Prep Hoops 10 best: Canton vs. Morton

Morton handled Canton twice during the regular season and it was heading for a third, but the Lady Giants battled back to cut a 26-point lead to single digits. Nevertheless, Morton prevailed 71-59 to advance to Tuesday's Class 3A Chillicothe Sectional Championship game against top-ranked Richwoods. The Potters had a tough break 30 seconds into the game as sharpshooting guard <strong>Maddy Becker (2020)</strong> went down with an apparent knee injury. She had to be helped off the court but walked to the bench on her own power at the end of the first quarter after being examined in the locker room. <h2><strong>Game Thread</strong></h2> https://x.com/Sports_Aaron/status/1098031244145840128 <h2><strong>1. MVP</strong></h2> <strong>Katie Krupa (Morton 2022, F, 6-0)</strong> - 26 points (9-12/0-0/8-8), 7 rebounds, 1 steal Morton's gameplan was obvious from the get-go. Krupa posted and received an entry pass on the Potters first four possessions, setting up a career game for the freshman. Her efficiency in the post was key and forced the defense to collapse down on her, leaving a shooter open after the initial pass out of the post. It gives Krupa great confidence heading into Thursday's meeting with Marquette recruit <strong>Camryn Taylor (2019)</strong>, which will be one of the key battles in a meeting of two teams in the Associated Press's top 3. Krupa discusses her performance, the matchup and the rivalry here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwO4qe-_91g <h2><strong>2. Best Play</strong></h2> The final minute of the first half saw a great play from each, so we'll highlight both. First it was Morton running its offense as Alabama-Birmingham recruit <strong>Lindsey Dullard (2020)</strong> was driving to the left elbow when a cutting Krupa found herself wide open on a roll to the basket. Dullard hit Krupa who laid it in. Canton had an answer though not off a designed set. Morton was closing out on every pace to deny a shot at the end of the half but <strong>Anna Plumer (2019)</strong> found herself with the ball and plenty of space to launch a 40-foot 3-pointer that was nothing but nylon at the buzzer. <h2><strong>3. Best offensive performance</strong></h2> <strong>Katie Krupa (Morton 2022)</strong> - 26 points (9-12/0-0/8-8), 4 offensive rebounds Krupa did a good job of sealing off the defender to gain good post position. She worked hard to get good position on the offensive glass in case her shooters missed. <h2><strong>4. Best defensive performance</strong></h2> <strong>Tenley Dowell (Morton 2019)</strong> - 6 steals, 3 defensive rebounds The Butler recruit was all over the defensive end, jumping passing lanes and getting deflections to create quick transition opportunities for the Potters. Her length and athleticism at 6-1 is a mismatch at any guard position in high school. <h2><strong>5. Best girl off the bench</strong></h2> <strong>Sydney Hannam (Canton 2019, G, 5-6)</strong> - 10 points (3-7/0-1/4-4), 1 rebound, 1 steal Hannam gave the Lady Giants a needed lift on the offensive end and helped spark the second half comeback. Her ability to draw fouls was key. <h2><strong>6. Best intangibles</strong></h2> <strong>Lindsey Dullard (Morton 2020)</strong> Dullard sees things that most player her age wouldn't. When Krupa was out of the game, she'd get good seals in the post even though she's primarily a perimeter player. She is quick but makes things look effortless when driving through the lane and her court vision is terrific. Defensively, she uses her court awareness to get deflections and steals. <h2><strong>7. Best underclassman</strong></h2> <strong>Faith Demler (Canton 2021, G, 5-7)</strong> - 9 points (4-7/1-3/0-0), 2 rebounds Demler has had a good season for the Lady Giants. She's the only sophomore starter and plays well on the wing. She is aggressive with the ball and isn't afraid to shoot with taller defenders closing out. The next step in her game is extending her range and building a consistent 3-point shot. <h2><strong>8. Best shooter</strong></h2> <strong>Cassidy Fawcett (Canton 2019, G, 5-6)</strong> - 2-for-2 on 3-pointers Fawcett hit her first three shots but it wasn't until the fourth quarter that she got herself open shots. She went from floor general to scorer and it gave her team a lift. She scored 9 of her 12 points in the fourth and had one of her five assists. <h2><strong>9. Best extra starter</strong></h2> <strong>Peyton Dearing (Morton 2020, G, 5-4)</strong> - 3 points (1-1/1-1/0-0), 1 assist Thirty seconds into the game Dearing came in for the injured Maddy Becker and played extended minutes. Generally the sixth or seventh girl off the bench, Dearing was thrust into early action and knocked down a 3-pointer in the first quarter and had an assist. The Illinois State soccer recruit is as quick as any player on the court and a solid defender on, or off the ball. <h2><strong>10. Best Warrior</strong></h2> <strong>Anna Plumer (Canton 2019)</strong> Plumer had quite the career at Canton and her final game was an embodiment of a warrior. She was willing to do whatever it took to help her team out. The St. Ambrose recruit is Canton's tallest player at 5-10, so she played inside a lot despite being a quality guard and knockdown shooter. She worked hard in the post, showcased good passing skills and was fluid on the perimeter. <h2><strong>Lines of the night</strong></h2> <em>Canton</em> <strong>Cassidy Fawcett</strong> - 12 points (3-4/2-2/4-6), 5 assists, 1 rebound <strong>Anna Plumer </strong>- 9 points (3-6/2-3/0-0), 6 rebounds, 2 assists <strong>Tori Oaks (2020, G, 5-8)</strong> - 8 points (3-8/0-1/2-4), 4 rebounds, 2 assists <em>Morton</em> <strong>Katie Krupa</strong> - 26 points (9-12/0-0/8-8), 7 rebounds, 1 steal <strong>Lindsey Dullard</strong> - 17 points (6-11/2-6/3-4), 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 1 block <strong>Tenley Dowell</strong> - 13 points (5-10/0-0/3-4), 6 rebounds, 6 steals, 1 assist