St. Farm Tourney/Bloomington, Max, PND, etc..

[tornado]

I thought I'd start a thread for the Holiday tourneys...

Over in Bloomington, Peoria Notre Dame is currently underway vs.Springfield HS, in the Class 3A/4A (large school) bracket.

Just completed, Culver Academy of Indiana beat Normal U-High 66-52 in overtime. U-High was outscored 16-2 in OT, and was outscored 32-14 after the 3rd quarter.


In the only Class A/2A (small school) game in the books, PCS loses to Fieldcrest 61-39.

[BradleyBrave]

I went to both games at Normal West this morning (U-High/Peoria ND). A few thoughts -

1. The 7 footer (Cheir Ajou) for Culver has a nice touch from the FT line, but I would be shocked if he doesn't redshirt next year. He's pretty weak with the ball and was a non-factor on offense. He's a New Mexico commit.

2. Culver has a couple of Canadians from the same town as Jerome Robinson who aren't bad. The 6'5" kid has a good nose for the ball.

3. Peoria ND has a decent squad all around. Good guard play, some good shooters, and another solid big to compliment Max.

4. Springfield was an undisciplined bunch of hacks. #31 (Kramer I believe) was just flat out a dirty player. He practically horse-collared David Molinari one time when he was going to the basket, and got a double-technical earlier in the game. The tech came after he cheap-shotted an ND player on an out-of-bounds screen. He is lucky he wasn't ejected, and I can't believe he didn't foul out.

5. I'm not sure what Max's ceiling is. I think it's at the mid-major level. He's got great old school post moves, and has a great basketball IQ, but doesn't have the athleticism or length to be an impact big man at the college level IMO. I think he could be a solid contributor at the Horizon/MAC and possibly even the MVC level. If he chooses to walk on at Illinois, I don't see him ever getting meaningful minutes. I hear he's got a great work ethic though, and guys with his skillset and work ethic have done quite well at the MVC level in the past.

6. Chuck Buescher was at the ND game. Didn't get a chance to chat with him though.

That's all for now. ND matches up with Culver tomorrow, so Max will have a chance to torch another highly recruited 7 footer. I'll be interested to see how that one turns out.

[tornado]

Scores to this point..

Culver 66 - U-High 52 - Ellis 18 for UHigh, Chier Ajou 7 pts, Jermaine Myers 34 pts for Culver
Notre Dame 69 - Springfield 52 - Max Bielfeldt 14pts, 11rbs, and 6blks, Molinari 6, Blumenshine 11
Lake Forest 57 - Normal Community 49
Rock Island 66 - Thornwood 46 - Chasson Randle had 9 pt at half -- don't have final stats yet
Fieldcrest 61 - PCS 39 - PCS played only 6 players
QND 67 - Taylor Ridge-Rockridge 38
IVC 56 - CPCI 34 (IVC cruised, led 32-12 at half after Alex Koch long buzzer-beater, Koch finished with 12, Rutan 12)
Olympia 56 - Tri-Valley 50

More scores from later Monday --
Mahomet Seymour 66 - North Chicago 62
Glenbard East 74 - Grayslake 59 ISU recruit Jonny Hill gets 32 - http://is.gd/jDLqN
Chicago North Lawndale 65 - Champaign Centennial 52
Rockton Hononegah 68 - Sterling 43
Bloomington Central Catholic 69 - Hart-Em 54 - Hayden Hoerdemann 6 pt
El Paso 48 - Ogden St. Joe 35 - Codey Funk 11
Rock Falls 53 - Rochester 46
Providence St. Mel 63 - Macon Meridian 43

[tornado]

nice story in the Pantagraph on Chasson Randle

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/high-school/basketball/boys/article_e1e528b4-123a-11e0-873d-001cc4c002e0.html

[45otseoj]

Semi-Finals

PND vs. Rock Island, 4:30 pm, Shirk Center
-Should be one heck of a match-up. Randle is the best player in the tournament, but PND's perimeter pressure D will be a good test for him.
-RI has a big guy that will guard Max, but I'd guess Max still gets his numbers.
-I think Notre Dame has the better team, and Randle could take it over. In two games he has 25 and 32 points.
-Both teams come in undefeated.

Glenbard East vs. Rockton-Hononegah, follows the game above
-GE has coasted in their first 2 victories, while R-H was in an absolute dog fight last night with North Lawndale.
-Future Redbird Johnny Hill has been getting to the basket with ease thus far; 32 in the 1st game and 27 last night (25 in the 1st half). He also has 15 steals and is 16-16 from the line.
-GE plays a very aggresive defense. If R-H can stay composed and beat GE's press then it should be close. If they get rattled, GE will coast on in to the finals.

[BradleyBrave]

PND vs. Rock Island, 4:30 pm, Shirk Center
-Should be one heck of a match-up. Randle is the best player in the tournament, but PND's perimeter pressure D will be a good test for him.
-RI has a big guy that will guard Max, but I'd guess Max still gets his numbers.
-I think Notre Dame has the better team, and Randle could take it over. In two games he has 25 and 32 points.
-Both teams come in undefeated.

