Ten Best: Penn @ Fort Wayne Carroll
Penn @ Fort Wayne Carroll
Final Score: Penn 69 – FW Carroll 45
Recap
The first quarter of this game set the tone for what would be a one-sided night. Penn came out of the gates ready to play and had the Carroll defense on their heels. The Chargers typically hang their hat on the defensive end of the floor but Penn was aggressive early and executed their game plan to take advantage of the defense switching everything. Drew Lutz and Beau Ludwick brought their “A” games last night and controlled the pace of the game from the one and two guard position.
Beau Ludwick and Drew Lutz came out firing in the first quarter as Penn jumped out to a quick ten-point lead within the first four minutes of the first quarter. Preston Shearer kept Carroll within striking distance as he hit the offensive boards and had a pair of put backs. Carroll trailed 19-7 at the end of the first quarter and couldn’t seem to figure out how to be effective against the Penn defense.
Daniel McKeeman turned it on in the second quarter as the Carroll offense started to get going. David Ejah did not have a shot attempt and was relatively inactive the entire first half of action last night. The second quarter offered more of what the game should have been but the Kingsmen still outscored the Charges 19-17 in the second frame and held a 38-24 lead at the break.
Carroll came out of the break and put a quick 6-0 run together to bring the game within eight points but Penn never looked back after getting a couple quick baskets in transition from Lutz and Applegate. Noah was relatively quiet on the night and never found his groove offensively after scoring the first points of the game. Ludwick and McKeeman continued to battle at both ends but Penn lead 55-37 after the third.
The fourth was much of the same as Penn’s defense continued to frustrate the Carroll guards and they struggled to get good looks at the rim. Applegate and Ejah found themselves in a little foul trouble but the game was already out of reach. Penn took this game commandingly, 69-45. They return to action Saturday, December 1st hosting Crown Point and Carroll returns to action the same day at East Noble.
Most Valuable Player: Drew Lutz (Penn)
Drew Lutz was undoubtably the best player on the floor last night. He was in complete control of his game and got to his spots whenever he wanted too. The lefty finished extremely well around the rim with creativity and stepped behind the arc and knocked down the long ball. Lutz finished with a game high 24 points, a game high 9 assists, and a game high 8 steals. Look for Drew to put a strong season together to pace the Penn Kingsmen.
Best Offensive Player: Drew Lutz (Penn)
Drew Lutz’s offensive skill set poised to be too much for the Carroll defense. He finished with a game high 24 points and got it done at all three levels. Lutz finished with the floater in the lane at a high clip when he was able to get there. His willingness to make the correct pass also set up his shooters from deep. The recent Bethel commit dominated from tip to final buzzer on the offensive end of the floor.
Best Defensive Player: Drew Lutz (Penn)
Drew Lutz was in the passing lanes all evening. He ended the game with a game high 8 steals and easily had 15+ deflections. He has good length at the guard position and reads the offenses tendencies very well. He jumped passing lanes, swiped opposing guards with his quick hands, and cut off the driving lanes with his quick feet. Drew’s offense has always been there but this level of defensive prowess is intriguing. This will be something to keep an eye on throughout the season.
Best Under-the-Radar Performance: Daniel McKeeman (Carroll)
Although it came in a losing effort, Daniel McKeeman put together a really good stretch in the second and third quarters. He finished with a team high 16 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist. McKeeman struggled to get open in the offense but was able to create space with the bounce to get his shots off. Daniel got to the basket and finished with both hands, hit the mid-range jumper, and knocked down a couple long balls to show his full repertoire.
Best Player Off the Bench: Derek Derda (Penn)
Derek Derda was a boost of energy and production from the Penn Kingsmen bench last night. The junior put together an all-around solid effort in a game that starred a solid group of starters on both sides. Derda finished with 6 points and 4 rebounds to help pace the second group for Penn. He had a few deflections on defense and was the first on the floor for loose balls when he was in the area. Derek made a few hustle plays that don’t show in the stat sheet but lead to extra possessions for Penn.
Best Quiet Impact Player: Noah Applegate (Penn)
Noah Applegate never found his rhythm last night and battled a little bit of foul trouble in the third quarter but his presence draws so much attention from the defense that he opened lanes for his teammates to take advantage of. Applegate finished with 6 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal. He has improved tremendously with his decision making in terms of shot selection while proving that he can handle the ball in the open court as a playmaker. Hillsdale College has an all-around offensive threat coming their way next year.
