Five Takeaways: Dulaney vs Perry Hall
Before this season began, this match up between Perry Hall and Dulaney was circled on many people’s schedules. As the sell out crowd filled the stands, two of the best teams in Baltimore County faced off in an instant classic. In a game that experience a slew of lead changes, the Gators came out on top 80-77. Perry Hall improves to 3-3 on the season while Dulaney falls to 5-2.
Here are five takeaways from the game:
Anthony Walker’s coming out party
The sophomore forward has had spurts in games this season where he shows potential to be a high major prospect, but last night it was on display for the full 32 minutes. Walker led Perry Hall with 22 points while pulling down seven rebounds. The 6’9 bouncy big man had more than a handful of jaw-dropping dunks that included a one-handed poster on a Dulaney defender. As he continues to improve with each game, more coaches are becoming aware of his high ceiling potential. Don’t be surprised if the offers begin to roll in for Walker here soon.
Josh Cornish is a cold-blooded killer
If you had no idea who he was, Cornish’s 6’2 and skinny frame doesn’t give off the impression of being an elite scorer that he is. Last night, he made sure to make that known before leaving the gym. The Southern Utah commit dropped a game-high 33 points that included six made triples. 20 of his 33 game in the second half as he refused to let his team fall behind. Time after time, he came down and forced the Gators to switch so he got the match up of his liking. From there, he went to work and buried three-point shots in the face of his defender. This wasn’t his first breakout scoring game for the Lions this season, and it’s safe to say that if the season ended today he would be the player of the year in Baltimore County. We’ll see if he can keep this level of production as the season progresses.
Hardnett messed around and had a triple-double
Laquill Hardnett is arguably the most versatile frontcourt player in the state of Maryland. Once again he proved why as he finished the game with 14 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds. Hardnett controlled the game as he picked apart the Dulaney press in the full court and initiated sets in the half court. He was effective at getting in the paint and finding open teammates for easy looks. The 6’9 floor general was the creator for many of Walker’s slams because of the attention he demands when the ball is in his hands. Throughout the game he crashed the offensive glass aggressively, which led to put-backs and fouls on the Lions.
The freshman shines in the spotlight
Dulaney freshman point guard Ryan Conway put the county on notice that he won’t back down to anyone. He finished the game with 19 points with the majority of his scores coming off of isolation situations. The Gators threw multiple different players on Conway to try and contain him, but the shifty guard broke them down at the top of the key, leading him to attack the basket for crafty finishes. A few times, he finished despite one of the Gators’ 6’9 big men contested his shot. If what Conway showed last night is a sign for things to come, he’s going to be a very special player for a long time.
Higgs finds his groove
Since putting together a solid showing in the Gators’ season opener against Kenwood, Ole Miss commit Anthony Higgs has struggled mightily. Last night was a perfect opportunity for him to get back into the swing of things with a big time performance, and he did just that. The 6’9 forward finished with 16 points and pulled down 17 rebounds. He was a force in the paint from start to finish. In the third quarter as Cornish was taking over for Dulaney, Higgs helped counter along with Walker scoring nine of his 16 points.