Jacob Padilla was at Ralston Arena for every one of the boys games in the Metro Holiday Tournament over the last week and has compiled his all-tournament teams highlighting the top performers.
FIRST TEAM
MOP — Hunter Sallis (Millard North Junior)
24. 0 PPG, 60% FG (30.8% 3FG), 73.7% FT, 4.0 RPG, 5.0 APG, 3.3 TPG, 2.3 SPG (4 games)
The talented 2021 guard continued what he’s been doing all season, leading the mustangs to the title with four more 20-point games on terrific efficiency. He up up 28 in Millard North’s first game then closed it out with a game-high 23 in the final including at least three dunks. Sallis also passed the ball very well, finding his teammates in good spots. He had a career-high eight assists in the semifinal.
Sallis looks every bit of a top-50 player nationally, and that’s probably a little conservative. Nebraska assistant Matt Abdelmassih and Creighton assistant Al Huss were both court side to watch him play in the semifinals.
Max Murrell (Millard North Senior)
14.0 PPG, 67.6% FG (33.3% 3FG), 100% FT, 4.5 RPG (1.8 ORPG), 1.3 APG, 1.3 TPG, 1.3 SPG, 4.0 BPG (4 games)
Murrell had his best game in the first round against Bellevue East with 19 points and seven rebounds. He wasn’t a huge part of the offense the rest of the tournament, but he shut down the paint defensively, blocking 16 shots in six games and altering countless others. He had seven blocks and two steals in the quarterfinal game alone.
AJ Rollins (Omaha Creighton Prep Junior)
13.8 PPG, 67.9% FG, 81% FT, 9.3 RPG (5.5 ORPG), 2.3 TPG, 0.8 SPG, 0.5 BPG (4 games)
Rollins was a beast all tournament long and played his best in Prep’s last two games as the Junior Jays finished as the runner-up to Millard North. Nobody could keep him off the offensive glass and he converted inside the paint and at the free-throw line at a high rate. He had 21 points and 13 rebounds included eight offensive in the semifinal round.
Jared Mattley (Papillion-La Vista South Senior)
16.3 PPG, 47.1% FG (45.8% 3FG), 85.7% FT, 4.0 RPG, 8.0 APG, 2.3 TPG, 1.7 SPG (3 games)
Mattley was the best playmaker in the tournament, feeding his big man inside and finding his shooters on the perimeter all tournament. He also shot the ball really well from 3, shooting 11-of-24 from deep in the tournament to lead the 11th-seeded Titans to the semifinals.
Kyle Ingwerson (Papillion-La Vista SO)
15.7 PPG, 56.7% FG (53.8% 3FG), 75% FT, 3.7 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.3 TPG, 1.0 SPG, 1.0 BPG (3 games)
Ingwerson was the most consistent performer for the Monarchs who made it to the semifinals as the No. 8 seed. In Papio’s upset over No. 1 Omaha Central in the semifinals, Ingwerson put up a game-high 19 points and grabbed five rebounds.
SECOND TEAM
Joey Skoff (Bellevue East Senior)
32.0 PPG, 53.5% FG (58.3% 3FG), 73.3% FT, 4.0 RPG (1.5 ORPG), 4.5 APG, 2.0 TPG, 2.0 SPG (2 games)
The 6-foot-3 senior had the highest-scoring game of the tournament with 42 points in the Chieftains’ play-in win over Omaha Northwest. He shot 16-of-25 from the field (5-of-9 from 3) and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line. He followed that up with 22 points against the Mustangs, and he dished out nine assists in Bellevue East’s two games.
Ty Griggs (Omaha South Senior)
27.5 PPG, 54.5% FG (45.5% 3FG), 93.3% FT, 6.5 RPG (3.5 ORPG), 1.5 APG, 2.5 TPG (2 games)
Skoff had he highest-scoring game, but Griggs arguably had the most impressive one, though it came in a loss. After leading South with 18 points in the first round, he exploded for 37 points in a quarterfinal loss to Papio South. Griggs scored 29 in the second half alone including 13 in the fourth quarter as he tried to lead a Packer comeback. Griggs shot 11-of-17 from the field, 4-of-7 from 3 and 11-of-12 from the line, grabbed five offensive rebounds and converted three three-point plays (missing the free throw on a fourth).