Best Rebounder: David Ejah (Carroll)
David Ejah was the best athlete on the floor last night. His ability to leap quickly lead to some tough rebounds in traffic. When he’s aggressive on the offensive boards, Carroll will be a tough team to stop. Ejah scored his two field goals after getting on the offensive glass. He finished with 6 points and 5 rebounds. David will have to elevate his game throughout the season for Carroll to be effective. He has good, strong hands that will help him land a few double-doubles this year.
Best Underclassmen: Sam Strycker (Carroll)
Sam Strycker is a sophomore forward that, in limited minutes, made big impacts on the game. His effort on the glass is reminiscent of Will Geiger of Norwell. Sam stepped in to take a charge, got an and-one on a put back, and pulled in a handful of offensive rebounds to give his team extra possessions. Strycker finished with 3 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist in the losing effort. He has the ability to step out and hit the long ball and crashes both backboards with tenacity. He will be a prospect to keep on the radar in the coming years.
Best On-Court-Communicator: Richie Gross (Carroll)
Richie Gross is a 6’3” wing with a solid skill set. He does a little bit of everything for this team but what was most impressive was his willingness to communicate on both ends of the floor. Gross plays a little point guard and makes sure everyone is on the same page on offense. Inherently, when he talks like he did last night on defense, he is the leader of this team on the defensive end as well. Gross finished with 5 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound, and 1 steal last night.
Biggest Takeaways: Carroll Struggles Offensively and the Penn Trio of Applegate, Ludwick, and Lutz
The biggest takeaways from last night are Carroll’s offensive struggles and the effectiveness of Penn’s senior trio of Applegate, Ludwick, and Lutz. Danial McKeeman and David Ejah will have to be pace the Charger’s this season on the offensive end and they could be a really good compliment to each other when SAC play opens up. Penn will rely heavily on Applegate, Ludwick, and Lutz this season to do a little bit of everything for the Kingsmen. Last night, they were ready and put together a clinic on both ends to open up their season. Look for the three of them to produce at a high level this season.
Starting Lineup Stats
PENN KINGSMEN
Carter Hickey #10 |
||||
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
Steals |
Blocks |
8 (1-1 2FG and 2-3 3FG) |
1 (1 defensive) |
1 |
0 |
0 |
Drew Lutz #11 |
||||
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
Steals |
Blocks |
24 (5-9 2FG, 4-7 3FG, and 2-2 FT) |
3 (3 defensive) |
9 |
8 |
0 |
Beau Ludwick #21 |
||||
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
Steals |
Blocks |
18 (2-5 2FG, 4-5 3FG, and 2-3 FT) |
4 (2 defensive and 2 offensive) |
2 |
0 |
1 |
Noah Applegate #30 |
||||
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
Steals |
Blocks |
6 (3-7 2FG and 0-2 3FG) |
2 (2 defensive) |
1 |
1 |
0 |
Kegan Hoskins #33 |
||||
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
Steals |
Blocks |
7 (2-4 2FG and 3-7 FT) |
8 (6 defensive and 2 offensive) |
1 |
1 |
0 |
FORT WAYNE CARROLL CHARGERS
Richie Gross #2 |
||||
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
Steals |
Blocks |
5 (2-4 2FG, 0-1 3FG, and 1-2 FT) |
1 (1 offensive) |
2 |
1 |
0 |
Ray Vollmer #4 |
||||
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
Steals |
Blocks |
5 (1-2 2FG and 1-2 3FG) |
1 (1 defensive) |
1 |
0 |
0 |
Daniel McKeeman #5 |
||||
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
Steals |
Blocks |
16 (5-10 2FG and 2-5 3FG) |
2 (2 defensive) |
1 |
0 |
1 |
Preston Shearer #20 |
||||
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
Steals |
Blocks |
7 (3-7 2FG and 1-3 FT) |
7 (4 defensive and 3 offensive) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
David Ejah #25 |
||||
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
Steals |
Blocks |
6 (2-3 2FG, 0-2 3FG, and 2-4 FT) |
5 (5 defensive) |
0 |
0 |
0 |