Mason’s Friday Notebook: #HardworkSZNKickoff
On Friday night, I was at the #HardworkSZNKickoff in Council Bluffs, Iowa. I saw a lot of talent but there were a few players and teams who really stood out. I caught five games and was able to mark down some names that I would like to keep an eye on throughout the weekend. Here are the top three things that stood out to me.
Matthew Mors Played Physical
It was my first time seeing Mors play and he did not disappoint. Mors was all over the floor and was able to do a ton on both ends. He is fluid with the ball and very skilled, but he’s so powerful that he uses his strength inside to score. Mors has the ability to pop out and shoot the ball a little bit but he also has the uncanny ability to overpower you. Solid on both ends of the floor and plays with a very high motor. I really liked his tenacity on the boards today as well as he was able to clean them up with a lot of ability. Mors is a bit more explosive than you might think and he had a few dunks through traffic today. A couple of which you would not think he had the ability to throw down. He is the PrepHoops #35 ranked player in the 2021 class and he showed why today. Schools such as Iowa, Nebraska, and Wisconsin among others have already offered him with others not going to be far behind.
Max Murrell is a Big Man on a Mission
Like Mors, Murrell was a big man who played really well. While Murrell is much slimmer than Mors, he does a lot of the same things. He is skilled with the ball and has the ability to put it on the floor and get to the rim. Murrell is a guy who has been getting a lot of DI interest, but has just one offer from UMKC. I would expect that to change very soon though as Murrell looked the part of a player who can impact the game in many ways. He’s a lot bouncier than you would expect him to be given his frame and size. Murrell can step out and shoot the ball as well as anyone on the floor when he is in rhythm. Really like the fluidity to his game and thought that he played really well. He had a couple dunks that got the gym buzzing.
The Wisconsin Crusaders AD 2021 Team Can Score the Ball
In the first game I watched I saw the Wisconsin Crusaders put on a show. They are very fundamental with the ball and it seems like they all have the ability to shoot it. I really enjoyed watching them play as they ran a ton of screens for each other and really got the ball into good spots to shoot. Dustin Beauprey was the top scorer in Wisconsin last season at 40.8 points a game and he put on a show this evening. He has the ability to shoot but also get others involved. Andrew Case was another guy who was able to get hot and rip off a couple shots in a row. This is going to be a tough team to beat because they play well together and have a bit of size.