Biggest Takeaways: McCluer vs Confluence (The Rematch)
Just over a week ago at the Lindbergh Flyer Invitational, McCluer came away with a 66-58 opening round win over Confluence. Last night, the two teams met again and the Comets stole a 70-58 road victory. On the surface the…
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Continue ReadingJust over a week ago at the Lindbergh Flyer Invitational, McCluer came away with a 66-58 opening round win over Confluence. Last night, the two teams met again and the Comets stole a 70-58 road victory. On the surface the two games look similar, but that is definitely not the case. At the Flyer Invite, McCluer built a large second half lead and had complete control throughout. A late Confluence run made the game appear closer than it was. Last night, Confluence was at full strength for the first time this season and it was a physical, hotly-contested battle between two solid teams that are going to win many games down the stretch. McCluer took a punch early but showed resolve and pulled away in the final minutes for a key road victory. Here are our biggest takeaways from last night’s battle.
The New Additions for Confluence ARE Difference Makers:
After last season’s deep postseason run, the Titans have had a very tough year by their standards getting off to a 3-11 start. Coach Karvinien has practiced patience knowing that as the calendar turned to 2019 he had a couple wild cards up his sleeve in transfers Lyndell Hunt and Greg Robinson that could potentially get them right back in the thick of things. The two are eligible, in uniform, and the Titans were at full strength Thursday night. 6’4 Jr Lyndell Hunt is a Sumner transfer. He was the PHL Newcomer of the Year last season averaging just under 20 points and 11 rebounds per game. He brings needed size, length, and athleticism to the table for Confluence. He is very tough to handle from 15-in and made a living attacking from the elbow/short-corner. He can post-up, face-up, has a shifty euro-step and is a strong finisher inside. Before fatiguing late in the game, he played some lockdown perimeter defense as well for the Titans. He has averaged close to 20 points per game for Confluence in the two games since his return. The second key transfer is 6’5 Sr Greg Robinson who was last seen at Pattonville in the 16-17 season. He is an incredibly athletic wing who made his debut Thursday night. He can play inside/out depending on personnel. He is a plus ball-handler that showed off some slick handles and footwork. He uses his athleticism to attack defenders inside and finishes WAY above the rim. He also showed some range stepping out a burying a corner 3 early in the game. He is an elite rim-protector that had several highlight blocks Thursday night. These two give Confluence more depth, athleticism, defense, and scoring punch and make them a definite threat down the stretch this year.
How Will the Chemistry Develop for the Titans?
The improvement for Confluence now that they are at full strength is undeniable. The key question moving forward is how quickly can they develop on-court chemistry and settle in to new roles? For three quarters they shared the ball well and went toe to toe with a talented McCluer group. However, down the stretch it was clear that everyone was a bit unsure of who should take charge in a tight game which is to be expected for a group just reaching full strength in mid-January. The presence of Hunt and Robinson opened up lanes for shifty guards 5’9 Jr Devin Phillips and 5’10 Sr Tarell Morris to get in the lane. Where they’ve been relied on heavily to score so far this season, they now have more options as creators. 6’5 Sr Tavon Graham has been a double-double machine and go-to-guy throughout the year and will now adjust to a Super Sixth Man role for the Titans. If the pieces come together, they have plenty of firepower to make a run.
Dareon Graham has Takeover Ability:
6’5 Sr Dareon Graham showed an impressive combination of composure and killer instinct Thursday night. Confluence came out of the gates very physical with him and held him to just 4 free throws and 0 field goals in the first half. In an emotional game that saw multiple technical fouls and ejections, Dareon maintained his poise and came up huge for the Comets in the big road victory. He got things going in the third quarter with a big three followed by a backdoor lay-up. Once the lid was off, he took over and McCluer started to gain some separation down the stretch. He finished with 20 points (16 in second half) and 10 boards, willing his team to a come from behind win in a hostile environment.
McCluer: The “Other Guys”
With star forward Dareon Graham struggling to find his rhythm in the first half, the Comets had some strong contributions from his supporting cast that kept things close and eventually were a big part in their victory. Mr. Consistent, 6’3 Jr Jeremiah Johnson did a nice job of taking care of the basketball, playing tough defense, and contributed a huge three pointer and a couple of big transition scores. 5’10 Sr Richaun Purty frustrated the Confluence guards all night with aggressive on-ball defense and knocked down a pair of tough jumpers. 6’4 Sr Demerius Richmond came up with 13 points in the game. He was able to match some of Confluence’s length and athleticism and came up in the clutch late for the Comets.
Comets Finding Their Identity:
McCluer got off to a 7-1 start before losing three straight games in the Legends of Winter Classic over the holidays. Since, they have won 4 of 5 and appear to be on their way to playing their best basketball as they head into the heart of league play. They have a great leader and alpha-dog in Graham and are starting to get consistent contributions up and down the roster. They proved Thursday night that not only can they win on the road, they can win in multiple ways.