Five Takeaways: Tampa Bay Tech at Strawberry Crest
On Thursday night, Tampa Bay Tech outlasted Strawberry Crest in a rather sloppy game 74-56.
The Titans and Chargers were both in the bonus to start the second quarter. Tampa Bay Tech led 35-32 at the half but used a 23 point third quarter to pull away.
Senior forward Kenu Louissant led the Titans (11-4) with 17 points while Strawberry Crest (6-8) earned a 17-point night from junior guard Jalen Brown.
Kenu Louissant is a gritty player
It was a pleasure watching Kenu Louissant work in the post. Whether it was in transition or off a feed from Brascom or one of his guard, Louissant was smooth. All 17 of his points were hard earned buckets and he proved his worth in this game.
Jalen Brown has a knack for playing hard inside
Undersized at 5’7″, Jalen Brown reached a little bit defensively, but offensively he was the most consistent playmaker for the Chargers. He added 17 points while attacking the rim with ease and showing off his repertoire of interior moves. Brown is a high energy guy.
Tyrick Brascom is hard to slow down
The Chargers did a solid job at containing Tyrick Brascom in the early going, but he found his groove in the second half. The 5’8″ senior guard finished with 15 points, pacing Louissant. He had a really good sequence in the third quarter when he scored six of the game’s last eight points including back to back buckets.
Charles Crews is an emerging freshman
Crews, a 6’0″ freshman simply has fun on the court for Strawberry Crest. He finished with 10 points on a night where you simply wanted more from the 2021 guard. However, Crews filled a role when the rest of his group couldn’t finish shots. He will get more shots to fall in time, but his jumper is smooth and he’s very aggressive.
Thoughts on both teams
Tampa Bay Tech – It was a slow start for the Titans who featured Louissant, Brascom, junior guard David Cexil, senior forward Jovan Dilworth and junior forward Gavin Antoine. Brascom is the leader of this group but year after year there are players with a lot of energy on Tampa Bay Tech. That is no different this season.
Strawberry Crest – The Chargers use Brown, Crews and senior forward Brandon Hill and sophomore forward Kobe Gibbs to lead the way. Brown fouled out in this game, Crews wasn’t connecting from deep and Hill and Gibbs weren’t consistent enough. Strawberry Crest doesn’t have too much depth, but there are chances for them to succeed with the length and athleticism that they have.