Glenbard East vs. Rockton-Hononegah, follows the game above
-GE has coasted in their first 2 victories, while R-H was in an absolute dog fight last night with North Lawndale.
-Future Redbird Johnny Hill has been getting to the basket with ease thus far; 32 in the 1st game and 27 last night (25 in the 1st half). He also has 15 steals and is 16-16 from the line.
-GE plays a very aggresive defense. If R-H can stay composed and beat GE's press then it should be close. If they get rattled, GE will coast on in to the finals.

I was in Pekin yesterday and didn't get a chance to see PND-Culver. How'd Max do against the New Mexico-bound 7 footer from Culver?

[45otseoj]

I was in Pekin yesterday and didn't get a chance to see PND-Culver. How'd Max do against the New Mexico-bound 7 footer from Culver?

Max did very well. Chier Ajou (New Mexico) is not very good IMO. He has the tools to be a good player, but his strength really holds him back. He also looks lost when teams throw a zone at him. He won't make an impact in the college game for acouple years, if ever. He's a huge project right now.

Championship Thursday: Johnny Hill and the #1 seed Glenbard East Rams go up against Max Bielfeldt and the #2 seed Peoria Notre Dame Irish. Both teams come in undefeated; only one will leave that way...

[tornado]

One of the great mysteries of the known universe...
how can anyone doubt Max's D-I ability or talent...the kid is going to be good in college...

Lucas O'Rear starts and puts up double-double numbers for a D-I team coming off a Sweet Sixteen -- and I guarantee that Max would dominate the guy.

...and I agree on Cheir Ajou -- he is exactly like all those African 7-footers we've seen at IU and Decatur Christian that were years and years away from being D-I capable.
He won't last a year in the Mountain West..but then, as Manute Bol proved, you can even play at a lower level school like University of Bridgeport (Bol's school) and if you are good enough, they'll find you!

[Beninator]

One of the great mysteries of the known universe...
how can anyone doubt Max's D-I ability or talent...the kid is going to be good in college...

Lucas O'Rear starts and puts up double-double numbers for a D-I team coming off a Sweet Sixteen -- and I guarantee that Max would dominate the guy.

...and I agree on Cheir Ajou -- he is exactly like all those African 7-footers we've seen at IU and Decatur Christian that were years and years away from being D-I capable.
He won't last a year in the Mountain West..but then, as Manute Bol proved, you can even play at a lower level school like University of Bridgeport (Bol's school) and if you are good enough, they'll find you!

What do you see in that guy? I haven't seen him in person but from the videos I have seen, I am in the same camp as BradleyBraves' opinion with the second post on this thread. IMO, Max is a mid-major player in college. If he gets a major division 1 offer, he should run with it!

[tornado]

He is like Tyler Hansbrough (really 6-7) or Luke Harangody (measured at 6-6.25" at the NBA Draft Combine)
who play bigger than their size, have 110% effort and never give up, and actually have the ability to regularly put up great numbers...and be great college players.

[BradleyBrave]

He is like Tyler Hansbrough (really 6-7) or Luke Harangody (measured at 6-6.25" at the NBA Draft Combine)
who play bigger than their size, have 110% effort and never give up, and actually have the ability to regularly put up great numbers...and be great college players.

Only difference is that both of those guys were much better basketball players and athletes than Max.

If working hard and never giving up was all it took, a lot more of us would have played Division I basketball!

If Max was from Glenbrook North would you feel the same way about him?

[Lakeview Brave]

From what Ive seen of him I too think he will be one of the greatest college basketball players of all time and if he falls short of that he will just be an all american. Hopefully he comes to BU to make it happen!

[midstateknowitall]

http://www.ilprepbullseye.com/page21.html

Great Article on what Max and others!!

[tornado]

IN THE FINAL BETWEEN GLENBARD EAST & NOTRE DAME

Peoria Notre Dame took an early lead 8-2 then GBE battled back to take a 11-10 lead.
The first quarter ended with Notre Dame down 18-17.
The entire 2nd quarter was back and forth - neither team getting more than 2 or 3 pts up...
..then two more FT by Johnny Hill just before half put Glenbard East ahead 37-35 ..and that's the halftime score currently....

http://www.ilprepbullseye.com/page21.html

Great Article on what Max and others!!

hmm...Bradley making a "major" pitch for Max??

[45otseoj]

Vogt was seated in the 2nd row just a few spots down from Illinois State's assistant Parham.

Max absolutely took over in the 2nd half.
31 points (22 in the 2nd half), 15-16 from the FT line.

Glenbard East is a guard-oriented team that likes to run. They don't have a lot of size. PND has some of the best perimeter defenders in the state, and that really neutralized East in the 2nd half.

Johnny Hill (ISU) finished with 12 points (all in the 1st half), 9 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 block, and 6 turnovers. Twice in the 2nd half he was clipped from behind, but no foul was called either time. He had some "wow" moments, but really seemed to get frustrated in the final quarter.

East's PG Miller (NIU) played a great game; 22 points.

The game got ugly late when Hill and Lane got into it when the Irish were pulling away. Cooler heads prevailed though, and Max and Johnny shared a friendly handshake at the awards ceremony. Both made the All-Tournament team, both were unnanimous, and Max won the MVP.

http://www.theclassic.org/boxscores/BAA32.pdf

Randle was the best player in the tournament, Max was the best post player, and Hill showed a lot of potential with much room for improvement.