Intriguing Prospects: Ames 65 vs Des Moines Lincoln 45
Des Moines — Ames senior Japannah Kellogg got out to a torrid start and his 14 first quarter points were enough to more or less bury the upstart Railsplitters in this one. Ames led 20-10 after Kellogg’s explosive first quarter.…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingDes Moines — Ames senior Japannah Kellogg got out to a torrid start and his 14 first quarter points were enough to more or less bury the upstart Railsplitters in this one.
Ames led 20-10 after Kellogg’s explosive first quarter. It was freshman phenom Tamin Lipsey who took the reins from there, scoring 14 of his 18 points after the first quarter. The two D1 prospects combined for 40 of the Little Cyclones’ 65 points.
Lincoln could never fully recover from being down 10 after the first quarter; although, at times, the Rails did show glimpses of being able to score in bunches. They got down 8-2 out of the gate before knotting it at eight mere seconds later.
The Kellogg, Lipsey duo was too much for Lincoln, though. Ames proved they’ll be a tough out this season, and improved to 4-1 with the road win. Lincoln, who was led by Josiah Conkrite’s 15 points, drops to 2-2.
Team Scoring
Ames — 20 13 17 15 — 65
Lincoln — 10 13 4 18 — 45
Individual Scoring
Ames: Japannah Kellogg 22, Tamin Lipsey 18, Avery Harrington 6, Cooper Downs 6, Casey Mumm 4, Jonah Strawhacker 4, Kiaeem 2.
Lincoln: Josiah Cronkite 15, Nate Feller 12, Ben Knoebel 5, Ben Badger 5, Maiwut Jock 4, Karon Allen 2, Logan Sharp 2.
The Prospects
Tamin Lipsey, 6’2 G, 2022 (Ames)
He was exceptional tonight while scoring 18 points on a game-high nine made field-goals. Lispey has a special ability to finish at and around the rim, and has an uncanny ability to manipulate his body while tossing a perfectly-englished ball off the backboard to score. When he decides he wants to get a bucket, he does it. That was evidenced at the end of the second quarter, when the Lincoln student section’s “overrated’ chant spurred a tough bucket through two Rails defenders at the buzzer for Lipsey.
Japannah Kellogg, 6’7 SF, 2019 (Ames)
He’s gotten bigger since we saw him this past spring with D1 Minnesota, and his game has continued to evolve. The 3-ball is not his first scoring option, but he canned two of them tonight. He was dominant in the first quarter, scoring 14 points versus the other team’s 10 total points. He’s simply bigger and more skilled than other guys at this level, and it’ll be a dominant senior season for the Wisconsin-Green Bay recruit.
Josiah Conkrite, 5’10 G, 2019 (Lincoln)
His quickness and high motor make him an impact player, and when you pair that with a certain degree of skill, Conkrite could be one of the better players in the CIML this season. His blow-by ability allows him to get to the rim, and he finished tough shots there a couple times tonight. He’s confident in his ability to shoot the deep ball, and was pulling from well beyond the arc tonight. But Conkrite’s athleticism and energy are his best assets.
Cooper Downs, 6’4 SG, 2020 (Ames)
The quarterback of the football team, Downs — also the coach’s son — is kind of like the QB of the hoops team. He’s a heady floor general who seldom makes mistakes. And when he’s called upon to strike from deep, he’s got a beautiful jumper that gets the job done.
Carter Mumm, 5’8 PG, 2021 (Ames)
Just a sophomore, Mumm has a long way to go before he reaches his full potential as a varsity guard, but he showed signs tonight of why he’s so highly regarded as a young point guard prospect in the state. It’s his defensive instincts that were best tonight, twice he jumped a passing lane perfectly and created a fast-break for himself each time as a result.
Nate Feller, 6’2 G, 2019 (Lincoln)
Feller is a guy that looks like he can light it up in bunches. His quick release 3-ball dropped twice tonight. And when he scores, it seems to come in flurries. He’s an athletic guard, who can sky for boards, we saw him out-jump guys tonight for offensive rebounds. He’s not afraid of contact, and actually seemed to embrace it at times tonight. A flat-out scorer, he could go off for some big games this season.
Avery Harrington, 6’4 C, 2019 (Ames)
Here’s a guy who came in at the end of the night when the game was out of hand for the opponent and was thoroughly impressive with the time spent. A big bodied post, he was able to move well for his size, and proved to have some nice balance and athleticism to boot. His six points all came in the latter part of the fourth quarter. We could see this former Clarion-Goldfield standout getting some significant run with the Little Cyclones before season’s end.