Week three of the 2024 Summit Summer League takes place this Wednesday, August 21.
After a week two that saw Team Prokop go 2-0 and a lot of intense basketball, teams will be shook up for week three games. Want to check out games this week? They start at 6:15 at Turnstone Plassman Athletic Center with admission set at $8.
Click here to see info, schedule and rosters for week three games.
What are some things to look forward to this week?
CONSISTENCY IS KEY
When we review a week gone by, naturally the focus is on the guys who had masterful weeks. It could be a big moment, an Elam Ending game winner or by being just ridiculously powerful through two sets of games.
That, however, often leads to not enough time being spent talking about the guys who are playing heavily consistent basketball each game. And through two weeks, there are a few guys that I want to talk about a little more as they head into week three games.
Caden Rice (DeKalb) is just a solid impact player each time he has touched the court in the first two weeks of play. Rice has proven in the past, including during AAU season, to be a strong and consistent rebounder, but in this league is really putting his best foot forward offensively. Rice has looked comfortable handing the ball and his shot has been incredibly strong.
Trevon Maley (Fort Wayne Hawks) is one of five players currently in the top 10 in both total points and total rebounds. And Maley has been so solid in most of his games so far. He is rebounding at a high clip, proving scrappy on both ends of the court, and as expected, is shooting the ball very well. Maley has been a gem both weeks and its starting to standout.
Like Maley, Parker Reed (Garrett) runs in the top 10 in both scoring and rebounding in the league. The lefty has shot the ball smooth and also gotten down hill efficiently. But what has stood out is his ability to run the show as a lead guard, including some great passes in transition.
Mason Pearson continues to introduce his game to a lot of this area with his unique style that combines an interior bruiser with an outside sniper. Pearson is among the toughest matchups on Wednesday night because of the diversity in his offensive game. While not in the traditional OTH coverage area, this NorthWood junior certainly has my attention.
THE INTERIOR PLAY DIFFERENCE
The big men, as expected before games began this month, have been feasting.
Isaiah King (Fort Wayne Hawks) and Stephen Akase (Tippecanoe Valley) lead the league in scoring and rebounding respectively while Akase is also second in scoring overall. These two are absolute beasts and we will get to see them against each other again Wednesday at 6:15 on court two at Turnstone.
Oliver Adams (Woodlan) has been working hard not only in transition, which I have touched on the first two weeks, but also to get second chance opportunities at the rim and is third in rebounding in the league after the first four games (26 rebounds/6.5 per game).
Mason Pearson (NorthWood), as mentioned above, has been a consistent threat and that of course extends to the interior where he can be a real matchup problem.
Kohen Smith (Garrett) has stretched his game out more than usual and is hitting on the perimeter and midrange successfully. Yet, he is still strong around the rim and has been garnering his team second chance offensive opportunities both weeks.
And as for another guy playing like one of the best big men in the league…
OWEN PRATER IS A MENACE
For the second straight August, Owen Prater, a senior out of Rochester, is showing this area what he is all about during the Summit Summer League.
While some teams in our traditional coverage area touch Rochester during the season, the Zebras just usually aren’t on a lot of radars. But the pulverizing play of Prater every time he touches the court is nothing short of alluring.
To see someone with such physicality play with a unique poise, precision and intelligence is interesting. And the way that Prater does so many intangible things well helped Team Durnell to come inches from a two-win week last week. Prater continues to do so much so well and is among the most valuable guys in this league.
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