Day 1 Doc Edwards takeaways
There was holiday hoops aplenty in Bossier parish yesterday as the Doc Edwards Memorial tournament kicked off. All of the area teams in the field took to the court yesterday. St. Amant got a first round by and will see the floor tonight. From yesterday’s action, I will recap some of the major takeaways.
1.) ASH goes as their best player goes
Yesterday was my first time seeing Alexandria high school on the court. If their play is any indication of how their season has gone thus far, they will continue to be a team with peaks and valleys. The peak is when wig A.J. Davis is on the floor. He is a 6’3″ attacking wing who has many moves off the dribble to get to the basket. He also has a body type which allows him to endure contact when he drives. Basically, when he is on the floor, ASH plays well. When he is not on the floor, they struggle. Northwood either closed the gap, tied the game, or took the lead when he sat. Going forward, A.J. will need to get more help from the supporting cast or he will wear down by the time playoffs roll around.
2.) BTW has a 1-2 punch
Despite yesterday’s loss to Red River, BTW has a scary perimeter duo in seniors LeTreveon Jones and Leon Chambers. These two scored a combined 33 (of BTW’s 53) points during the game. Each player has the ability to elevate over guards to shoot the perimeter jumper along with the knack to drive and create contact. They find each other within the offensive scheme and help make each other better. If BTW is in a tight game, they can rely on these two to put pressure on the opposing team’s defense 1-4A needs to prepare for these two because they are coming.
3.) Red River and 1-4A
Speaking of district 1-4A. With yesterday’s win, Red River is now 4-0 against teams from that district. They will look to continue their streak against Huntington on Day 2 of the tournament. Former Red River teams have been very small but quick around the floor. This version of Red River is different. They are built like most of the teams in larger districts. While the team quickness is still there, they have guards, with long wing spans to guard the perimeter. They have a 6’6″ post presence in Jimmie Davis and athletic wings which makes them more of a threat on both offense and defense. These are also the same reasons why they are playing some of their best basketball of the season.
4.) Red River has a future star on their hands
If his play says anything about his future, freshman Emaryeon McDonald will have many brighter days ahead. Being Red RIver’s starting point guard, he is able to get them into their sets with ease. However, when he moves off the ball is when it gets scary. Emaryeon knocked down four three pointers during yesterday’s win and none of them touched the rim. The combination of his shooting ability and ball handling skills make him a threat at all times while he is on the floor (even at 6’1″). Guards have to lock in defensively when they play him. If they don’t, he will punish them scoring. By the time 2021 comes, he should be one of the state’s top guards.
Thursday’s game schedule:
Day 2
Benton (1-4A) vs. North Webster (1-3A), 5:30 p.m. at Benton
Airline (1-5A) vs. Many (3-2A), 5:30 p.m. at Airline
BTW (1-4A) vs. Plain Dealing (1-1A), 5:30 p.m. at Benton Middle
Red River (3-2A) vs. Huntington (1-4A), 8:30 p.m. at Benton
ASH (2-5A) vs. St. Amant (5-5A), 8:30 p.m. at Airline
Minden (1-4A) vs. Northwood (1-4A), 2:30 p.m. at Airline