Converse/Eastbay Classic Report

Vander Blue, Memorial shine at the Al.

by Antonio Curro

The second annual Converse/Eastbay Classic tipped of this past weekend inside the Al McGuire Center on the campus of Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the main attraction was an opportunity to see Marquette bound 6-3 senior guard and McDonald’s All-American candidate Vander Blue and the Wisconsin DI defending state champions Madison Memorial take on Milwaukee King. After taking in a number of games at the event, here’s a quick rundown of what took place…

TOP 5 PROSPECTS

1 – VANDER BLUE – MADISON MEMORIAL

2 – JOSH GASSER – PORT WASHINGTON

3 – ARROYO EDWARDS – MILWAUKEE KING

4 – SAM MADER – APPLETON EAST

5 – TRE CREAMER – MADISON MEMORIAL

TOP 5 PERFORMANCES OF THE DAY

1 – VANDER BLUE – MADISON MEMORIAL

2 – JOSH GASSER – PORT WASHINGTON

3 – AUSTIN ARMGA – WAUPUN

4 – SAM MADER – APPLETON EAST

5 – RYAN SOLBERG – WAUKESHA WEST

GAME RESULTS

MADISON MEMORIAL 56 MILWAUKEE KING 43
Memorial trailed by 1 at the end of the 3rd period and with the game tied at 40 inside of 6 minutes to play Vander Blue and Memorial took over with a 16-3 run to grab the victory. Blue scored 10 points in the final period and wrapped it up with a resounding dunk to put an exclamation point on the victory. Blue finished with a game high 22 points and 6-2 senior guard Tre Creamer added 21 in the victory for Memorial.

PORT WASHINGTON 73 WAUPUN 67
Leading 67-65 inside the final minute of play, Port Washington knocked down six-consecutive free throws to maintain control and hold on for the victory. Wisconsin bound 6-4 Senior PG Josh Gasser scored 25 points to pace Port Washington while Senior guard Austin Armga finished with a game high 31 points in a losing effort for Waupun.

MUSKEGO 48 DSHA 44 (GIRLS)
In the lone girls game of the day, two of the top teams in the state of Wisconsin squared off and it was Muskego behind a strong fourth quarter from Senior Sarah Mlachnik who took home the victory. Mlachnik knocked down 2 trey balls in the final session and finished with 12 points for Muskego while teammate Alyssa Colla scored a game high 17 to lead the way.

OAK LAWN RICHARDS (ILLINOIS) 70 SUSSEX HAMILTON 61
Senior guard Brett Meinecke’s 22 points were not enough for Sussex Hamilton as Oak Lawn used a 44-26 advantage in the 2nd half to take home the victory in this one.

APPLETON EAST 49 LACROSSE LOGAN 37
Appleton East took control with a 16-11 first quarter and continued to add to their lead each of the first three periods as they coasted to victory. 6-8 sophomore forward Sam Mader scored 8 points and grabbed a game high 12 rebounds in the winning effort.

WAUKESHA WEST 42 MILWAUKEE SOUTH 41
In the closest matchups of the day Waukesha West used a layup by 6-6 senior forward Ryan Solberg with 9.7 seconds to take a 1-point lead and then withstood two shot attempts by Milwaukee South inside the final 5 seconds to hang on for the victory. Soldberg finished with 23 points on the day to pace Waukesha West while senior guard Derrick Cook posted 13 in a losing effort for South.

VALDERS 69 SHOREWOOD 44
Valders jumped out early on this one and never looked back as they coasted to an easy victory to start the day off.