In Saturday’s nightcap, the Davidson Day Patriots defeated the Greenfield Knights 74-64, winning the state title in Coach James Long’s first season, the program’s first since 2020. The Patriots were led by Isaiah Denis and Levon Jacobs with 18 points each, followed by Will Stevens with 13 and Brady Kester with 11. The Knights were led by Matt Kirby with 23 points, followed by Kobe Edwards with 17.
Davidson Day
Denis was the best player on the court in this one and was arguably the best player of the weekend. He finished with 18p, 7r, & 3a while shooting 7/11 from the field and 2/4 from three. What stood out immediately about Denis was his elite speed with the ball. He was able to push the break by himself and blow by defenders who were pressing too high. He finished at the rim with ease, flashing high-level body control when jumping at high speeds and absorbing contact. He has elite physical tools and showcased a skillset that should see him talked about as one of the top players in the state.
Stevens was the most intriguing prospect in this one, finishing with 13p, 7r, 2a, 1s, & 2b while shooting 4/6 from the field and 2/4 from three. He was quintessential to Davidson Day’s ability to break the press, operating as the middle man and making smart, simple reads over and over again. He was equally important to their defensive scheme as he was able to protect the rim, rotate on the weak side, and slide his feet against guards at a high level. In the half-court, he displayed plenty of intriguing traits that bode well for his future development, namely his ability to finish through contact and hit catch & shoot jumpers.
Kester was incredibly impressive with his ability to fill in the gaps on both ends and provide meaningful contributions in a low-maintenance role. He finished with 11p, 7r, 2a, & 3b while shooting 5/7 from the field and 1/2 from three. He was seemingly always in the right spot offensively for a dump-off or rebound which was crucial for the Patriots’ ability to consistently generate easy looks. Defensively, he was able to alter shots around the rim at a high level, using his size and length to contest without fouling and compete for rebounds against the smaller Greenfield rotation. Kester is an unsigned senior who has a clear path to being a productive piece at the next level.
Jacobs was uber-efficient and proved to be the X-factor for the Patriots, finishing with 18p and 2b on a perfect 7/7 shooting from the field. He has great size and length for his position and has proven himself to be a matchup nightmare. His physical tools combined with his intriguing skillset allow him to operate in a unique space and fill whatever void the Patriots need to be filled. He operated as a low-maintenance scoring option by attacking closeouts efficiently, hitting open shots, and not eating up touches. His low-maintenance identity and intriguing skillset make him a prospect worth monitoring for the foreseeable future.
Greenfield
6’2″ 2026 Kobe Edwards
Edwards was electric throughout the night, finishing with 17p, 5r, 6a, 3s, & 1b in the loss. He has a knack for making the right read at the right time, keeping his game simple and to the point. Because of this, he’s able to limit mistakes while the ball is in his hands, an essential quality for a lead guard to possess. He hit open jumpers, finished through traffic, and flashed the ability to make tough shots off the bounce. Defensively, he spearheaded the Knights full-court press and created havoc on nearly every possession.
6′ 2024 Matt Kirby (Mount Olive)
Kirby’s toughness and relentlessness were on full display as he finished with 23p, 3r, & 2s while almost managing to lead the Knights to a 14-point comeback early in the fourth quarter. Greenfield went through stretches where Kirby was providing almost all of their offensive firepower as he carried them through dry spells and provided extra juice during their runs. Like Edwards, he guarded the ball in the open court at a high level, creating havoc and pestering opposing guards with consistency. Offensively, he proved that he can hit tough shots and create separation against larger defenders, something that should bode well for him when forecasting his collegiate success.
