Scouting Report: Des Moines North at Ankeny
In the first half it was future Morningside Mustang Trystan Cummins who spurred an Ankeny run, and in the second it was Drew Maschoff. Each finished their flurry with a burst of emotion, and each was instrumental in the 30 point obliteration of Des Moines North.
The team effort was tremendous, and the Hawks — this time on their home court with the stakes high — avenged a 73-62 loss from earlier this month to North, and advance to a substate final on Tuesday night.
Drew Maschoff — our 7th-ranked 2017 — was a one-man wrecking crew in the second half, at one point during a critical junction of the game scoring seven straight points. The Maschoff blitz came just after an athletic block on the the defensive end, which led to back-to-back triples — the second one with a foul.
Dontre English was sensational for the Polar Bears in the first half, pouring in 16 in the first two quarters – but was quiet after that. Star small forward Jal Bijiek was off all night, and scored just three points.
The Hawks (18-4) will play a very good Dowling (19-3) team on Tuesday night in Johnston — the winner punches its ticket to the state tournament. Ankeny beat Dowling by eight in January.
North ends its season with a stellar 18-6 record, and return 4th-ranked 2017 Bijiek, and 3rd-ranked 2019 Tyreke Locure next season.
Team Scoring
DM North…..14 14 6 12 — 76
Ankeny………16 16 22 22 — 46
Individual Scoring
DM North: Dontre English 20, Tyreke Locure 10, Keon Lowe 7, James Deng 4, Jal Bijiek 3, Ben Hayes 2
Ankeny: Drew Maschoff 23, Trystan Cummins 16, Conor Riodan 16, Tyler Maschoff 9, Jonah Plummer 5, Chris McCleod 3, Tanner Rinker 2, Riley McCoy 2.
DM North Player Evals
2016 Dontre English, 6’2 G
English ends his topsy-turvy high school career the way you’d expect, by scoring in bunches. His 16 first half points carried the Polar Bears, and his 20 was a team-high. He’s active defensively, and has quick, strong hands — good for steals, and deflections. Always a competitor, he’s a fiery figure that could benefit from two years JuCo.
2019 Tyreke Locure, 5’9 PG
He was visibly distraught after the game, and he laid it all on he court for the Polar Bears. He was in foul trouble for much of the third quarter, and not-coincidentally that’s when the Hawks went on their massive run. As mentioned before, Locure is an elite ball-handler and passer, with an innate feel for the game not found in most players, let alone freshman. He’ll be a superstar the next three years for the Polar Bears. It will be interesting to see how his game and his physique develop this spring and summer with Kingdom Hoops.
Ankeny Player Evals
2017 Drew Maschoff, 6’2 G
He skyrocketed up our 2017 rankings after last summer, and he nudged his way up again in our latest installment. It looks as though he’s ready to move up yet again, into the top 5. He substantially outplayed anyone on the floor, and his ability to beat you in a variety of ways makes him nearly impossible to defend. He connected on five 3-pointers — one with a foul — put down a one-hand jam, and scored via slashing. He also had a show-stopping block that catalyzed a third quarter run. Look for Maschoff to blow up this summer with Kingdom Hoops.
2016 Tyler Maschoff, 6’4 SF
Though he’s not quite as dynamic as his top-10 brother, Tyler has been key to the success of the Hawks this season. And he was sensational defensively tonight, particularly in the third quarter. He scores, rebounds, and defends when needed, and uses good length and Maschoff-savvy to make an impact on both ends of the floor.
2016 Conor Riodan, 5’11 G
The wily veteran has been a mainstay with the Hawks for three seasons now, and though he’s surrendered his top-dog status to Drew, he still does whatever the team needs for a win. His great length aids him defensively, and allows him to get off shots others couldn’t on the offenseive end. Riordan’s experience is evident; he doesn’t force, he plays smart, and knows how to win.