Concluding the Timberwolves Shootout

By Bryan Kriss - bryankriss@hardwoodelite.com

It was a fun night in Minneapolis for the Timberwolves Shootout. There were a couple of close games that went down to the wire and a few players who stood out amongst the rest. Here were the event's best performers.

Marcus Paige: With both Tyus Jones and Thomas Schalk out with injuries, Apple Valley struggled to find a way to compete with Linn-Mar, leading to an 81-35 blowout win for the Lions. While Paige only scored 16 points in the victory, he displayed elite talent at the point guard position and proved to be the best participant. He had an excellent control of the offense, displayed a couple of nice passes, and was pulling up in the mid-range for basket after basket. It was also announced during the game that he has committed to play for North Carolina and becomes their first commitment for 2012.

Jake White: Cedar Rapids Washington got off to a quick start and led for virtually the entire game, but Jake White and Chaska wouldn't go down without a fight. In the past we have seen White get a majority of his points from jump shots, but he was playing more physical and aggressive around the rim tonight leading to 26 of his team's 55 points. After a couple of clutch free throws by Josh Oglesby late in the game, Washington was able to hold onto a 59-55 victory over Chaska.

Wesley Washpun: Although a bit on the smaller side, Washpun is a tough player who proved difficult to defend. He used his quickness to create space for himself and hit a number of impressive shots throughout the game. Washpun led Washington with 23 points.

Josh Oglesby: Oglesby always manages to impress us with his smart play and overall efficiency. His shooting ability has been well documented and he hit a couple of threes that looked like they barely even touched the net, but that isn't all that Oglesby is capable of. He did a good job handling the ball against pressure and made a number of impressive passes. One of the more surprising parts of his game is that he never forces shots even though he is one of the premiere shooters in the country. He always manages to play within himself and makes very few mistakes.

Matt Bohannon: I wasn't quick enough to get a look at how many points Bohannon ended up scoring, but he was likely the leading scorer in the final game of the night for Linn-Mar. He hit several three pointers in the game as well as a number of layups. He may not be the greatest athlete, but he does a good job of putting the ball in the basket and needs to be accounted for at all times due to his deep range.