Tournament MVP: Southeast’s Anthony Fairlee
After a quiet opener, Fairlee rebounded for 27 points and 14 rebounds on Friday and he posted 15 and 12 in a championship game victory over rival Lanphier on Saturday. This kid’s been doing it at The Center for a minute. In 2016 he was our breakout player at City thanks to a 26 point, 14 rebound effort AS A FRESHMAN in the title game. Southeast point guard Terrion Murdix was in the mix for MVP as well, but the award, just as this Southeast Spartan team, officially belongs to Anthony Fairlee this year.
Top Defensive Player: Lanphier’s Cardell McGee
The team that wins obviously has an advantage in the MVP balloting, but the defensive player of the tournament was Cardell McGee’s no matter how you slice it. McGee had 16 steals over the three days of City, including a nine steal effort against SHG. He added four blocks, and while the numbers are nice, it was clear to anyone watching that Lanphier’s “dude” took his D to a different level this week. He hounded Murdix late in the title game, and it wasn’t until McGee picked up his fifth foul that Southeast was finally able to take a deep breath and enjoy their crown.
Floor Burn Award: SHG’s Nick Broeker
Have you ever seen a big dude, with such touch, earn a floor burn award? Honestly, this goes to a guy who tries real hard, but just isn’t that coordinated about 50 percent of the time. Not the case with THE SAUCE! Broeker was SHG’s most consistent player over the course of the tournament and he’s still willing to lay out for every loose ball he can find. He normally wins those loose balls, too. Would you want to dive after a ball when this future DI offensive lineman is coming at you?
Deep Threat Award: Springfield High’s Shane Miller
The Senator freshman was money downtown at a City Tournament that frankly speaking, featured poor 3-point shooting. The Center has a reputation for being a tough place to shoot with it’s deep backgrounds and tight rims, but Miller didn’t seem to notice. Over the three days, he was 7-for-18 from beyond the arc (39 percent).
Breakout Performance: Springfield High’s Shane Miller
We featured freshman Bennie Slater from Springfield for our ‘Next Man Up’ series, and for good reason. But Miller was determined to prove that there’s more than one freshman on the come up at SHS. He was the best shooter that City Tournament 2018 saw, and the minutes these young bulls are picking up right now will pay dividends in a couple years when SHS hopes to compete for their own City crown.
6th Man Award: Southeast’s Robert Hayes
Yes, Shane Miller comes off the bench and yes, he would have ben a deserving candidate to complete the triumvirate of Channel1450.com City Tournament awards, but we couldn’t look past the effort that Southeast got from senior Robert Hayes this week. It doesn’t all show up in the box score, but his size inside allows Anthony Fairlee to run the point of the Spartans’ pressure and it’s a second, stronger and more physical wave, inside for Southeast next to Michael Tyler. You know Robert “be giving his opponents the cheeks” when he’s in the game.
Coaching Award: Southeast’s Lawrence Thomas
You say “LT” in Springfield and everyone knows who you’re talking about. Since taking over on the east side in 2009, Southeast has won more City titles (5), than anyone else. The Spartans broke a tie on Saturday with Lanphier, who has four in that time. LT almost always has some critical words for his team after a game. He’s rarely, genuinely pleased, even when the Spartans are playing well. That’s not been the case with him over the past few weeks, a signal that maybe this year’s Southeast team is even better than advertised and he knows it.
Quotes of the Tournament: Southeast’s Anthony Fairlee & Lanphier’s Blake Turner
“I don’t talk a lot, people know I don’t talk a lot. But, all that twitter beef and all that saying they was going to take it over in there. No. Upset. They was too worried about that. They were more worried about Morgan Park than they were about Southeast.”
– Fairlee after the title game
“I’ll give you guys credit, man. I like my crow well done. Throw me some potatoes on there.”
– Blake Turner, after demanding respect all week because Kerker and DP picked Southeast to win the championship.
Dunk of the Tournament: Southeast’s Anthony Fairlee with Karl Wright, the best blocker in the CS8 trying to deny him. Poster. Sorry Karl.
Spirit Award(Student Section): Springfield High
SHS and SHG are the two largely relevant student sections in this tournament, though Southeast deserves a shoutout for having the best turnout of any City Tournament since we’ve been around. That being said, we agree with tournament officials this year that the Senators were a notch above Cyclone Nation in 2018. Springfield took the lead by keeping a packed student section for the entire night cap on Friday. They grew that lead with their choreographed “Do it, do it do it” entrance on Saturday (maybe work on the timing on the one). When they brought a real life baby, dressed as a lion and held it up while chanting “We have Simba!” it was really over. We’re just happy Mr. and Mrs. Kramer got that little guy back safely.
SHG may have produced a superior student section All-Access video, but they took some risks this week. The Silent Night bit was a risk, considering the Cyclones struggles on offense over the first two nights. That meant no sauce for nearly an entire quarter. Shoot your shot. But know that sometimes, you miss.
Best Original Fan Chants(Family Friendly): SHS and SHS going back and forth always makes us giggle.
SHS then SHG…
“We’ve got Dave!”
“You can have him!
SHG then SHS.. SHS trolling at the start of Friday’s nightcap between SHG and Lanphier
“I believe that we will win”
“I believe that they will win” – while pointing to the Lanphier bench
SHG – Let’s Play Fortnite!
Best Student Body T-Shirts: Springfield High
They were customized for their opponent, relevant with pop culture topics like the Netflix series Stranger Things and we certainly want to avoid the Bone Zone.
Best Sign: SHS
