Auburn vs. Benjamin Russell: Superlatives
After a close first half, Auburn defeated Benjamin Russell 65-51 at home in their non-area game on Tuesday, January 15th. Benjamin Russell trailed Auburn by single digits during the first half, but after halftime, Auburn started to press and trap…
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Continue ReadingAfter a close first half, Auburn defeated Benjamin Russell 65-51 at home in their non-area game on Tuesday, January 15th. Benjamin Russell trailed Auburn by single digits during the first half, but after halftime, Auburn started to press and trap Benjamin Russell and found great success. Check out our Auburn vs. Benjamin Russell Recap and Observations article for a full recap and analysis of the game.
SUPERLATIVES
MVP: Justin Brooks (Auburn)
After a slow start for the Tigers, with only 6 points at halftime, Brooks finished with an impressive 25 points. After finding his rhythm late in the third quarter, Brooks hit a couple of 3s that helped Auburn extend their lead. He also tacked on 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks to help give the Tigers a 65-51 win over Benjamin Russell.
Play of the Game: Back to Back and Ones (Auburn)
The play of the game came in the third quarter when Auburn decided to put some pressure on Benjamin Russell right out of the gate after halftime. The Tigers put on a press that was giving the Wildcats a bit of trouble. After an impressive and one that got the crowd cheering, Auburn’s press caused a turnover, and the stolen ball resulted in another and one for Auburn. These back to back and ones got the energy flowing for the Tigers and they dominated the third quarter 18-8.
Offensive Performance: Justin Brooks (Auburn)
Brooks really didn’t come alive until the second half, but his 19-point half was very impressive. Throughout the game, Brooks shot 4-8 (50%) from behind the three-point line and 9-16 overall (56%). After finding his rhythm, Brooks hit a couple of deep threes, including one at the buzzer to end the third quarter.
Defensive Performance: Will Turner (Auburn)
Auburn’s whole team was pretty impressive defensively, so it was hard to pick just one player. However, since I must pick one, I am going to go with Will Turner. Turner, only a sophomore, had 4 steals for the Tigers. In addition, he also had 2 blocks and 2 rebounds. Auburn’s team as a whole was very impressive defensively with 11 total steals.
Best Guy Off of the Bench: Noah Warren (Auburn)
The most impressive bench player was definitely Noah Warren. Warren had 9 points during his playing time for the Tigers, which helped them get the edge on Benjamin Russell. Warren provided important minutes for Auburn, playing competently while allowing the starters to rest. Warren also was 4-4 on his free throws, which often is a stumbling block for teams.
Best Intangibles: Auburn’s Ability to Change Plays and Defenses
Intangibles in sports are things the book and stat sheet don’t represent, and for me, the best intangible for this game was Auburn’s ability to constantly change plays and defenses. It seemed like almost every trip down the court, Coach Brandt was calling a different offense for his team or was wanting to change up the defense they were running to try and catch Benjamin Russell off guard. The players were able to change from play to play flawlessly and almost always had everyone on the same page. This really stood out to me, because a lot of time frequent and quick changing off plays causes confusion for the players on the floor and usually results in a turnover or an easy bucket for the other team. Auburn was able to change plays without having any of these issues, and it was quite impressive.
Under the Radar: Jaikobee Gamble (Benjamin Russell)
While I don’t have the full stats for Benjamin Russell, Jaikobee Gamble is definitely a player to keep your eye on. The Wildcats scoring was pretty spread out amongst the team, but Gamble put up 14 points for Benjamin Russell and helped them stay in the game in the fourth quarter, despite the rough third quarter that they had. Benjamin Russell needs a leader as area play and tournament time is about to begin, and that leader could be Gamble.
Best Underclassman: Noah Warren (Auburn)
Only a sophomore, Noah Warren was not only the best guy off the bench for the Tigers, but he was also the best underclassman. His ability to play big minutes as a sophomore makes him stand out from others his age. I’m excited to see what Warren will do for the Tigers in his two years as an upperclassman and to see if he turns out to have the ability to play in college.
Best Rebounding Team: Benjamin Russell
Despite Auburn’s 17 offensive rebounds, Benjamin Russell was still the most impressive rebounding team. The Wildcats had 24 defensive rebounds, giving the team a total of 44 rebounds during the game. With 20 offensive rebounds, Benjamin Russell had a lot of chances at second-chance points. If they can keep crashing the boards and start taking advantage of a second or third chance, they will find themselves a lot closer on the scoreboard.
Best quality: Auburn’s Ability to Play as a Team
By far the best quality from either team that I saw during the game was Auburn’s ability to play as a team. They were all locked in and on the same page. It didn’t matter who took the shot or who was scoring the points; they were all willing to pass the ball around until the right shot became available. Some possessions would last 4 or 5 passes, which is rare with a lot of teams. Auburn wouldn’t settle for a crummy shot but would wait until the right shot became available. They also all worked very hard on defense, and their traps and press were very well coordinated and organized, which is why they had 11 steals during the game.