10 Best: St. James vs. Olathe East
The opening game of the 2018 Championship Showdown hosted by Shawnee Mission East saw Olathe East defeat St. James Academy 70-57 behind a balanced scoring attack as four players cored between 12 and 15 points for the Hawks. Here, Prep…
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Continue ReadingThe opening game of the 2018 Championship Showdown hosted by Shawnee Mission East saw Olathe East defeat St. James Academy 70-57 behind a balanced scoring attack as four players cored between 12 and 15 points for the Hawks.
Here, Prep Hoops Kansas takes a look at ten things that stood out in the contest.
MVP: Charlie Bell (6’5, F, 2019, Olathe East). Bell is an underrated forward who can play out of the high post, step out and shoot a 3 and as he showed on Tuesday, is a terrific rebounder with good, strong hands. He scored 15 points and hauled in a game-high 14 rebounds.
Best Offensive Performer: Jake Reynolds (5’10, PG, 2019, Olathe East). Reynolds had a forgettable first half, going scoreless, picking up a technical foul and spending much of the second quarter on the bench. But he turned things around in the second half and finished with a game-high 15 points. He is a fiery competitor who doesn’t back down from a challenge. Reynolds handles it well, is aggressive and has a nice mid-range pull-up and a smooth 3-point stroke. His play this season will be a big key to the Hawks’ success.
Best Defender: Kamari Armstrong (6’1, G, 2020, Olathe East). Armstrong drew the assignment of St. James 2020 guard Jack Moellers and largely had him bottled up on Thursday, staying disciplined, not sagging off to help dribble drives and staying focused. He has terrific quickness and brings a lot of intensity to the floor. Armstrong also added 12 points at the offensive end, going 4 for 4 at the free throw line and knocked down a pair of 3-pointers.
Best Shooter: Jack Moellers (6’1, G, 2020, St. James). St. James Academy 2020 guard Jack Moellers has carved out a reputation as one of the state’s premier 3-point shooters. Olathe East had him bottled up for much of the contest, but Moellers knocked down shots when open. He has a terrific form and balance on his outside shot and a repeatable shooting stroke. He finished the contest with 14 points and three made 3-pointers.
Best Rebounder: Andrew Sooner (6’4, PF, 2020, Olathe East). This easily could have been Olathe East 2019 forward Charlie Bell, but Sooner provided some muscle on the glass and finished with six boards off the bench. He has good strength and a terrific inside-outside skill set. He is a good compliment to Bell, either in his place when the senior goes to the bench or playing alongside him.
Best Passer: David Hornung (6’2, G, 2019, St. James). Hornung didn’t score a lot, knocking down a 3 and finishing with seven points, but he brought stable and consistent play at the point guard position, handling the ball and distributing the ball. He is a smart, fundamentally sound passer, with terrific court vision, but can also pull off the occasional spectacular pass as well.
Best Youngster: Tyler Claiborne (6’3, G/F, 2022, St. James). Claiborne came off the bench for St. James and provided some solid minutes. He has good size and length for a young wing at 6’3 and likes to play on the perimeter where he shows the ability to handle the ball a little, make smart passes and has the ability to knock down open 3-pointers.
Best off the Bench: Mason Addison (6’3, G, 2019, Olathe East). Addison is a smooth guard with good size who came off the bench to put together a terrific all-around game. He can handle the ball and create, causes havoc on the perimeter defensively with his length, and got on the boards, hauling in five rebounds. Addison knocked down a 3, got to the free throw line several times and finished with eight key points.