Trying to Take Down East Nashville
The Rossview Hawks (10-2) showed a couple of specific directives Friday night as they faced the unbeaten East Nashville Eagles (13-0).
East Nashville drove back home with a 67-50 win.
Attack the Post
Attack the East Nashville lane and then work the basketball outside if needed.
If the Eagles of East Nashville Magnet didn’t rip Rossview loose in the backcourt, or shortly afterwards the Rossview wings attacked directly. The Hawks really found success in the lane. East Nashville’s pressure was infuriating and yet Austin Jackson, AJ Reese, and Kole Monson surged into the middle.
With the gambling, chaotic Eagles’ defense trying to rattle Hawk guards it took a special kind of stoicism to get all the way to the paint. Like a journey across the arch of a rainbow, the arduous task was consistently rewarded with a pot of gold.
As the game waned on, Jackson and Monson lost a little quickness. Will Midlick sustained an injury, forcing him to sit most of the second half. Their efforts stopped popping up. More and more the Eagle defenders denied the drive.
Overall, Rossview checked the box for this category.
Defend the Post
Defensively, Rossview Head Coach Johnny Jackson wanted his 2-3 zone to stay home and encourage outside attempts. In the second quarter (East Nashville’s worst), the Eagles obliged.
It went poorly.
In the third quarter the Eagles dove into the paint with more purpose. They took the extra effort it required to get beyond the first defender.
It went well.
45-38 after 3Q. East @EastNashvilleBB needs FT's and some patience to win. They aren't great defensively when the tempo slows. Frenetic is preferred, but the game might dip in tempo.
— PrepHoopsTennessee (@PrepHoopsTN) December 23, 2017
East Nashville began the fourth quarter with the required patience. Rossview drained their tank pursuing the pass. With the leverage the Eagles worked to eat up clock.
When the Eagles ate clock and ultimately scored they appeared to be the undefeated squad they are.
Block out
That was the plan. Sometimes plans fail.
Rossview got their bodies in the way…most of the time. They did not get the first hand on the ball though. Gene Holmes and Monte Catlett collected most of the offensive rebounds.
For Rossview this was the major failure of the night. The game needed fewer East Nashville field goal attempts for a Hawks win. Defensive rebounding failures bit them in the collective butt.
Beech Christmas All-Tournament Team:
2018 G @jaydenlockett24
Gene Holmes (@EastNashvilleBB )
Catlett (East @EastNashvilleBB
Leinweber (Rossview)
Austin Jackson (Rossview)
@J__brown23 (Beech)
Ty Dean (Beech)
Justin Mcmurry ( @TheBisonCamp )
Jonathan Gillard Jr. (Station Camp)