Cornerstone Classic: Top Performers (Part 1)
This past Saturday, a 6-game event called the Cornerstone Classic took place at Lincoln-King Academy. The day featured some great games and some of Michigan’s premier talent. Games for the day included: Catholic Central vs Mumford, Western vs Divine Child, Chandler Park vs King, Henry Ford vs Loyola, Old Redford vs Hazel Park and Renaissance vs Cornerstone. Here are some of the top performers from the day:
Myron Gardner (2019, Loyola)
Gardner did everything he could to keep Loyola in the game against a talented Henry Ford team. Though his squad ultimately fell short, he’s the single reason the game was close in the first place. He finished with 30 points and 19 rebounds, displaying dominance in the paint. Gardner has that quick double-jump ability that allows him to be a force on the offensive glass – combine that with his football player-like strength and there are few high schoolers who can match him in the paint. Gardner also showed off his handles, bringing the ball up the court frequently, attacking from the perimeter and making several nice dribble moves frequently. He also knocked down three shots from beyond the arc.
Devin Pettus (2018, Hazel Park)
Pettus put together yet another good game against a quality opponent in this game against Old Redford. The 5’11” guard is one of the best shooting off the dribble or off balance – helping to make up for his small frame. In this game, he made a killing knocking down multiple key jumpers and was a big reason Hazel Park snuck out a 1-point victory over a quality Redford team.
Isaiah Jackson (2020, Old Redford)
Isaiah Jackson is a top 30 sophomore nationally and consistently impacts the game in a huge way. While he rarely dominates in the scoring department, Jackson makes his presence felt around the rim with his elite shot blocking ability. Such was the case against Hazel Park, who is an extremely athletic team that thrives playing at or above the rim. Jackson used his combination of size, length, athleticism and shot-blocking skill to make it difficult for Hazel Park to finish at the rim. Offensively, Jackson showed the ability to take the ball up the court himself and finish on the fast break.
Cortez Garland (2018, Renaissance)
Garland has been reliable as Renni’s third weapon all season. In this game, he would put up a game-high 23 points in a blowout win over Cornerstone. Garland is capable of scoring from all three levels and does a good job taking what the defense gives him. He has solid handles which allow him to run a pure point or create offense for himself, depending on what the team needs. Garland’s point total may have been even higher had Renni not pulled their starters with several minutes to go in the 4th quarter.