Ten Best: Augusta v Mulvane
Augusta is the #1 seed in the 4-A DI sub-state bracket coming into this matchup at an impressive 15-3, taking on a struggling Mulvane team who has only won four games all season.
On paper, Augusta is the better team but tonight Mulvane stood toe to toe with the #1 seed down only seven with 6 minutes to play in the fourth quarter. However, Drew Ellis’s (2019) heroic 32 points was not enough as Augusta was able to put Mulvane away in the last four minutes and pour on some extra points late.
Augusta- 71 Mulvane- 49
MVP: Jonny Clausing (2018)-Augusta
The 6’8” Washburn University commit was an extremely tough matchup for Mulvane. Jonny was too big and powerful and did a nice job of going towards the rim when he caught on the low block, forcing Mulvane to either foul or hope he missed.
Jonny is a traditional post with good post moves and a guy that stays active on the offensive boards, creating quite a second chance points. He had a team high, 20 points, but also made an impact defensively as he disrupted passing lanes and did a good job of communicating off the ball.
At the next level, Jonny will be lighter on his feet and more explosive once he trims up a bit.
Best offensive performance: Drew Ellis (2019)-Mulvane
Drew Ellis, although undersized, really put on a show tonight. His 32 points were a game high as Mulvane did not have much offense to speak of without him. Drew is a 5’8” lefty point guard who is extremely quick which allows him to get in the paint at will and has a very quick release on his shot, showing he can stretch the floor tonight.
Drew also eclipsed the 1,000 point milestone in this game for Mulvane.
Best defensive performance: Chase Sharp (2019)- Augusta
Chase did not have a very big game offensively but he definitely impacted the game on the defensive end.
He was guarding Drew Ellis for a good part of the game and although it sounds crazy to give the best defensive performance to someone who helped guard a guy who had 30+ points, please believe me when I say it could have been much worse.
Chase did a good job of forcing Drew and other Mulvane players into tough shots and having active hands on D but doing so without fouling.
Best intangibles: Jake Swink (2018)-Augusta
Jake was all over the place tonight for Augusta. On three different occasions he was able to finish versus contact and got a three point opportunity. He was also crashing the offensive boards very hard and fighting for 50/50 balls.
At 6’4” he is a good sidekick to Jonny Clausing as his motor allows him to have a presence in rebounding and help protect the boards and provide extra opportunities.
Quickest Feet: Drew Ellis (2019)- Mulvane
Drew displayed an array of talents in putting the ball in the hoop tonight but his quickness jumped out very early.
Drew has the potential to be a very solid small school prospect but needs to develop his right hand this summer as he drove to his left the majority of the time tonight. In his defense, Augusta still couldn’t prevent him from getting paint touches most of the time and when they did it came from help defense.
Drew could also improve his touch at the rim, being a smaller guard, he will need this at the next level if he so chooses to pursue that. He is a multi-sport athlete who plays football and also runs track.
Best under-the-radar performance: Trey Abasolo (2021)- Mulvane
Trey is a raw prospect but has a big upside. He is currently undersized at 5’8” but is only a freshman this year. Maturity-wise, his body will continue to grow and assuming that happens, he has some pretty good skills currently.
Trey does start for Mulvane and wills his way into the lane even without a very quick first step. Once that improves, he will be much more difficult to guard on the perimeter. He can handle the ball well and plays solid defense as well.
Best guy off the bench: Chance Whitehead (2018)-Augusta
Chance provided a nice life for Augusta off the bench. This athletic 5’11 senior used his quickness to get opportunities in the paint and hit a few shots on the perimeter ending the game with 12 points tonight.
Top Glue Guy: Jake Swink (2018)- Augusta
As close as this game was, I think it’s even closer without Jake’s stellar play to rally Augusta. He gave his team life and energy when they needed it and really embraced the role of being a junkyard dog in this game.
He was rewarded as he nearly tripled his season average in scoring tonight.
Best Underclassman: Jaren Jackson (2020)- Augusta
Jaren by no means had an earth shattering game tonight but he had a solid showing. The 5’11 guard scored 7 of his 9 points at the free throw line, showcasing his ability to draw contact and create offense.
Best Story to Watch Moving Forward: Augusta v Andover Central: Contrasting styles will clash
Andover Central has great perimeter shooting and a sophomore by the name of Xavier Bell who can get in the paint at will, which is a deadly combo for opposing teams. Augusta, however, creates matchup problems with their big man in the middle in Jonny Clausing.
Andover Central will most likely choose to zone Augusta up as there are no traditional post players in their rotation. It will be a great 4-A sub-state final!