Five Takeaways: Chance Harman Classic Day 1
It was the first day of the 12th Annual Chance Harman Classic. One of my favorite events every year, the CHC does a great job bringing together local teams and teams from all over the east coast to create a…
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Continue ReadingIt was the first day of the 12th Annual Chance Harman Classic. One of my favorite events every year, the CHC does a great job bringing together local teams and teams from all over the east coast to create a great basketball environment, all in the name of raising money for cancer research. The first day featured three games and a wild dunk contest. Here’s some takeaways and stay tuned for more from day two.
Missed the First Game, But Here’s What I Heard
The traffic on 81 was awful, as anyone who has traveled that route knows that the trucks and bad weather do not miss. So unfortunately, I was not able to make the first matchup between Chilhowie and Auburn, and the two players I was going to watch were the best performers from what I heard.
It was a great game in which Auburn had a chance to win it at the buzzer but Chilhowie came out victorious 47-45. Leading the way for Chilhowie was senior Dylan Catron, one of SWVA’s best available prospects, as he finished with a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds. For Auburn it was the opposite, as freshman combo guard Ethan Millirons stepped up without the Eagles starting point guard and played great, scoring 11 points, dishing out seven assists and just missing the three to win it. Both of these prospects are hidden gems in their areas.
Radford Looks Like a Contender (Go Figure)
Redford commit Quinton Morton-Robertson is as quick as they come.The Radford Bobcats moved from Class 1 to Class 2 last year, and if they didn’t meet Mac McClung and Gate City they had a chance at winning their third straight state championship last year. Well, in case you guys were wondering, they’re in position to compete for another state title this year.
In their blowout win over Patrick Henry last night, it was the two Radford University commits who led the way, as they’ve done for much of the past four seasons. 5’7” Quinton Morton-Robertson may be the smallest division one point guard in the country next year, but you see why he’s a guy that Highlanders Coach Mike Jones is confident in moving forward. There’s no one quicker than Q, who can get by anyone off the bounce and just seems to glide wherever he goes and gets to wherever he wants. He went coast to coast in under four seconds with the ball in his hands, finishing a contested layup to beat the buzzer before halftime. He finished with 20 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists.
The other Radford commit is Jones’ own son Miles Jones, a 6’6” forward with a high motor and solid skill set out to 18 feet. He needs to put on some weight moving forward, but his blue collar style of play, along with his understanding of the game, makes him a good piece moving forward. He finished with 12 points and eight rebounds. Throw in sophomores Cam Cormany and PJ Prioleau you have a talented and athletic group for Class 2.
Brakefield Stock Should Continue to Rise
There were plenty of players on Huntington that stood out, but junior Top 20 wing Jaemyn Brakefield stole the show as usual. As physically impressive as he is, the 6’7” wing showed that he can do it all and he makes it look easy when he does. In transition he’s a big time finisher above the rim, he showed he can catch and shoot but where he’s best is playing bully ball. He keeps plays alive on the glass, he’s a willing and capable passer and his versatility allows him to play all over the floor. He finished with a game high 21 points in their win over Blue Ridge.
Mike Gray Continues to Put Up Numbers
Many wondered whether or not Gray would be able to put up the same kind of numbers he did at James Monroe at Blue Ridge this year. Well, after playing arguably their toughest opponent of the year Gray has pretty much answered those questions. The 6’2” scoring combo finished with a team high 19 points, scoring 13 of those in the second half. He hit multiple contested threes off the catch, and once he got hot he continued to look for his shot and put pressure on the defense. He’s been their most consistent scoring threat and should see high majors all over him moving forward.
Bounce On Display Everywhere!
The annual Slam Dunk Contest was as good as it’s been in the four years I’ve been coming to this event. VCU commit Jarren McAllister showed why he’s a walking highlight for Massanutten.
While Blue Ridge senior Savion Helm impressed with this finish, assisted by fellow senior Chris Rogers.
However, Huntington Prep junior Jimma Gatwech stole the show with quite a few big time slams. The funniest thing, if you watched Sportscenter, you’ll see that he saved his best dunk for the game!