Intriguing Prospects: Davenport Central at Dubuque Senior
DUBUQUE — In a game filled with runs, it was an inexperienced Dubuque Senior team that got the last punch in, scoring a 62-57 season-opening win over a veteran Davenport Central team on Thursday night. At multiple times throughout the…
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Continue ReadingDUBUQUE — In a game filled with runs, it was an inexperienced Dubuque Senior team that got the last punch in, scoring a 62-57 season-opening win over a veteran Davenport Central team on Thursday night.
At multiple times throughout the game, Central made runs that pushed their lead up to 8 or 9 points, but Senior always had the answer, coming back with a spurt of their own. A pair of free throws from Daquon Lewis gave Senior a 58-57 lead with 1:46 left to play, and it was a lead the Rams wouldn’t give up the rest of the way.
After graduating nearly everyone from last year’s 4A runner-up team, Senior has an entirely new look, and an entirely new style of play. After being one of the best halfcourt teams in the state over the last 5 years, they’ve ratcheted up the pressure, and are now using their athleticism to create chaos. They employed a number of different zone presses and defensive looks, and they’ll be looking to have their defense help them create some offense, especially early in the season. With only one key player back from last year’s team (Cooper Medinger), this is a nice win over a Central team that returned three starters and four key players.
Senior (1-0) was led by Jim Bonifas, who scored 17 points and pulled down 9 rebounds off the bench. Kendrick Watkins Hogue added 13 and Cooper Medinger had 10 in the win.
Central (0-2) was led by Emarion Ellis, who scored a game-high 29 points, including 16 in the third quarter. He also added 8 rebounds and 5 blocks. Kaiden Phillips and John Miller each had 9 points.
Below we take a look at 11 of the top prospects from Thursday night’s game.
Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | F |
Central | 14 | 10 | 24 | 9 | 57 |
Senior | 12 | 12 | 19 | 19 | 62 |
Davenport Central: Emarion Ellis 29, John Miller 9, Kaiden Phillips 9, Dajion Green 7, Amari Porter 3
Dubuque Senior: Jim Bonifas 17, Kendrick Watkins Hogue 13, Cooper Medinger 10, Cain McWilliams 7, Brock Medinger 7, Daquon Lewis 6, Tyler Schuster 2
Central
6-4 Emarion Ellis (2021)
Ellis had one of the biggest grassroots seasons of any player in the state, really elevating his stock, and he showed why on Thursday night. He finished with 29 points on 11-19 shooting (4-7 3P) along with 8 rebounds and 5 blocks. He’s grown a few more inches, now listed at 6-4, and his shot making ability is off the charts. When he’s taking shots in rhythm, he’s a knockdown shooter, and he showed the ability to score from all three levels. He’s a great athlete who uses his length to cause issues on the defensive end, getting his hands on a number of passes and protecting the rim, particularly with a few highlight reel chasedown blocks in transition. He plays above the rim on the break, but it was his shot making that was the biggest highlight. Ball handling still needs to tighten up, but the shot selection looks much better than it was last year, and he should become a much more efficient scorer as a result. He also needs to continue to add some strength, as he struggled to finish at the rim on a few occasions. But, he was without a doubt the top prospect on the court and should emerge as one of the state’s most coveted wing scorers.
5-10 John Miller (2021)
Miller battled foul trouble for most of the night, and that’s something he’ll need to work on, playing smarter on both ends of the floor and avoiding silly fouls, because Central needs him on the court. He’s a solid shooter from the arc, going 2-3 from 3 in the game, finishing with 9 points and 6 rebounds. He rebounds really well from his guard spot, and looks to push the tempo afterwards, looking to attack the rim or pass ahead to a teammate. He’s a strong lead guard who can shoot it and contribute on the glass. If he continues to develop, he could become a solid player at the next level.
