Kings of the Court: Sunday Game Recaps
16u Elite 8: Iowa Dynasty 58 vs Pure Prep 55
Iowa City Liberty guard Ira Hazeltine hit a big-time 3 with 1:40 to go which put Dynasty up 56-55. From then on it was Iowa City point guard Keyoun Agee who took the reins. The 5’7 sophomore canned four extremely clutch free-throws and came away with a massive block on the defensive end, thwarting what would have been a go-ahead bucket at the rim for Pure Prep.
Tyler Johnson
17u Elite 8: Kingdom Hoops Navy 64 vs Pure Prep 46
This one had the biggest audience of the day because Iowa’s top-ranked 2020 and nationally renowned forward Xavier Foster was playing with the Pure Prep unit. Foster, though, was quiet in this one, and the Kingdom Hoops guys were gung-ho from the start, which resulted in them taking a massive 44-18 lead into halftime. The second half was actually won by Pure Prep, but the 26-point halftime deficit was way too much to overcome. Norwalk shooting guard Tyler Johnson was incredible from long-range in this one, he hit 6-7 3s en route to a game-high 18 points. Hoover unsigned senior Hosea Treadwell put in 15. For Pure Prep it was Waterloo West’s athletic guard Caleb Haag who impressed, scoring a team-high 13 in the loss.
Wyatt Heston
16u Final 4: Kingdom Hoops Navy 87 vs Iowa Dynasty 45
This was an utterly impressive performance from the Kingdom Hoops guys, who by halftime had erupted for 55 points and made eight 3s. The second half was nothing more than a formality in this one. Five guys scored in double figures for the Kingdom Hoops, including breakout performer Wyatt Heston, who put in a game-high 19 points. Johnston’s Reid Grant scored 17, Hoover’s Manny Austin put in 14 including a couple showstopping jams, Waukee’s Payton Sandford scored 14 and Des Moines North’s Malik Allen scored 13. Iowa Dynasty was led by Iowa City High newcomer Antwon French’s 13.
Hosea Treadwell
17u Final 4: Kingdom Hoops Navy 74 vs Iowa Mavericks-Cleveland 54
This was one of the more competitive and entertaining first halves of the day, but the Kingdom Hoops squad, fresh from a shellacking of Pure Prep, created enough separation in the second half to come away with the 20 point mercy-rule win against the talented Mavs group. Once again, it was Norwalk’s Tyler Johnson who impressed, he can five more 3s in this one. Hosea Treadwell, one of four unsigned seniors on the Kingdom Hoops squad, was the best player on the floor, he scored 26. Ozzie Meiborg and Lucas Hayes paced the Mavericks with 10 points apiece.
Payton Sandfort
16u Championship: Kingdom Hoops Navy 81 vs Minnesota Lightning 61
Johnson’s Reid Grant hit the dagger 3 that gave Kingdom Hoops’ ultra-talented 16u squad yet another mercy-rule win. This squad from Minnesota was talented, too, several of their players are littered throughout Minnesota’s Class of 2021 prospect rankings, but the Iowa unit was clearly the better group in this one. Waukee’s Payton Sandfort had a special game, canning seven 3s en route a game-high 21 points. Fellow Waukee sophomore Wyatt Heston canned four 3s of his own in the dominant win, capping off what was a stellar breakout weekend for the 6’7 wing. Knoxville’s Kieren Nichols was impressive, he scored 11, Hoover’s Manny Austin chipped in with 10. For the Minnesota unit, it was Reid Johnson (Chatfield) and Blake Herber (Plainview-Elgin-Millville) who led the way with 12 points apiece.
Kingdom Hoops Navy 17u won its second title of the spring (also Midwest Live!)
17u Championship: Kingdom Hoops Navy 65 vs Beyond Ball 24K 59
In what was a wildly entertaining title game, the Beyond Ball guys certainly were motivated and led for almost the entirety of the first half, taking a one point lead into the break. The second half was a back-and-forth affair, seemingly a coin-flip game, but in the last several minutes it was Tyler Johnson and Hosea Treadwell who yet again hit some massive buckets and allowed the Kingdom Hops guys to gain the separation needed to pull of the win and secure yet another 17u title. Treadwell, an unsigned Hoover senior, was consistently the best player in the field on Sunday, he scored a game-high 25 in this one. Johnson was incredible from beyond the arc all weekend, he made four 3s in this one and scored 14. For Beyond Ball, it was Ankeny’s Jordan Kumm and Roosevelt’s Rome Hellems who impressed, they’ll both be key figures in the CIML next winter.