5 Best: Bloom vs Thornton
Bloom and Thornton met up on Tuesday night in a game that will help prepare both programs for the upcoming state tournament. Bloom led throughout the game picking up a road victory 65-52. Here is our 5 Best: Bloom vs Thornton breaking down the prospects in this game.
MVP
SG Dante Maddox (Bloom – 2020)
Maddox continues to light up the scoreboards this season! The 6’3” shooting guard plays very hard and has a knack for getting to the foul line. He attacks the paint and draws contact regularly which results in trips to the charity stripe where he is a plus free throw shooter. This is something big time scorers do. His three point shot did not fall in this game, but he did connect from mid-range. The majority of his points came on drives where he converted, got and-1s, or was fouled. He had three and-1s against Thornton. Straight line drives to the hoop. Maddox had 23 points in the win. Mid-major prospect with a lot of helium heading into the spring.
Best Offensive Player
PG Donovan Newby (Bloom – 2020)
Newby missed part of the season, but is now back and looking like the point guard prospect we saw last summer with the Illinois Wolves. The 6’2” lead guard has good size and the ability to put the ball in the hoop. He is quick twitched in the lane which allows him to get in the paint for scores with runners or mid-range pull ups. Hit a three off the catch early. Active defender that gets steals and turns them into points on the other end. Newby is a tough, athletic, and smart lead guard. He had 16 points in the contest. D1 prospect right now that should be monitored by low-major and mid-majors.
Best Defensive Player
C Martice Mitchell (Bloom – 2020)
Mitchell stands at an impressive 6’8” with long arms and quality mobility. What stood out the most in this game was he played with a higher motor and activity level than we are used to seeing on both ends. Defensively he was engaged not only blocking shots which he is good at, but defending in ball screens. Ran the floor harder than we remembered getting a pair of transition scores. Got to the foul line several times where he has a soft touch. Hit a deep two point shot. Mitchell has a lot of potential, but just has to put it all together and be consistent. Solid rebounder, but could board at a higher rate. He had 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocks. D1 potential.
Best Bench Player
SG Keshawn Williams (Bloom – 2020)
Williams came off the bench in this game. The 6’3” shooting guard struggled finishing in the lane early. Got things going with a baseline jumper and a three pointer off the catch. Moves well laterally on the defensive end with the potential to guard both backcourt spots. The plus athlete rebounded well in this game. He had 7 points and 6 rebounds. D1 prospect is a top 20 sophomore in Illinois.
Best Senior Sleepers
John White and Delonte Jones (Thornton – 2018)
White is a 6’4” transfer from Moline that has a good frame and was active. He got to the foul line regularly and scored with quickness inside. Mobility in the pick and roll. He had 9 points. Jones is a power wing that gets on the offensive glass for put backs and finishes in the paint on slashes from the mid-post. He finished with 12 points. Both could find homes at the small college or JUCO levels.