6-7 Kaiden Phillips (2020)
A long, athletic combo forward, Phillips scored 9 points with 8 rebounds and 4 blocks in the loss for Central. He was aggressive early on, but faded a bit in the second half, as Ellis took over and Phillips battled some foul trouble. He’s thin, but does a nice job of staying straight up in the post on defense, using his length to block shots. He handles the ball fairly well and can pass it, and he’s capable of leading the break after pulling down a defensive rebound. He’ll likely transition out to the wing at the next level, and the perimeter shot will need to improve, but he’s an intriguing prospect with his blend of length, athleticism and defensive versatility.
5-6 Amari Porter (2020)
Porter is really small, but is in the same mold of former Hoover guard Kenny Quinn. He’s small, but compact and strong. He’s a solid on-ball defender who knows his role on the offensive end. He keeps the ball moving, it never sticks. He looks to attack when the opportunity presents itself, but if not, he’s finding an open teammate and keeping the offense flowing.
5-11 Dajion Greer (2020)
Greer is a big body who plays much bigger than his listed 5-11 height. A really solid role player, he scored 7 points on 3-5 shooting, pulled down 4 rebounds, including 3 offensive, and had 2 assists. He’s an active defender who stepped in to take a key charge in the third quarter, and he can shoot it a bit. He and Porter are both D3 prospects.
Senior
5-9 Cooper Medinger (2020)
After being a solid role player on last year’s team, Medinger is going to be asked to score more this season for the Rams, and he looked much more aggressive, constantly looking to attack the rim, both in the halfcourt and in transition. He had a rough night at the free throw line, going just 4-14 from the stripe, but he shot 82% from the line last season, so I think that was just a bad night, not a sign of things to come. He’s not much of a perimeter shooting threat, instead looking to get to the rim, where he uses his athleticism and strength to help finish. A good passer who sees the floor well, he’ll be a nice guard for a D3 program.
6-2 Tyler Schuster (2021)
Schuster didn’t do much on the offensive end, finishing with just 2 points on 1-4 shooting, but he made a major impact with his rebounding. He pulled down 6 rebounds, including 4 on the offensive end. He’s a good athlete who high points the ball on his rebounds, and he has broad shoulders and strong arms to help him battle underneath. He’s a versatile athlete who does a lot of the little things to help his team win.
6-1 Kendrick Watkins Hogue (2021)
Watkins Hogue finished with 13 points, with 8 of them coming in the fourth quarter. He’s a great athlete with a long wingspan that he used to help create some chaos on the defensive end of the floor. He has good body control around the rim and he finishes well. He showed a little bit of shooting ability with a tough turnaround jumper from the free throw line late in the game to help Senior grab the lead. He’s a high-energy player who should have a big junior year for the Rams.
6-2 Daquon Lewis (2020)
The hero of last year’s quarterfinal game, Lewis is in a much bigger role this season. He’s an undersized forward who uses his freak athleticism to make up for his lack of size. He provided one of the game’s best highlights with a chasedown block on Kaiden Phillips, showing off some explosive hops to prevent a layup. He finished with 6 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and a block, and he provides a ton of energy on both ends of the floor. He’s a versatile defender who can switch and not be lost, and he rebounds at a high level.
5-11 Brock Medinger (2020)
The twin brother of Cooper, Brock is a few inches taller and significantly longer. He used that length to get his hands in the passing lanes on the defensive end of the floor. He’s also a much more confident shooter, ready to shoot on the catch when coming around screens. He knocked down a pair of big 3s for the Rams, finishing with 7 points (2-4 3P), 4 rebounds and an assist.
6-5 Jim Bonifas (2021)
Bonifas is going to end up playing offensive line somewhere in college, and he had a big night in front of Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, who has made him one of the team’s priorities along the line in the 2021 class. But if he somehow chose to play basketball at the next level, he’d be a solid D3 big man. He has good feet and great hands, and provided a real spark against an undersized Central team off the bench. He does a great job sealing his defender, either on the high-low action, or on a ball reversal, and he showed good touch around the rim. The big man finished with 17 points on 5-9 shooting and went 7-7 from the line, showing a nice stroke there. He also pulled down 9 rebounds in the win.