State Farm/Kia Classic Notes
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Before heading over to the Hawks-Naismith Classic, I was able to catch the first two games of the Kia Classic at the Cobb Civic Center. The two matchups included a double overtime battle between Lakeview Academy and Maynard Jackson, and then a close one between Westminster and Trinity Christian. Here are a few thoughts from the two games, which had some solid under the radar prospects.
In Game 1, Lakeview defeated Maynard Jackson, 89-86, after having to go to overtime twice. The Lions started out the game hot, leading Jackson 16-4 at one point. Once the Jaguars started to pick up full court and apply pressure, it looked like Lakeview might be in trouble. After some struggles at first, Lakeview was able to calm down and it turned into an exciting back and forth game.
Adam Cottrell was steady for Lakeview throughout and ended with a terrific stat line. He poured in 35 points with 4 made 3’s, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals. Cottrell gave the team an important boost with his toughness; he embraced contact when attacking the basket and came up with some big plays on defense as well. He was the clear leader of the team in the 2nd half and the overtime periods. A great student also, Cottrell is a nice sleeper target for high academic programs to go after late.
Blake McIntyre and Conley Millwood were productive for the Lions too. McIntyre got going early with 3 3 ‘s in the first quarter, and although he didn’t hit another the rest of the game, he made an impact in other areas. He made the right pass throughout the game and showed some craftiness when looking to score inside. McIntyre ended with 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists. Millwood was huge for the Lions in the 2Nd half. He scored 15 points, all coming off 3-pointers, and was not afraid to take big shots. Millwood provided Lakeivew with rebounding, securing 6 in the game. He was efficient and confident throughout the intense battle.
For Maynard Jackson, I was most impressed with the presence of Timipa Ogoun. He nearly had a triple double with points, rebounds, and blocks, going for 17-8-9 in the game with 3 steals as well. His length and timing gave Lakeview fits all game long. Ogoun was extremely active and came up with some big baskets inside in the 2nd half. LaDarius Ruben was instant offense for the Jaguars off the bench, coming in and immediately getting in the scorebook during the 1st quarter. He kept it up throughout the game and ended up with 22 points with 3 3’s. Ja’Corey Harper also gave Jackson an offensive boost. Although one of the smaller players on the court, Harper was not afraid to go inside for offensive production. He kept the defense honest with his jumper, finishing with 20 points on 2 3’s.
The next game, between Westminster and Trinity Christian, was a close one as well, but did not have the offensive fireworks like the first game did. Westminster ended up pulling it out with a 49-42 win. The Wildcats had 6 guys score, all 6 scored at least 4 points. There were points throughout the game where it looked like TCS was going to gain momentum, but Westminster weathered the storm and did not get rattled.
For Westminster, Cameron Foster had an excellent game. He finished with 17 points and 7 rebounds, while displaying some nice versatility. The 6’5” forward battled inside but also showed he could handle the ball in the open court and slash to the basket. Foster has a solid frame the allows him to play through contact on both ends. Fellow junior David Perchik scored 9 points with 2 3’s and made the most of his limited opportunities. Freshman forward Holden Staes has a lot of potential for the Wildcats. He already has the ability to step out and stretch the floor, hitting 2 3’s in the game. Also a football player, Staes does not mind getting physical. This allowed him to grab 10 rebounds on Saturday. Eli Barry only scored 4 points but dished out 4 assists and racked up 5 steals for the Wildcats. He is the kind of unselfish senior leader that you need on a team.
It was all about the forwards for Trinity Christian on Saturday. Giancarlo Bastianoni was a problem the entire game, going through bodies for offensive rebounds consistently and using his touch to score. Bastianoni scored in a variety of ways to get his 18 points; he connected on a few face-up jumpers, got good position in the post, and converted after securing the aforementioned offensive boards. Brady Burnett did not score like he has in other games this year, but still made an impact. He is a very good rebounder who pursues the ball aggressively and stays active on both ends. He ended up with a solid stat line of 10 points and 8 rebounds, along with 3 blocks. Neither one of them are well-known, but both could see themselves pick up some interest if they play well at the Tournament Of Champions next week, which always has college coaches in attendance.