Fab 5: Jacobs vs Larkin
PrepHoopsIllinois checked out Larkin against Jacobs in an intriguing sectional final on Friday night. A few different angles to look at. From a team standpoint Jacobs has been dominant all year while Larkin has been a surprise in the state tournament making a run this deep. The individual matchup between our #2 2017 center Cameron Krutwig and #1 2018 center Jalen Shaw is about as good as it gets in the paint. Also Krutwig and Larkin’s injured star Christian Negron are the center pieces of what Loyola hopes will be the front line that gets them back in March Madness. It was all Jacobs early. They were absolutely dominant in the first half jumping out to a 24-12 lead at the half. It was more of the same in the second half behind the best performance we saw all year coming from Cameron Krutwig. Jacobs rolled to a 62-39 win. Here is our Fab 5: Jacobs vs Larkin!
MVP
C Cameron Krutwig (Jacobs – 2017 – Loyola)
Best single performance I have seen all year! The 6’9” post was absolutely phenomenal. He did everything for his team. From a physical standpoint he is a big bodied post that moves tremendously well for his size. In the post on the offensive end he has elite footwork. Spin moves, up and unders, fakes, and seals unbelievably well. Great feel for getting the defender off balance and knowing how to exploit them. Against the lengthy Shaw, Krutwig used his strength to get deep post position and go right through him. He is also an elite passer. Krutwig finds shooters on the opposite side of the floor. The senior is the best outlet passer I have ever evaluated from the state of Illinois. He had about five that were full court on the money. It is Kevin Love like. Rebounded at an incredibly high level on both ends of the floor. Boxes out and snatches them out of the air. Despite how big he is and not being the greatest vertical athlete he has a knack for getting on the offensive boards for second chance opportunities. The area he was most impressive in this one was on the defensive end. He isn’t known for being a high level shot blocker. Against one of the longest bigs in the state he stuffed it right back in his grill over and over and over. They were straight up in one on one post opportunities. He finished with a near quadruple double. Krutwig had 20 points, 19 rebounds, 15 blocks, and 8 assists. He is going to make an instant impact at Loyola. Just for the record Krutwig should win every single award in this game, but let’s look at a few of the other standouts.
Best offensive performance
SG Ryan Phillips (Jacobs – 2018)
The 6’3” shooting guard had an outstanding game in his own right. Phillips has solid size and strength on the wing. He was best in the transition game running the floor hard and finishing at the rack. Several times he split defenders and slipped past them for a score. Good body control at the rim. Likes to use a runner. Didn’t see much of a jump shot, but it wasn’t needed in this one. He had 20 points. Look forward to evaluating him more this spring.
Best rebounder
C Jalen Shaw (Larkin – 2018)
Yes the big man definitely learned some lessons from his veteran post opponent. He still ended up with a double double in this game. Shaw will definitely have to add strength going forward. That was never more obvious than going against Krutwig. His jump shot from both three and mid-range was off. The Shaw that we have seen throughout this season which has made him the #1 center in the 2018 class has been more assertive with quick and fluid post moves. In this game he was tentative especially after a couple of the blocks. Against a different post defenders he showed that skill with multiple right handed sweeping hook shots. He has a long and lanky body with quality mobility. He was solid rebounding. Shaw flashed his shot blocking ability. He had 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Still clearly remains the top junior center in the state.
Best intangiables
SG Anthony Lynch (Larkin – 2018)
Lynch has had an outstanding season for Larkin. In his first year with his new squad he has taken on a leadership role and proven he can really score. The two guard is best attacking off the bounce. Struggled early on a few drives. Got it going later in the game for a nice transition and-1 and a spin in the lane. He finished with 7 points. Should be monitored by D2/D3/NAIA schools this spring.
Best role player
PG Kashmir Ivy (Larkin – 2019)
The 5’9” point guard for Larkin gave his team a lift in this one. He attacked the cup in transition with his speed. Wasn’t afraid to take it at the big boys despite his size. Good body control at the rim. Small college prospect. He had 15 points.