Wayne had the lead at halftime by 2 points. At the end of the third Lawrence North was up 5 and I thought we were going to be in for a heck of a finish, but Wayne could not string anything together in the 4th quarter. My opinion has not changed on Wayne. They’ve played right with Ben Davis and Lawrence North for a good chunk of both games.  Lawrence North played with out their star 6’9 sophomore Kai Mcgrew. It was reported that he got sick in the locker room right before the game. Lawrence North’s backcourt is a load to deal with. Azavier Robinson and Kobi Bowles relentlessly attack the paint and Myles Baker is deadly from behind the arc. You add in 6’6 sophomore Brennan Miller who can knock down shots and rebound at a high level and you have a hard team to beat. Jevon Lewis, Chase Barnes, and HJ Dillard played well for Wayne.

* 2025 guard Azavier Robinson played well in this one. He finished with 24 points 7 rebounds and 4 steals.  His shot mechanics and shot making ability has progressed. He’s got elite length and quickness. He rebounds his position extremely well. He gets into the paint at will but also hit some midrange shots and a 3. He likes to take a dribble right or left and go behind the back the opposite direction to get into the lane. Would like to see him not rely on that behind the back dribble all the time. LN is going to be hard to beat all year and he’s their number 1 guy.

* 2026 forward Brennan Miller is gaining more and more notice from D1 coaches. His motor stands out and his positive body language. He rebounds really well for his position. Miller can make shots on the perimeter. He’s got length and strength which allows him to score around the basket as well. I think Miller is going to be a high major player before it’s all said and done. He finished with 11 points 10 rebounds and 5 assists.

* 2024 PG Jevon Lewis has grown into a leader for this Wayne Generals team. I noticed he took control of the huddle and held guys accountable in a fall workout I was at and it was evident in the floor Saturday night. Jevon can score it in a multitude of ways at this level. He’s very hard to keep out of the lane. Does a good job of finishing around bigger players. Shoots it well from the perimeter. Him and Chase Barnes can get it going in a hurry. I can see Jevon playing at the NAIA level. He ended with 16 for Wayne.

* 6’6 forward HJ Dillard has really progressed for Wayne. He looks a lot more confident out there on the floor than last year. He has a nice touch in the paint and steps out and can hit 12 footers. His athleticism has taken a jump as well. He’s now getting dump off’s and taking a gather step and dunking with ease. I’m not sure he was doing that consistently last year. Dillard finished with 12 points in this one.

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