Five Key Questions: RM vs. Gaithersburg
ROCKVILLE, MD — Richard Montgomery protected it’s home court and hung on to defeat Gaithersburg by a final score of 70-65. Here we recap this hard-fought contest by answering five key questions. DID THE MATCHUP LIVE UP TO THE HYPE?…
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Continue ReadingROCKVILLE, MD — Richard Montgomery protected it’s home court and hung on to defeat Gaithersburg by a final score of 70-65. Here we recap this hard-fought contest by answering five key questions.
DID THE MATCHUP LIVE UP TO THE HYPE?
Absolutely. This game was close from start to finish, with lead changes occurring throughout the game. Ultimately RM was able to hold on by controlling the boards, taking care of the ball and knocking down important free throws.
WHO WERE THE STANDOUTS?
RYAN CORNISH | RM ’21
Ryan Cornish jumpstarted his team’s offense with his assertiveness early in this game. The scrappy sophomore lead guard showed little regard for his body and sacrificed himself by attempting a handful of charges throughout the game. Cornish showcased a tight handle and a versatile scoring arsenal from all three levels to go along with the intangibles coaches look for in a lead guard.
MILES GALLY | RM ’19
Miles Gally was the emotional and vocal leader of his team. The 6-foot-9 post was a strong inside presence on both ends of the court and demonstrated a high basketball IQ. Gally double-doubled and definitely fed off the fever pitch atmosphere.
JORDAN HAWKINS | GAITHERSBURG ’21
At 6-foot-5, Jordan Hawkins is a legit go-to scoring option. Hawkins showcased a smooth jump shot, both from catch and shoot and pull-ups, to go along with impressive body control and touch when finishing around the rim. He also showed that he can hit not only hit the boards but also sit down, be active and defend on perimeter.
JAO ITUKA | GAITHERSBURG ’21
Jao Ituka showcased confidence in his perimeter jump shot throughout this game. He played with an unrelenting motor and got to the basket at will. Ituka was solid defensively and showed that he can rebound out of his area.
DJORDJE ORCEV | RM ’19
As the most athletic and versatile player on the team, Djordje Orcev was able to get whatever look he wanted on command. The 6-foot-5 forward was a forceful paint presence defensively as a rebounder and rim protector.
WHICH PLAYERS MADE UNDERRATED CONTRIBUTIONS?
KORDELL LEWIS | RM ’21
Kordell Lewis is the best perimeter defender for the Rockets, and drew the assignment of Jordan Hawkins. Despite being severely undersized in that matchup, Lewis played hard and fought for every 50/50 ball in his area.
DEVIN LIYANAMANA | RM ’20
Devin Liyanamana has shown that he can impact the game in a variety of ways for RM. Tonight he did so with his ball distribution and heady defense. Liyanamana is the perfect glue guy for this team, and despite the fact that he didn’t score, he played his role to perfection tonight.
MANDELA TARKE | GAITHERSBURG ’21
Mandela Tarke showed signs that he can be an effective third wheel for the Trojans. The athletic lefty guard was active on the boards, facilitated the ball, and showed that he can knock down a shot if left open.
HOW CAN THE GAITHERSBURG “SUPER SOPHS” IMPROVE?
Perhaps this game was an aberration, but over the course of the game we couldn’t help but notice that Jao Ituka and Jordan Hawkins were not really cohesive on the court. We would like to see the two talented sophomores play off each other a bit more and not revert to taking turns playing iso ball. It’s ideal for two guys to dominate the ball as they do and only combine for four assists.
We don’t want to take anything away from these talented young prospects, who both played very hard throughout the game, but definitely have room to improve respectively.
Ituka can improve offensively by not leaving his feet when attempting to pass so often, taking what the defense gives him and changing speeds instead of going full tilt at all times.
Hawkins uncharacteristically missed four free throws in the first half, but we saw him try to remedy this by attempting several foul shots during the halftime break. He can improve by making sure his body language is positive throughout the game and he doesn’t get too high or too low.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM THE REMATCH?
The atmosphere at Gaithersburg should be electric for the rematch later this month. We expect a similar result that favors the home team. Both super sophomores will probably do their thing and combine for 50 or more, and if RM wants to win they’ll need balanced contributions from their main guys.