Rockford outlasts East Grand Rapids 63-58
In this article:
Quick Rundown The Rockford Rams narrowly defeated East Grand Rapids 63-58 in a game where Rockford led just about the entire way. This matchup lived up to the hype, as these teams were both league champions last season, and both…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingQuick Rundown
The Rockford Rams narrowly defeated East Grand Rapids 63-58 in a game where Rockford led just about the entire way. This matchup lived up to the hype, as these teams were both league champions last season, and both have some very nice talent. This was a game that came down to some clutch play at the end, having come down to 2-points within the final minute and a half. Let’s go over some quick stats, then discuss the players of the game.
Point Totals
East Grand Rapids | Rockford | ||
Simon Neuhaus Simon Neuhaus 6'5" | SF East Grand Rapids | 2023 State MI | 28 Points, 4/10 FT | Jack Lamancusa | 20 Points, 1/2 FT |
Drew Caswell Drew Caswell 5'11" | PG East Grand Rapids | 2023 State MI | 13 Points, 3/4 FT | Charles Deutsch Charles Deutsch 6'4" Rockford | 2023 MI | 11 Points, 9/12 FT |
David Bernecker | 9 Points | Caden Pokozynski | 10 Points, 3/5 FT |
Brendan Burns | 4 Points | Colin Williams | 9 Points |
Tobenna Egwuatu | 3 Points | Andrew Landis | 6 Points |
Brady Leistra | 1 Point | Joseph Pitsch | 5 Points, 3/4 FT |
X | X | Kyle Varady | 2 Points |
Standouts
Rockford SF/PF Jack Lamancusa
The Rockford Football and Basketball star sealed the win for the Rams yesterday evening, as he was insanely clutch down the stretch with 14 4th-quarter points. It took him a bit to get hot, especially because he was tasked with guarding and being guarded by Neuhaus, but the Senior lit up the court with a late 3-pointer to widen the lead at the end, in addition to 2 electric and-one plays.
I’m used to watching @jack_lamancusa on the football field, but he went OFF last night sealing the W against East GR. pic.twitter.com/OdGYyfGOJT
— Alex Pallone (@alex_pallone) December 8, 2021
East Grand Rapids SF Simon Neuhaus Simon Neuhaus 6'5" | SF East Grand Rapids | 2023 State MI
The mid-range game was lethal for Neuhaus, as he scored 28 points in his anticipated junior year debut. He was the obvious focal point of the EGR offense as he would often be the one dribbling it down the court, with his teammates running a play to get him to score. Neuhaus largely showed why he’s #16 in the 2023 state rankings, and the #2 SF. Though, he also showed some areas to improve in, mainly free throws and finishing layups. Nevertheless, there were times where Neuhaus looked unstoppable and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the season holds for him.
Rockford C Caden Pokozynski
The 6’5 Junior protected the paint, rebounded, and did his fair share of scoring, ultimately having a great game for himself. I don’t have the rebound numbers, but I do know that Rockford heavily out-rebounded East GR, and that is largely because of Pokozynski.
East Grand Rapids PG Drew Caswell Drew Caswell 5'11" | PG East Grand Rapids | 2023 State MI
Caswell quietly had himself a really nice game with 13 points, as well as a few steals and assists. The Football Star showed out on the hardwood last night as he commanded the floor well, scoring many layups and getting to the line twice hitting on 75% of his free throws. He was the best ball handler plus fastest on the court, and I’d like to see him slash more often as the season goes on.
Final Thoughts
Both teams were understandably a bit rusty at times, which made for some inconsistent and sometimes sloppy basketball especially in the 2nd quarter. As the second half went on, both teams began heating up and we got to see what they’re both made of under pressure. The student sections were going wild, and I would be lying if I said the chants didn’t make an impact on the final score. All in all, it was great to see High School Basketball back as it felt completely pre-covid normal. Rockford is projected to be atop the OK-Red this season, while EGR is projected to be atop the OK-White. It should be interesting to see how each of these teams progress and improve as the season goes on.