Five Key Questions: Lake Braddock vs. Blue Ridge
BURKE, VA — Lake Braddock defeated Blue Ridge by a final score of 78-77 in a five-quarter benefit game on Wednesday evening, with one quarter designated as a rest period for the starters and essential bench rotation players. Here we recap this contest by answering five key questions.
WHAT FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO THE FINAL RESULT?
When you look at the two teams, it doesn’t take long to see that Blue Ridge has the overall size advantage, but Lake Braddock was able to hang with them because they were very aggressive defensively and executed well on both ends of the court. The Bruins, who created countless turnovers and recorded several deflections, were relentless on the boards and meticulous with their ball movement. They also shot and made a ton of threes which helped them maximize each possession.
WHO WAS THE LEADER FOR EACH TEAM?
Quentin James was the catalyst for Lake Braddock. We had him down for 21 points (8/14 FG, 4/9 3FG, 1/3 FT) 8 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block and 3 turnovers. He was efficient with the ball and controlled the tempo of this game with his play on both ends of the court.
Chris Rogers was the best player for Blue Ridge. Rogers recorded 17 points (7/13 FG, 2/3 3FG, 1/2 FT) 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals and 3 turnovers. He handled pressure, created, and demonstrated good leadership intangibles with his communication skills.
WHICH NEW PROSPECTS STOOD OUT?
Jackson Culhane, a junior for Blue Ridge, is a skilled and crafty guard who can handle and shoot from the perimeter. Culhane is a good paint getter but has to work on making layups consistently. He finished the game with 18 points.
Sasha Glushov, a 6-foot-11 junior for Blue Ridge, is an intriguing prospect who stood out initially on the defensive end with his ability to rebound in traffic. Glushov can move well for his size and has good hands. He finished the game with 6 points (3/5 FG, 0/1 3FG) 7 rebounds (3 offensive), 1 assist, and no turnovers.
David Solomon, an athletic 6-foot-6 freshman for Lake Braddock, has a chance to be very good defensively. He has long arms, moves his feet well laterally, can jump out of the gym, and can defend a variety of positions on the court. Solomon recorded 3 steals in the game.
HOW GOOD CAN EACH TEAM BE?
If Lake Braddock can play with the type of energy they did tonight all year on defense and make a reasonable percentage of their shots, they will be a nightmare matchup for many of the teams they will face in Northern Virginia. With experienced producers such as Sam Grable and Nick Margraf emerging into key contributors this year, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Bruins make a deep run into the postseason.
Blue Ridge responded well after trailing for much of the game, but it’s clear there is a lot of talent on this team. This wasn’t their best showing, but we definitely expect them to improve as the season goes on.
WILL THESE TWO TEAMS MEET AGAIN NEXT YEAR?
We certainly hope so. It was an interesting matchup to watch, and Lake Braddock showed they can hang with anyone.