MAAA Tournament: Top Underclassmen
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Prep Hoops Missouri had the opportunity to take a look at the final day of action at the Mineral Area Activities Association Tournament on Saturday, which was held at Mineral Area College in Park Hills. Ste. Genevieve came in as…
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Continue ReadingPrep Hoops Missouri had the opportunity to take a look at the final day of action at the Mineral Area Activities Association Tournament on Saturday, which was held at Mineral Area College in Park Hills.
Ste. Genevieve came in as the No. 4 seed, but came away as the tournament champion with a victory over North County. Park Hills Central defeated Farmington in the third-place game.
Here is a look at some of the top underclassmen from Saturday’s action.
Jobe Bryant Jobe Bryant 6'0" | PG Park Hills Central | 2024 State MO (Park Hills Central): The 5’11” 2024 point guard put on a show in the third-place game with a game-high 34 points in the Rebels’ victory over Farmington. He was at his slashing and penetrating best as he got to the basket at will and finished with regularity. When he wasn’t finishing in the lane, he was also using his elite passing ability to drop some nice dimes to his teammates. As bonus, he scored his 1000th career point at the end of the first half.
Ricky Hunter Ricky Hunter 5'11" | PG Ste Genevieve | 2023 MO (Ste. Genevieve): The 2023 guard had a big game in leading the Dragons to the victory over North County in the championship game. He scored a team-high 23 points as he did a nice job of pushing the pace and getting into the lane to create. He had some nice pull up jumpers and he hit a step-back 3-pointer as well. He also salted the game away with a perfect 12 of 12 from the free throw line.
Layne Wigger (North County): The 5’11” 2023 guard was one of the more impressive offensive players over the weekend as he earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team. He finished with 24 points in the championship game. He displayed his perimeter shooting chops with four 3-pointers. He also does an effective job of playing fast while staying under control.
Caden Casey Caden Casey 6'1" | CG Park Hills Central | 2024 State MO (Park Hills Central): The 6’0″ 2024 guard had an excellent all-around performance in the third place game as he had 16 points and nine rebounds. He had things going from 3-point range with four triples. He displayed his athleticism in crashing the boards and he also threw down a nice dunk in transition.
Nick Plati (Ste. Genevieve): A 2023 point guard who played an excellent floor game for the tournament champions. He has good quickness and he did an excellent job of distributing the basketball. He used his speed to get into the lane for a pair of early buckets that helped set the tone for his team.
Jobe Smith (North County): The 5’11” 2023 guard is a tremendous football player who also can get it done on the basketball court as well. He’s a solid athlete with good instincts on the court. He scored 12 points in the championship game, which included three 3-pointers.