Battle at the Lakes: Sunday Stars
The final day of the Battle at the Lakes tournament did not disappoint. The further you get in a tournament, the harder the competition becomes, and a number of players found ways to impact games and help their teams. Here…
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Continue ReadingThe final day of the Battle at the Lakes tournament did not disappoint. The further you get in a tournament, the harder the competition becomes, and a number of players found ways to impact games and help their teams. Here are five players that showed their talents against the best competition on Sunday.
Five Sunday Stars:
Jaden Norby-
One of the best three-and-D players on the floor on Sunday was Jaden Norby. On the defensive end of the floor, Norby showed a unique ability to shift his weight well and prevent offensive players from driving and getting into the lane. This allowed other players on his team, especially the bigs, to play their men straight up, instead of having to provide help defense on drives. Offensively, Norby proved to be a great 3-point shooter. The hallmark of his game was the pump fake three that got multiple defenders in the air, so he could drive into the mid-range and knock down open shots before defenders could close him down.
Willie Strickland-
One of the best athletes on the floor was Willie Strickland on Sunday. The 6’5″ forward was extremely effective at getting back in transition and stopping opponent’s fast-break opportunities. He was able to neutralize threats off turnovers by stopping ball handlers that were driving in transition. This forced them to set up a half-court offense. Strickland also possessed a vertical threat which was highlighted by a nice transition dunk in a game against Pure Prep. Stickland’s game wasn’t all flash though. He showed a nice willingness to set good screens for the team’s guards and flared out as an option on drives when the defense doubled the ball handler.
Tyker Kronlage-
The best rebounding center on Sunday was Tyler Kronlage. Although he wasn’t the focal point of the offense for Pure Prep, he constantly got involved by crashing the offensive glass. He moved extremely effectively around the rim and was quick on his feet to establish dominant post position when shots went up. His contributions on the offensive glass provided Pure Prep with a number of second chance opportunities on possessions where they struggled to get open looks.
Zach Wenthe-
Zach Wenthe showcased his elite passing ability throughout the tournament on Sunday. Whenever Minnesota Fury-Syverson needed a bucket, they could rely on him to get the ball to an open man. What made Wenthe effective was his footwork. His feet were active but quiet. This allowed him to be decisive with the ball and maintain composure while making decisions. His vision to find wings cutting to the basket while he posted up, or spot the open man when he was doubled provided the Minnesota Fury with open, high-percentage shots. Wenthe also stayed active on the boards and limited second-chance opportunities for their opponents.
Hayden Muirhead-
Teams that have effective rebounding wings gain an advantage against their opponents. Hayden Muirhead provided that for South Dakota Network. Muirhead showcased his unique ability to read the ball of the rim and position himself to grab offensive boards for his team. His size (6’6″) and athleticism also played a roll in his ability to battle with centers and other bigs for offensive rebounds. This talent came into play late in a game when he was able to grab an offensive rebound. He then put it back in, despite being fouled. Muirhead converted the three-point play at the line to pull his team within one.