Game Review: Avon at Mt. Vernon (Fortville)
Friday evening, I had the opportunity to see Mount Vernon High School (Fortville, Indiana) host Avon High School. Avon got out to an early 9-point lead, but Mount Vernon charged back late in the first half to cut the deficit…
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Continue ReadingFriday evening, I had the opportunity to see Mount Vernon High School (Fortville, Indiana) host Avon High School. Avon got out to an early 9-point lead, but Mount Vernon charged back late in the first half to cut the deficit to 22-18 at the intermission. In the end, though, it was Avon who was able to hold onto a 49-43 win, in what appeared to be a fairly evenly matched contest. Below is a look at eight players (four from each team) who stood out to me throughout the game.
J.P. Carroll, 2019, 5-8 PG, Avon H.S.
The recent transfer from Lawrence North has always been a joy to watch. He’s extremely quick / fast, he can get into the paint and cause problems for opposing defenses, and he is capable of knocking down an outside jumper when left alone. Defensively, he can get into ball-handlers and create havoc 75-feet from the basket, he plays with a good motor, and he is a willing communicator on the floor. I really like everything about him, and I think he could be a really nice lead guard at the next level. If he were six-feet tall, he’d undoubtedly have Division-I offers, which is why he could be a real steal for a small college program.
Wendell DeMyers, 2019, 6-3 G, Avon H.S.
I’ve been a fan of Wendell’s since his Freshman year at Northwest Community High School, where he spent two seasons. Wendell transferred into Avon this year after a one-year stint at Traders Point Christian Academy. He is extremely long, bouncy, fluid, and smooth. He will need to add strength, no question, but he does so many good things with the ball. He can play some Point Guard, and he has very good vision and a natural feel for who is open. He is starting to shoot it much more consistently, so you can also run him off of screens to get shots / scores. Defensively, he plays with a motor and can matchup against multiple positions. I think he was a nice get for Division-II McKendree University.
Jayden Baylor, 2019, 6-3 F, Avon H.S.
I hadn’t seen much of Jayden in the past, so I was happy to see him playing solid minutes with fellow Senior Zach Rinehart (6-7 Forward) not in uniform. Jayden is long, fluid, and fairly athletic. He runs the floor well and plays with a good motor. He needs to get a little stronger, but he’s an effective mid-post presence who can knock down a 15-footer or score around the rim off of ‘garbage’ buckets on offensive rebounds or off others’ penetration. He is an active defender and rebounder as well, and I think he could carve out a really nice role at a small college once he develops his offensive skillset a bit more.
Jayden Brewer, 2021, 6-4 W, Avon H.S.
Jayden is arguably the best prospect on this year’s Avon team, and after the Summer he put together on the grassroots circuit, he is already drawing a lot of varied Division-I interest. He is extremely long, bouncy, and active at both ends of the floor. In this game, he finished consecutive steals with transition dunks. He can handle it some like a Point Forward, he can knock down the occasional outside jumper when in rhythm, and once he gets stronger in the next year or so, he could be scary offensively, because he has the chance to become a multi-level scorer who can knock down the 3-pointer or blow by defenders with ease.
Peyton Meadors, 2019, Mount Vernon H.S.
Peyton has gotten off to a hot start this year, averaging 19.3 points per game, but in this one he was just 3-7 from the field, 6-6 from the line, and he didn’t even attempt a 3-pointer (he’s shooting 48% out there this season). All-in-all, he’s a really nice Wing Guard who I was impressed with throughout the grassroots season. He has some length, a wiry strong frame, and he can score the ball at all levels productively. Previously, I’ve seen him handle it and initiate the offense, but as well as he’s scoring it, I would want to run him off screens nonstop. He’s drawing a lot of small college interest, obviously, and I think he can develop into a nice scorer at that level.
Cade Gentry, 2019, 6-1 W, Mount Vernon H.S.
I haven’t had a chance to see Cade often, so this was a good opportunity for me, and I really like his toughness and how hard he plays. He’s a physical wing guard with a good motor, he can drive it straight-line to the basket, and he’s a capable perimeter shooter (18-46, 39% this year). In this game, like Meadors (above), Avon did a nice job of limiting their scoring opportunities, as Cade finished with just seven points (11.9 now this season). His style of play and mentality should fit in nicely at Anderson University, where he is committed to play next season.
Keith Rupert, 2019, 5-11 G, Mount Vernon H.S.
Keith is a strong athlete, built like a running back, and he plays with good speed and quickness. At times, he almost plays too fast and needs to let the game come to him, but he is tough to stop when he has a head of steam going to the basket. He has a solid handle and can play Point Guard, but he’s also strong enough and tough enough to play off the ball at both ends of the floor. He is a motor kid though, and he seems to get after it from the tip every game. If he can make his perimeter shot a little more consistent and just tighten his entire skillset in general, I think he could be a really nice, versatile, small college guard.
Brandon Bell, 2020, 6-1 G, Mount Vernon H.S.
Since he was in middle school, Brandon has always flashed great potential, and Friday night was no different. He makes a spectacular play here or there, but I feel like he needs to make the simple play a little more consistently. He is extremely long, fluid, smooth, and athletic in all directions. He has a solid feel as a Point Guard, but his shot looks much better outside, and he had a couple of nice long jumpers go in when he caught it clean and was set and in rhythm. As he continues to gain strength and play with more physicality, look for his overall scoring and his shooting consistency to continue to improve. I think he’s a kid who could see a variety of interest from Division-I schools and small colleges depending on the rate of his development both physically and skillfully.
Header photo of Peyton Meadors of Mount Vernon High School; photo courtesy of Tom Russo of the Daily Reporter at www.greenfieldreporter.com. Photo of Jayden Brewer courtesy of his own Twitter account. Photo of Brandon Bell courtesy of www.greenfieldreporter.com.