Best of the Midwest: Saturday’s Top Performers (Part 1)
Saturday wrapped up pool play action and began bracket play here in Grand Rapids. Some teams only had one game today while others played multiple. There were plenty big name coaches and players in attendance such as John Beilein, Miles Bridges, Jaren Jackson and Cassius Winston. Here are some of my top performers from Saturday’s action in Grand Rapids:
Lamar Norman (1Nation 17u) – Norman returned to 1Nation after participating in the Under Armour All America camp this weekend. He made his mark on the game immediately, hitting a 4 three pointers within the first few minutes of the game. He continued his hot start until the end of the game, hitting threes and getting to the rack. He would finish with a box score of 30 points, but several scouts and coaches in attendance had him for 34. What was most impressive about his performance was his efficiency, as he shot a great percentage and limited his turnovers. This very well may have been the most impressive individual performance of the day.
Myron Gardner (1Nation 16u) – Gardner has been on a tear all weekend and continued dominant play today. He plays with a ton of hustle and tenacity, both of which allow him to be a beast on the glass. In fact, he was so dominant on the glass there was a possession in which he got 4 consecutive offensive rebounds, got the ensuing defensive rebound, then came back down the court and got another offensive rebound which he putback for a score. Gardner also displayed nice handles and an ability to create off the dribble, something he looked very comfortable doing.
Dominique Davidson (Elite Nation 16u) – Davidson did his best Gardner impersonation in this game, dominating the paint at both ends. He easily finished with a double-double in his team’s matchup with Rise, as he was cleaning the glass on both ends. He had many tough finishes in traffic, both off teammates’ passes as well as offensive rebounds. Davidson made several nice post moves in which he displayed good footwork and ball fakes. Also, he played good defense, protecting the paint well; he would end the game with multiple blocks against Rise.
Brady Flynn (TEAM Basketball 17u) – Flynn had a great game in his team’s matchup against 1Nation, doing his best to keep up with their onslaught of threes. He played with great toughness in the paint, battling with Markeese Hastings all game long. He did a great job rebounding, finishing and protecting the rim inside the lane. He also hit a few midrange jumpers. When the defense pressured too much, he showed an ability to blow by and get to the rack via the dribble. Flynn with finish with a box score of 26 points.
Tristen Mysen (North Oakland Wolfpack 17u) – Mysen impressed in his squad’s tough loss to The Family 17u. He would matchup up with multiple D1 bigs, including Purdue commit Trevion Williams. This didn’t seem to bother Mysen, as he battled down low, pulling down rebounds on anybody. He also protected the rim well, showing he can challenge more athletic opponents vertically. Mysen also did a good job scoring down low, showcasing a couple nice moves to finish around the rim.