Highland Shootout Wrap-up!!!!

Big Tim
3 hours ago
5 min read

I made the trip for second consecutive year to the St Louis Area for this big time shootout. Great atmosphere as games were packed most of the day. Big time national prospects, good matchups (though one was ruined by an ejection from game the night before), and no smowstorm this time!!!!! Here we go:

TOP PERFORMANCE:

I've seen Illinois Mr Basketball 6'1" junior point guard Jaxson Davis (#1) of Warren Township (Gurnee) do this to other teams too many times to count since he entered high school. Well he brought his show to the St Louis Area and showed out vs perennial power Vashon (St Louis). Did a little bit of everything as usual. Top 50 in the country and that to me is a low rating. He absolutely dominated the first half with 22 points and a couple of long threes from the parking lot!!!! Chilled offensively in the third quarter and let his senior backcourt partner Braylon Walker take over the third quarter scoring wise. Then early in the fourth quarter went back to his scoring chops to put the game away, while still making the right pass and the right play. Handled the Vashon pressure with 6 assists and 0 turnovers. Scored game high 33 points (13/25 FG, 6/10 three) 4 rebounds and 3 steals in blowout win. Only thing he did not do well was free throw shooting at 1/4 and that is unusual. Did everything else though in dominant fashion. Par for the course for this young man. Game MVP (of course).

Can't forget teammate 6'4" combo guard Braylon Walker (#11) of Warren Township (Gurnee) who's been teaming with Davis since middle school. He's had a great senior season being more aggressive looking to score. Used strength, ball handling, and scoring on attacks to the rim, and being a mid range king. Scored 19 points 10 rebounds (double/double) 4 assists 1 steal crashing the defensive glass. Colleges tap in.

MISSOURI COMMITS SENIOR JASON CROWE JR (#5) OF INGLEWOOD (CA) AND SCOTTIE ADKINSON OF WEBSTER GROVES (MO) (#11) WENT AT IT IN THE FINAL GAME:

Entertaining matchup with fans chanting overrated at Crowe Jr. The 6'4" senior point guard averages 44 points a game. He scored "ONLY" 28 points (11/27 FG, 2/7 three, 4/4 FT) but he hit two free throws to put the game away and this team came out with a win. Adkinson, a 6'4" junior guard had a good all around game with 17 points (4/8 FG, 3/5 three, 6/7 FT) 7 rebounds 5 assists.

JACKSON TABASH (#21) OF WEBSTER GROVES (MO) STOLE THE SHOW THOUGH:

The 6'3" junior combo guard came out firing from three. Nasty catch and shoot from deep range, hit three of them early, got into a collision and went out of the game for a time. Came back and hit two big threes to cut the lead to two late. Crowd was going nuts with anticipation anytime he touched the ball behind the three point line. Scored 26 points (9/16 FG, 8/12 three) showed a smooth stroke.

WALTONVILLE HAS A GREAT CHANCE TO WIN CLASS 1A:

They have two monsters on the interior in 6'6" senior Gage Peterson (#23) and 6'6" junior Jagger Maryville. Both had double/doubles. Peterson was Game MVP in win over Highland with 20 points (9/20 FG, 2/6 three) 10 rebounds 6 assists 3 steals. Maryville has a nice lefty stroke from mid range and in. Scored 19 points (9/14 FG, 0/1 three, 1/1 FT) 10 rebounds 3 steals and 1 block. Team is ranked #5 in Class 1A by the Associated Press. Devor Witten, a 5'11" junior point guard can shoot it from deep and added 12 points.

PRINCIPIA (MO) PUT A RUNNING CLOCK ON A DEPLETED EAST ST LOUIS (IL) SQUAD:

Principia is ranked #2 in the country by Max Preps. They are top 10 in the country no matter what poll you look at. The matchup between them and East St Louis was supposed to be one of the top matchups in St Louis Area history. Problem was #1 player in senior class in Illinois 6'8" forward Jamison White of East St Louis was ejected from the game the night before. Rules dictate he had to sit out this one. Appeals to the IHSA to play were denied. I'll go into the ejection in another post as I was at that game, and to me it's the worst ejection I've ever seen. Moving on East St Louis was also missing starter Tyrese Houston which put a damper on the matchup. As for Principia they took advantage having four starters in double figures led by Game MVP 6'9" junior forward Sekou Cisse dominated the paint without White. He had a double/double of 25 points 12 rebounds 3 blocks. Wake Forest commit 6'4" senior guard Quentin Colemasn picked it up in second half with 22 points 8 rebounds 3 steals. 6'3" junior guards Kingston Money had 13 points 5 rebounds, and Nour Gassim Toure had 13 points 8 rebounds. East St Louis was led by 6'1" junior point guard Phillip Jones, who had to put on his scoring hat with team high 23 points (10/18 FG, 2/6 three), and 6'3" senior guard Alex Johnson had 19 points (5/11 FG, 3/5 three, 6/10 FT) 4 steals and 1 block.

FISHERS (IN) STAYS UNDEFEATED WITH RUNNING CLOCK WIN OVER CARDINAL RITTER (MO):

Fishers has lost one game in last two seasons, the state title game last March vs Jeffersonville. They have played the last few games without nationally ranked 6'2" guard Jason Gardner Jr. Game MVP 6'9" senior forward Kai McGrew (#25) dominated the paint along with one nasty poster dunk. Scored 21 points (8/12 FG, 2/3 three, 3/7 FT) 9 rebounds 1 block. Junior point guard 5'10" Cooper Zachary (#4) had 11 points (4/13 FG, 3/10 three) 5 rebounds 5 assists and 5 steals. Junior Levi Walker (6'4") wing had 10 points as did 6'7" senior wing Ethan Hillsman (#40) with 5 rebounds 1 steal and 4 blocks.

CHAMINADE (ST LOUIS,MO) GETS COMEBACK WIN OVER LOGAN-ROGERSVILLE (MO) AND INDIANA COMMIT CHASE BRANHAM (#3):

Game MVP Mohamed Kouroma (#24) was dominant especially in the second half scoring on the interior and drawing fouls on defenders. The 6'8" forward had a double/double of 22 points (9/12 FG, 1/3 three, 3/6 FT) 13 rebounds 1 steal. He led four players in double figures senior Tricy Collins (#3) 13 points 6 rebounds, senior Jonny Jordan Jr (#2) 13 points (game clinching three), and sophomore Elijah Poniewaz 12 points 4 assists 1 steal. Logan-Rogersville was led by Indiana commit 6'4" junior guard Chase Branham (#3) with game high 31 points 6 rebounds 3 steals, and 6'5" sophomore wing Titus Moore had 13 points 5 rebounds 1 steal 1 block.

GIRLS GAME: WICHITA STATE COMMIT KAYLEA LACEY OF ALTON DOMINATED IN WIN OVER HIGHLAND:

Game MVP 5'9" senior guard Kaylea Lacey (#5) had a slow start to the first quarter, but then came alive in the second quarter and dominated the rest of the game. Totaled 19 points (8/11 FG, 1/2 three, 2/4 FT) on mid range jumpers and attacks to the rim. Added 5 rebounds and 3 steals. Senior 5'10" point guard Ja'Kayla Steen added 11 points (5/7 FG, 0/1 three, 1/1 FT) 7 rebounds. Highland was led by senior guard Jordan Bircher (#3) with 18 points (6/11 FG, 6/8 FT).