Random Evaluations From Mt. St. Joe vs DeMatha
This past Tuesday, two of the top teams in the DMV area squared off in a scrimmage in order to tighten up on loose end things before the regular season tips off. Coming into this match up, we knew DeMatha was loaded, led by Villanova commit Justin Moore, and two highly coveted 2020 prospects in Hunter Dickinson and Earl Timberlake.
For the Gaels, replacing Jalen Smith (Maryland) is simply impossible, so all eyes were on what their squad would look like for the upcoming season. LSU commit James Bishop will be leaned on heavily to score, as he did in this contest, but head coach Pat Clatchey will look for 6-foot-10 Javonte Brown (transfer from Canada), 2021 point guard Ausar Crawley and 2020 guard Tyler Brelsford to be big pieces to the puzzle.
Adam Ayalew did a piece on this game as well, check out his five takeaways here.
DeMatha’s versatility is unique
We’ve seen versatility become massively coveted in the NBA. If you want to win a championship, you must have players who can guard multiple positions defensively and have the skill set to offer mismatches on the offensive end. Earl Timberlake is a perfect example of this. The 6-foot-5 guard/wing has the athletic ability, quickness and physicality to guard 1-4. Justin Moore and Carsten Kogelnik also fit in this category. Put all of this together and then factor in 7-foot-1 Hunter Dickinson is standing under the rim, it’s going to be a nightmare for teams to score on them this season.
Ausar Crawley ready to step in as the floor general
Last season, Crawley played significant time as a freshman considering the Gaels had two seniors in their backcourt in Tyree Myers and Kendall McMillian. It took some time for Crawley to adjust to the varsity level, but once he did, it was evident that he would be the undisputed point guard for the next three seasons. He did an outstanding job be a consistent communicator on both ends against DeMatha. He made sure his team was in the right sets offensively, and screamed out coverages defensively both on and off the ball. The 5-foot-8 guard isn’t just a set up guy. He’s improved with his off the dribble jumpshot, especially going to his right. He does a nice job utilizing ball screens, attacking the big and forcing switches. Now as teams learn he can shoot coming off these screens, they’ll be forced to hedge harder, which gives the roller a better chance of being open and the weakside shooter with plenty of space.
Paul Smith shows improvement
Smith finished this scrimmage with eight points, which doesn’t exactly jump off the page at you, but it was the way he did it that impressed. The 2020 forward will be an important piece off the bench for the Stags this season. Smith scored on the block with his back to the basket, facing up from 8-to-10 feet and off the catch from 15-17 feet. He was active on the glass, and distorted multiple shots around the rim. Having him to come off the bench and back up Dickinson is a huge plus.
Javonte Brown showcases potential
The biggest hole in the Gaels’ roster once last season concluded was replacing the skill and length of Jalen Smith. Although Brown doesn’t have the skill set of Smith, he certainly has the length at 6-foot-10. Brown is a 2020 prospect, but technically with the credits he took in Canada, he’s young enough to be a 2021. With that being said, he still has much room to grow in his development. The good thing is he has a displayed a solid motor and fundamentals in the post on both ends. He got thrown in the fire having to match up against Dickinson, who is regarded as the best center in the country, and walled him well enough to make his shots somewhat difficult. When he guarded others in the post, their shot attempts resulted in a miss.
James Bishop is a certified bucket
This comes to nobody’s surprise. Bishop finished this one with 15 points and scored in a variety of ways. All of which came off his ability to create and convert off the bounce. Everyone knows that this team will go as far as Bishop leads them, but considering he is the primary option this season, you can expect him to have multiple 30+ point performances. One thing I did see that I really liked was his vision coming off ball screens. He executes pocket passes well, but more importantly, is starting to see the weakside shooter in the corner for a skip pass. Be ready for a stat-filled season for the future LSU guard.