With the dust settled following the 2022 Greenwood Blue and Gold Tournament, Rob Yanders selects his standout players.
The Blue and Gold tournament is an excellent holiday tradition for schools of all sizes around the Ozarks. It can kick-start big runs going into the new year, allow for a great experience for young or short-handed teams, and entertain fans of local high school hoops such as ourselves!
While The Basketball Movement monitors team success as much as the next group of fans, our Exclusive area focuses on players first.
Rob Yanders is a well-known developer of talent and an excellent scout in his own right. He selected a “Power Five” group from the tournament’s action that he believes were the biggest difference makers on the floor.
Here is Rob Yanders’ Blue and Gold Power Five from 2022 in no particular order:
Ahlante Askew
It’s hard to argue with results. Republic High’s senior point guard Ahlante Askew was the best player for Blue Division’s best team. Clutch free throws, playmaking, and a clear desire to bring home some hardware made Askew one of the tourney’s best players from the start - especially in the championship when it mattered most.
Kyle Pock
Big games are another day at the office for big Kyle Pock. Bolivar’s star has been one of the most feared players in this tournament for a while, and he did not disappoint this year with stellar scoring and hustle. His team fell short, but Pock commanded attention and was a force per usual.
Kael Combs
Nixa championed the Gold Division, their lone first-place finish in this tournament since 2014. Combs was quieter than usual in the final game, but his scoring was not needed, with his team’s barrage of threes keeping Rogersville at arm's length throughout. He had 26 against a scrappy Fair Grove squad and remains one of the area's athletes to watch.
Jacob Lafferty
A junior from Sparta, Jacob Lafferty managed to outduel Kyle Pock in overtime and lead his squad to within a few possessions of the eventual champion Republic Tigers. Smaller schools typically struggle with size, but Lafferty brings quite the presence for his team, putting himself on the radar as one of the area’s better big men.
Josh Peters
Nixa junior Josh Peters is now on the map as one of the best sharpshooters in the Ozarks. Hitting five threes against Marshfield in the quarterfinals and seven in the Gold Division championship game, Peters was a difference-maker when the Eagles needed it most. Nixa is not shy about shooting triples, and their confidence in Josh Peters is a big reason why.
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