Five Takeaways: Hawthorne v. Tampa Bay Tech
The Hawthorne Hornets are a smooth 3-0 after a 66-52 win vs. Tampa Bay Tech on Saturday night. Both teams participated in the “Mighty Ike Shootout” hosted by Williston High. Hawthorne handed the Titans their first loss of the season. Check out the five takeaways from the matchup!
1. Devonte Bowie Doesn’t Care About His Height.
The sub-6’0” Hawthorne senior guard is use to being one of the shorter players on the floor whenever he’s playing. But in THIS particular game, he played with the heart of a giant. His fearlessness when attacking the rim, and desire to create contact cannot be ignored. He is extremely elusive and can weave around most to get a quality take to the rim. His teammates feed off of the energy he provides. If he continues with this mindset, I could see the Hornets winning a lot of games, this year.
2. Hawthorne = A Solid Rebounding Team.
The Hornets are SCRAPPY. Every time the ball goes in the air, they swarm to find a body to box out, and leap for the chance to pull it back down. In the first half, they were beasts on the offensive glass, creating multiple chances at a bucket. In the second half, their tough defensive rebounding kept the Titans from getting any looks at a putback lay-in. Hawthorne senior F Mike Reed looks like he’s about to leave the gym the way he skies for defensive rebounds. They’ll be tough to contain if Hawthorne has their way on the glass.
3. Gavin Antoine Is The Key To Tampa Bay Tech’s Success.
The Titans go as he goes. Antoine is the physical motor of this team, and it showed with the type of energy he attacks the rim, with. Easily the most pure-athlete on the squad, Antoine can be a force in the post/mid-range area at any given moment. He’s capable of rising up on defenders for the flush. The senior F finished with 16 points in the loss. Look for Antoine to be a staple in the offense, this season.
4. The Titans Should Tighten Up On Their Ball-Control.
There were certain areas of the game, especially in the second half, where Tampa Bay Tech came off as a bit careless with the rock. Some guards would test the behind-the-back or over-the-shoulder pass when it was not necessary. Other times, players would dribble away from the open man in the corner, missing the opportunity for an uncontested look at a three. All can be corrected with some on-court discipline. Let’s see if the Titans can stop the trend, going forth.
5. Alphonso Williams Is A Leader On Both Sides Of The Ball.
This senior G is a spark no matter where he is on the floor. He’s extremely vocal, and has blazing speed with the ball in his hands. On offense, Williams is a patient one. If he’s orchestrating the play, there’s no forcing anything—he will find the open man for the best look. On transition-defense, he’ll chase you down for the swat if you go up soft with the layup. Williams finished with 20 points.