5 Takeaways: Aberdeen Roncalli controls game in win over Oak Grove
Aberdeen Roncalli got 26 points from Brady Morgan and 23 points from Brandon Fauth while using disruptive defense on the way to a 68-55 win over Oak Grove Saturday in Jamestown.
Here are five takeaways from the game:
Morgan and Fauth were terrific
Aberdeen is going to ride its excellent senior duo this season and both guys delivered in a big way Saturday, each dominating stretches of a game that Roncalli controlled but never ran away with. Morgan was excellent in the first quarter, scoring 16 of his 26 points and finished the game with key free throws and buckets late. Fauth had a huge stretch to end the first half, scoring seven quick points and getting an assist to pus the Cavs lead to double figures by half. Fauth’s effort inside on the glass was important against a much bigger Oak Grove team and Morgan’s ability to control the tempo on the perimeter set a tone.
Roncalli’s defense was disruptive all night
This is probably how the Cavs are going to have to play all season as they don’t have much size or length but I was impressed with how active Roncalli was on the defensive side of the ball. They’ve got a handful of athletic, rugged guards who applied constant pressure throughout the game and Oak Grove never looked comfortable offensively and the result was a lot of turnovers and a poor shooting percentage.
Noah Swenson is an anchor for the Grovers
Noah Swenson was one of the most impressive players that took the floor Saturday in any of the four games. The 6-foot-5 sophomore scored 15 points and added double-figure rebounds while playing solid defense inside. He’s got good hands, solid footwork and good touch around the rim. He plays with physicality and as he gets bigger and stronger, he’ll be even more effective inside against big men. There’s a lot to like about the kid right now and going forward, he’s a guy the Grovers can really build around.
No Tyrell Rodriguez hurt Oak Grove
As good as Swenson was, the Grovers obviously missed Rodriguez who went into the season as their most accomplished returning player. Going forward, the Grovers have a ton of size for a Class B club and that size is tangibly effective as they’ve got three guys that can provide production on the interior. Oak Grove doesn’t have a lot of perimeter shooting, so the Grovers will need to rely on big time play in the paint.
What’s the ceiling for these two teams?
Oak Grove is off to a slow start to the season which isn’t surprising given the Grovers have played a handful of very good teams and is trying to replace a couple really good players from last season. The Grovers don’t have the kind of scoring juice on the perimeter they did a year ago but their talent in the frontcourt with Mayson Bolme and Swenson can take them a long way.
The Cavs are 4-0 on the season and look like a team that can win a lot of games. They’ve got a great group of seniors, a lot of experience and a toughness that’ll allow them to impose their style on the opposition. With Morgan and Fauth in particular plus guys like Isaac VanOrmann and Max Reede, they’ll be a headache for a lot of people.