Danair Dempsey (Papillion-La Vista South)
13.3 PPG, 67.9% FG (33.3% 3FG), 33.3% FT, 8.0 RPG (1.7 ORPG), 1.3 APG, 3.0 TPG, 1.0 BPG (3 games)
The transfer from Wichita had a bit of a coming-out party in the Titans’ first-round game with a 17-point, 12-rebound double-double. At 6-foot-7, the long and bouncy forward finished at a high rate at the rim and also knocked down a few jump shots.
Spencer Schomers (Omaha Creighton Prep Senior)
12.0 PPG, 48.6% FG (47.8% 3FG), 50% FT, 3.8 RPG, 2.3 APG, 2.3 TPG, 1.0 BPG (4 games)
The Northwest Missouri State commit opened the tournament with a bang, scoring 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting including 6-of-9 from deep in Prep’s first-round win over Gretna. He shot 11-of-23 from deep in Prep’s four games.
Latrell Wrightsell Jr. (Omaha Central Senior)
22.5 PPG, 51.9% FG (20% 3FG), 83.3% FT, 3.0 RPG, 2.5 APG, 0.5 TPG, 4.5 SPG (2 games)
Wrightsell didn’t shoot as well as he normally does, but he still led the Eagles in scoring in both games including a 28-point game in the first round. He made plays on the defensive end as well with nine steals in two games.
THIRD TEAM
Wal Chuol (Omaha North Senior)
21.0 PPG, 51.7% FG (40% 3FG), 60% FT, 8.5 RPG (1.0 ORPG), 2.5 APG, 1.5 TPG, 0.5 BPG (2 games)
North may have lost in the first round, but Chuol put up two 20-point games and hit the game-winner in the Vikings’ consolation game against Omaha Northwest. He also grabbed 10 boards in that game for the double-double.
Jay Saunders (Omaha South Senior)
15.5 PPG, 54.2% FG (50% 3FG), 33.3% FT, 4.0 RPG (2.0 ORPG), 3.0 APG, 3.0 TPG, 4.0 SPG (2 games)
As he usually does, Saunders did a bit of everything for the Packers in South’s two games. He had 17 points in the first round and shot 3-of-4 from 3.
Chucky Hepburn (Bellevue West Junior)
20.5 PPG, 42.4% FG (22.2% 3FG), 84.6% FT, 4.5 RPG (1.5 ORPG), 5.5 APG, 3.5 TPG, 4.0 SPG (2 games)
Hepburn made his return from missing four games with a concussion in the opening round against Benson and showed some rust, but he came alive in the fourth quarter with nine of his 21 points to lead a Bellevue West comeback. He put up 20 in the second round against Prep but didn’t get much help.
Chandler Meeks (Omaha Westside Sophomore)
16.5 PPG, 73.7% FG (66.7% 3FG), 25% FT, 2.0 RPG (1.0 ORPG), 2.0 APG, 1.5 TPG, 3.0 SPG, 1.0 BPG (2 games)
Papillion-La Vista South knocked the Warriors off in the first round, but Chandler was rock solid in both games, scoring 33 points on 14-of-19 shooting. He made a lot of plays defensively as he typically does as well.
Jasen Green (Millard North Sophomore)
10.3 PPG, 64% FG (16.7% 3FG), 100% FT, 4.3 RPG (1.5 ORPG), 1.8 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.5 BPG (4 games)
Green doesn’t always get a ton of shot attempts with how many scoring options Millard North has, but he got his chance in the final against Prep and took advantage, scoring a career-high 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting. He was strong defensively as well with six steals and six blocks in four games.
Jacob Padilla has been writing for Hail Varsity since 2015. He covers football, volleyball men’s basketball and prep sports. He also co-hosts the Nebraska Preps Postgame and Nebraska Shootaround podcasts for the Hurrdat Media and Hail Varsity podcast networks. His love of basketball can best be described as an obsession and if you need to find him, he’s probably in a gym somewhere watching, coaching or playing hoops.
