Ten Best: Atchison v Nemaha Central
In the quarterfinal game of the Thunder Classic, Nemaha Central took on Atchison in a 3A vs 4A battle. Despite a big night from freshman Christian Bowen-Webb, who had 25 points, Nemaha Central came out on top with the 64-58…
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Continue ReadingIn the quarterfinal game of the Thunder Classic, Nemaha Central took on Atchison in a 3A vs 4A battle.
Despite a big night from freshman Christian Bowen-Webb, who had 25 points, Nemaha Central came out on top with the 64-58 victory.
MVP: Matt Baumgartner (2019)-Nemaha Central
Matt had a monster game for Nemaha. Finishing with 21 points and at least 10 rebounds, he was the catalyst for this team.
The 6’4” senior used his strength and toughness to be a force within ten feet, owning the paint. He was very active on the offensive boards and went to the line often shooting 10 free throws.
Although he only shot 20% from the free throw line, his performance still takes the cake tonight.
Best offensive performance: Christian Bowen-Webb (2022)- Atchison
Christian is impacting the game in big ways as a freshman for Atchison. While he is shooting in high volumes, he’s proved that he is not only comfortable but capable of making an impact on the game with his offense.
He has a good stroke from beyond the arc but is comfortable in the mid-range as well. At 6’2” currently, he may still have growing to do which would accompany his skill level very well.
As he gets a better feel for the game through varsity playing experience, he could be one of the states biggest stock risers in years to come in the 2022 class.
Best defensive performance: Nemaha Central
While there wasn’t one guy that stood out to me head and shoulders above the rest, I feel like Nemaha Central as a team forced Atchison into tough shots or contested two’s as they zoned a lot of the game.
This proved to be effective enough despite a big fourth quarter from Atchison.
Best Glue Guy: Cole Kramer (2019)- Nemaha Central
Kramer got out in transition often in this game and while he couldn’t a few to drop, he was effective in doing-so.
He used his speed and good instinct to dribble straight up the court and get to the rim. He was active defensively and on the boards, doing a little bit of everything for Nemaha Central to help get the win.
Best Intangibles: Patrick Denton (2021)- Atchison
Patrick isn’t going to dominate a box score but the young man plays with a ton of heart and really provides energy for the Atchison team.
He consistently harasses the opposing team’s ball handler and can be found diving on the ground for loose balls. Essentially doing whatever the team needs to get the win. The 5’11” guard is only a sophomore and has lots of time to develop.
Best under-the-radar performance: Xavier Cushinberry (2021)- Atchison
Xavier is an interesting prospect as he has the size of a forward for his age at 6’3” but can handle the ball on the perimeter with an ability to get past his primary defender.
He had a solid game for Atchison with 17 points and really being the only real offense outside of Bowen-Webb.
Best Rebounder: Jonathan Stallbaumer (2019)- Nemaha Central
Stallbaumer and Baumgartner both made the biggest impact on the boards which helped seal the victory for Nemaha Central.
The 6’4” senior was very active on the boards and helped limit second chance opportunities with his size down low.
Play of the Game: Austin Gerety steal with 2:33 remaining
Gerety picked Bowen-Webb’s pocket while the score was 53-50 which really helped stunt the momentum Atchison had going. Nemaha held on afterwards and this proved to be a huge play in the game.
Best Slasher: Garyeon Simpson (2020)- Atchison
Simpson was not only a solid perimeter defender in this game but was probably the best slasher on either side of the ball.
The 5’10” guard has good quickness that allows him to get into the paint although at times he struggled once he got there as he faced zone a lot of the night. Against a man defense, Simpson could be very valuable in facilitating and creating opportunities either for himself or others.
Best Story to Watch Moving Forward: Nemaha Central picking up momentum
This turned out to be a solid win for Nemaha Central, beating a 4A team which ended their back to back losses.
With a balanced roster and guys that are bought in, I think it will be most interesting to watch to see if they can pick up steam similar to how they started the year and make a run for the 3A state title.