Five Takeaways: John Carroll vs Poly
In one of the most anticipated games this season in the Baltimore area, the John Carroll Patriots defeated the Baltimore Polytechnic Engineers 75-67. The Patriots improve to 21-5 with the win while Poly falls to 10-5.
Nigel Haughton shines in the spotlight
Haughton is probably the unsung hero for this John Carroll team that is headlined by future Kentucky guard Immanuel Quickley and future Rutgers guard Montez Mathis. Not only did Haughton provide full court pressure throughout the entire match up, he hit big shot after big shot for the Patriots. The 6-foot-1 lefty finished with three triples and had numerous floaters over Poly’s big men that he finished with soft touch. Haughton led John Carroll with 21 points.
Poly shows no quit
In the second quarter, the Engineers found themselves down by as many as 16 points with all of the momentum swinging in John Carroll’s direction. Possession by possession, they executed offensively, defended and cut the lead down to two early in the fourth quarter. Senior guard Demetrius Mims and sophomore point guard Rahim Ali sparked the Poly rally by scoring a combined 12 points in the third quarter to get back in reach.
Quickley controls the game
Immanuel Quickley had his hands all over this game. He finished with 20 points on the night but made what seemed like a dozen plays off the dribble for teammates. All of Haughton’s three’s came off Quickley’s penetrations and kick-out passes. The Patriots have some very emotional players, but the future Kentucky floor general never lets them lose focus or take things too far. He is an obvious leader and one of the most mature players I’ve seen this year.
Poly’s young duo continue to improve
Poly’s pair of sophomores, Rahim Ali and Justin Lewis, are two of the most skilled players you’ll find in their class in the state of Maryland. Ali doesn’t back down from any match up thrown his way. He plays with fire and composure all while being the quarterback for head coach Sam Brand. Lewis, a highly-coveted forward still on the rise, has made his adjustment to Poly’s system after transferring this past summer. The two are starting to gel more consistently on pick-and-roll sets and finding each other’s niches. Last night, Ali finished with 18 points while Lewis finished with 13. Watching these two develop over the next couple of years will be fun.
Yavuz Gultekin fine-tuning his skill set
Gultekin has become one of the most versatile wings/forwards in the state. At 6-foot-7 with great length and athleticism, he can defend multiple positions effectively. Around the rim he is a constant shot-blocking presence and an aggressive rebounder. Offensively, his three-point stroke has become much more consistent. He looks comfortable popping after setting a ball screen and going right into his shot smoothly. Gultekin finished with 15 points, 13 of which came in the first half and helped John Carroll build their 16-point lead.