5 Takeaways: Lee’s Summit North vs Ray Pec
With both teams having pretty good starts this year, this matchup was looking to be a pretty solid one. Lee’s Summit North playing their last game without 2019 Guard Javaunte Hawkins, would once again need the rest of the team to step up and play well. That is exactly what happened. Mikel Henderson who is the other guard that starts in the backcourt for the Broncos had one of his better games of the year scoring 18 of his 21 points in the second half leading the Broncos to a 61-48 victory.
Elijah Farr looks great
Elijah Farr has really stepped up his game this year and looks like one of the better bigs in the state. He can step it outside and knock down shots from distance, but he’s been spending a lot of his time down in the post. He has great footwork and can finish with the left or the right. Farr is also probably one of the most underrated passing big men around. If double teamed, Farr seemed to always pass out of it and was finding the open man for good good looks. He added another dunk Tuesday night which pretty much put the game away for the Broncos. Elijah finished with 18 points.
Panthers have the Size
It’s no secret that the Panthers have plenty of size with Senior Wesley McCullough at 6’7″ and Sophomore big man Kian Scroggins at 6’5″. They will rely on these two guys all year as they can really put up big numbers and score the ball easily. Last night wasn’t really one of their better nights, but it’s easy to see the they are the two leaders, and the team looks for them when they really need a bucket. The Panthers run thier offense through McCullough and like to run him baseline off of screens to get open looks. Both guys finished in double figures, but were the only two on the team to reach that mark. McCullough had a team high 17 and Scroggins finished with 10.
Broncos playing as a team
Without on of their better scorers, they have really needed to play as one, and after watching them last night, they have done that with little to no issues. The first half was a bit of a struggle only scoring 18 points, but they really came alive in the second half. Sharing the ball, knocking down open looks, and pumping each other up. As said above, Mikel Henderson and Elijah Farr were two big reasons for the Bronco win, but Logan Jenkins and Tommy Erwin both continue to play well and look good out there. Jenkins is one of the better outside shooters around the area and finished in double figures with 11 points. Tommy Erwin is getting his first real action as a varsity player this year, and it has taken some time to adjust, but he’s starting to play with confidence and look a lot more comfortable. He finished with 9 points and had some big buckets late in the game to help the Broncos finish the game.
Panther’s youth
The Panther’s weren’t happy with the outcome of the game last night, but they have a lot to look forward to. This team is very young and those young players play pretty well together. Scroggins who leads the sophomore class for the Panthers is one of many who got plenty of playing time. Sophomore Jordan Jermain starts for the Panthers as the point guard. He didn’t have his best game on Tuesday night, but he can shoot the ball well and find open teammates when needed. Sophomore Luke Grimm was the first one off the bench and plays with a load of confidence out there. He’s not an amazing shooter yet, but can get to the bucket and makes a lot of hustle plays. Sophomore Matthew Harrison only shot the ball twice, but he knocked down both of those shots and they were from distance. He has a pretty good shot, but didn’t look totally comfortable shooting the ball out there. A little more experience will help him come into his own.
Broncos Defense comes up big
The Bronco defense is ultimately what changed this game. Being down 20-18 to start the second half, the Broncos stepped up their intensity and play on the defensive side. They pressed the Panthers which lead to plenty of turnovers and a quick 12-2 run to start the half. The Broncos never looked back after this and lead most of the second half and the rest of the game by double digits. The guards were able to get deflections on passes which lead to steals and breakaway layups. It also lead to a huge dunk near the end of the game by Farr. Henderson is a great defender and quick guard that loves to play defense. Christian Carter is another quick guard out there that found himself in the passing lanes as well.