5 Takeaways: Lakeland at Santa Fe Catholic
I made it over to Santa Fe Catholic for a Thursday night clash with Lakeland.
The home side hung tough trailing 32-31 at the break, but a strong third quarter propelled the Dreadnaughts. Lakeland wound up victorious 66-59.
Here are five takeaways from the night.
Luke Anderson is Big 12 ready
With seven points at the break, 2019 6’7″ forward Luke Anderson had a hard time against the feisty Santa Fe Catholic defense. He went off in the second half including 10 points in the fourth quarter alone to finish with a team-best 22 points. Signed to Iowa State, Anderson had a college level move on a spin and attack in the third quarter, drawing a trip to the free throw line after the made basket. Anderson never stops hustling and battling on offense and scoring.
Joe Stubbs is red hot
That was by the far the best I’ve seen 2020 6’4″ Joe Stubbs play the game of basketball. A highly athletic talent scored a game-high 27 points for the Hawks. Stubbs had 12 points in the opening half and was shooting at a high clip. He’s aggressive when he finds openings and never stops moving. If Stubbs can continue to have performances like that, it will be hard for colleges not to notice. His confidence is at a high level and he’s just having fun out there.
Trey Lane is a prodigy
Watching 2022 6’1″ guard Trey Lane earlier in the summer, you could see his abilities. He hit three 3’s on the night and really stretched the floor, totaling 16 points for Lakeland. Alongside Anderson and company, the trust level is already there for the freshman guard. Lane is a player to watch and an emerging talent in Polk County. Look for him to continue to grow and step up when his number is called.
The fierce play of Santa Fe Catholic is impressive
The Hawks never quit in this one. Despite trailing by 11 after the third quarter and suffering a lull on offense, they stuck with Lakeland. Even in the closing minutes, Santa Fe Catholic cut it to a four-point deficit on a big corner 3 by Stubbs in front of his own bench. This a scrappy unit that doesn’t care about how much time is left or what the other team is doing. The effort level and willingness to fight will go a long way this season. 2020 5’11” guard Ray Davis (13 points) and 2019 6’4″ forward Jaylon Smith (10 points) put in the work alongside Stubbs and 2020 6’4″ guard Javon Bell (9 points).
Lakeland has a good surrounding cast in place
I really like what Lakeland has around centerpiece Luke Anderson. 2020 5’9″ guard Alondre Gant is underestimated by defenses and he takes advantage. He finished with 13 points consistently getting into good areas and knocking down mid-range jumpers and floaters. 2019 6’2″ guard Jay Williams has a mindset to always go downhill and attack. That was on display tonight. Also, 2019 6’9″ forward Reese Yothers-Jackson is awfully skinny but can draw contact inside. He was in pain after the game with an apparent wrist injury.