrappy Blue Valley team in overtime for a 55-52 win and improved to 5-0 in the process.
Here, Prep Hoops takes a look at five things that stood out in the contest.
Agbaji a KC Player of the Year candidate
Oak Park 6’4 2018 guard Ochai Agbaji continues to shine this season as he poured in an event-high 35 points and added 10 rebounds. He currently holds offers from Air Force, Miami (Ohio), UMKC, New Orleans and Texas State. He entered Friday’s game averaging 27.3 points and 7.3 rebounds while shooting 56 percent from the field.
Siler Tschirhart a tough big
There aren’t many better old-school, low post scorers and players than Blue Valley 6’8 2019 Siler Tschirhart. He is a strong, physical post player with good size who likes to get after it on the block. Blue Valley struggled to get him the ball, but when they did Oak Park really struggled to contain him around the basket. Not only does Tschirhart have a good feel for playing in the low post, but he has terrific hands and really attacks passes, almost like a football player. Oak Park had him surrounded throughout much of the game and he still managed to come up with several tough entry passes.
DeVeney comes up big
In a contest in which Blue Valley struggled at times with Oak Park’s ball pressure, DeVeney had some good moments passing the ball, handing out six assists to go along with 14 points, including four 3-pointers.
Green horses in a clutch 3
Oak Park gave Blue Valley several opportunities late in the game, missing free throws and committing a crucial turnover, eventually setting up Blue Valley with the ball, trailing by three with the length of the floor to go with 10 seconds remaining. As time winded down, 2019 forward Cameron Green found himself covered up after picking up his dribble and after pivoting, hoisted up a contested 3-pointer that found all net to tie the game.
Richardson comes up big
One of the more underrated all-around players in Kansas City, Oak Park 2018 Jhaidyn Richardson came up big in the overtime, knocking down a pair of free throws, then hitting a 3 out of the corner for the Northmen’s first five points of the extra frame. He has good size at 6’4 and does a lot of different things well. He finished with 13 points, nine rebounds, two assists, a block and three steals.