Ten Best: Rensselaer Central at Lafayette Central Catholic
Game Recap: Rensselaer Central at Lafayette Central Catholic Final Score: Rensselaer Central 51 – Lafayette Central Catholic 58 This game never seemed to be out of reach from either team. The biggest lead stretched to seven points at one time…
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Continue ReadingGame Recap: Rensselaer Central at Lafayette Central Catholic
Final Score: Rensselaer Central 51 – Lafayette Central Catholic 58
This game never seemed to be out of reach from either team. The biggest lead stretched to seven points at one time but was never more than a three-possession game. Carson Barrett was phenomenal for Central Catholic all game long. He helped them keep the game close in the first quarter as they trailed by one heading into the second quarter 12-11. In the second quarter, Kobe Austin came off the bench and was instant offense from deep, knocking down his first 2 shots from deep. Barrett kept his team in the game as they tied it up at the half 24-24.
Coming out in the second half, Central Catholic finally started to knock down some shots from deep which helped open up some driving lanes for their wings. Senior Thomas Gothard was good on defense and helped slow down some of the offense from Rensselaer Central. Grant Myers stayed aggressive on offense all night even though he didn’t have a great night. Central Catholic took a one point lead into the fourth quarter, 41-40.
Central Catholic had struggled from the free-throw line throughout the night and it looked as though the game was going to come down to free-throws late. Senior guards stepped up and hit some big ones down the line to stretch the lead. Carson Barrett made some strong drives to the basket in the fourth quarter to seal the deal for his team. Lafayette Central Catholic made their free-throws and got defensive stops when they needed them most to pull out the win 58-51. It was a gutsy performance from this team playing their third game in the last five days. They came off a tough loss at home last night to McCutcheon but bounced back with a good win tonight.
MVP: Carson Barrett (Lafayette Central Catholic)
Carson Barrett has his fingerprints all over this one. The freshman wing was outstanding from the floor, did his share on the glass, was the best passer all night, and defended the basket well with his length. Barrett finished with a game high 21 points (9-12 2FG, 0-1 3FG, and 3-8 FT), a game-tying high 10 rebounds (8 defensive and 2 offensive), a game high 6 assists, a game high 3 blocks, and a game high 3 steals. If it’s not clear yet, Barrett lead the game in every single category. The freshman was outstanding tonight and really helped carry his team to victory down the line.
Best Offensive Performance: Carson Barrett (Lafayette Central Catholic)
Aside from his performance from the free-throw line, Barrett was unstoppable on the offensive end of the floor. He put up 21 points on 69% shooting from the field. All of his real damage was around the basket where he showed off his creativity finishing the ball in traffic and over the defense. Barrett produced 21 points (9-12 2FG, 0-1 3FG, and 3-8 FT), dished out 6 assists, and grabbed 2 offensive rebounds. His passing is superb at this level. His court vision and length allow him to see everything on the floor and deliver passes to the shooting pocket of his open teammates.
Best Defensive Performance: Carson Barrett (Lafayette Central Catholic)
Aforementioned, Barrett was excellent in every aspect of the game tonight. Not only did he lead his team offensively but he was everywhere on the defensive end. He had 8 defensive rebounds, 4 steals, and 3 blocks to pace Central Catholic on the defensive end of the floor. His positioning and help-side defense really slowed down the inside presence for Rensselaer Central. The opposition did not finish well around the basket well because they were bothered by Barret’s length. Barret stands at 6’4” and has a long wingspan for a freshman wing.
Best Under-The-Radar Performance: Jaylen Gilbert (Rensselaer Central)
Jaylen Gilbert was the focal point of the offense for Rensselaer Central. He brought the ball up the floor throughout the game and initiated their offense. He is good with ball fakes to get the defense off balance but didn’t have a great performance until the second half. Gilbert finished with 15 points (3-7 2FG, 2-5 3FG, and 3-4 FT), 4 rebounds (3 defensive and 1 offensive), 3 assists, and 1 steal. Gilbert looked good attacking off the bounce and the 6’4” junior was in control of his body going to the rim. His jump shot looked fluid and confident and he knocked down some big shots from deep in the second half.
Best Player Off-The-Bench: Kobe Austin (Rensselaer Central)
Kobe Austin was the best player off-the-bench and the best shooter in this contest. Austin helped keep the game close in the first half with his three-point shooting and it continued throughout the game. The senior never seemed to step foot inside the line unless he was setting up a cut off a screen. Austin finished with 18 points (6-10 3FG). All he was out there to do was catch and shoot. He didn’t put the ball on the floor other than to shorten a pass and wasn’t involved on the glass on either end. Austin found ways to continue getting open and made Central Catholic pay six separate times.
Best Quiet Impact: Avery Denhart (Lafayette Central Catholic)
Denhart is the senior leader for this team but struggled to get himself going on the offensive end tonight. Although he didn’t contribute much in the scoring column, Denhart found other ways to really have an impact on this game. His energy and effort on both ends opened up driving lines on offense and frustrated Rensselaer Central’s offense on the defensive end of the floor. Denhart finished with 8 points (2-6 2FG, 0-5 3FG, and 4-4 FT), 5 rebounds (4 defensive and 1 offensive), 3 assists, and 1 steal. Denhart was clutch in the fourth quarter, knocking down all four of his free-throws in a close game.
Best Intangibles: Ben Tharp (Lafayette Central Catholic)
Ben Tharp didn’t get off many shots in this contest but still managed to be a contributor when it mattered most. Tharp finished with a quiet 11 points (2-3 2FG, 1-3 3FG, and 4-4 FT), 7 rebounds (5 defensive and 2 offensive), and 1 assist. He was efficient when he got open shots and was good on the defensive end of the floor with his effort. Tharp was in position a couple of times to take charges but they ended up being called blocking fouls. Tharp is a solid player for Central Catholic was his ability to knock down the deep ball, get to the basket with strength, and be a defensive stopper.
Best Rebounder: Landon Balch (Rensselaer Central)
Balch quietly put together a double digit rebounding performance himself. Although he struggled mightily from the field, Balch found other ways to keep his team in the game. Balch finished with 6 points (2-12 2FG and 2-2 FT), a game-tying high 10 rebounds (5 defensive and 5 offensive), and 2 assists. He attacked the offensive glass with aggression and length when he knew his shots were off and pulled down quite a few offensive rebounds to give his team extra possessions. Balch was good with his body positioning and strength when battling down low for rebounds.
Best Underclassmen: Carson Barrett (Lafayette Central Catholic)
Not sure who else would have been in contention for Best Underclassmen when Barrett puts together a performance like that. As Carson continues to work on his jumper and gains confidence in it, he will be one of the toughest players to guard in the 2020 class because of all the different aspects he brings to the offensive end of the floor. He is already showing that he is a force to be reckoned with and has opposing defenses off-balance with his finishing and passing abilities. Check out the prospect spotlight article on Carson Barrett here: https://prephoops.com/2016/12/prospect-spotlight-carson-barrett-2020/
Biggest Takeaway: Barrett Carried His Team
This game was a tight one from the tip to the final buzzer. Under all that pressure and fatigue from previous games, Carson Barrett still put together one of the most dominant performances that we’ve seen so far this season, as a freshman. Barrett has a bright future ahead of him if he continues to work on the little things that will take his game to the next level. His dad, also the head coach, will be sure to turn out a great basketball player. Coach Barrett played at Purdue University and has a very good background in basketball. When Lafayette Central Catholic is knocking down open shots, they can be a very tough team to play because of their resilience on the defensive end. Keep Carson Barrett on your radar if you don’t have him there already.