Five Takeaways: Poly vs Patterson
Last night was a testament to the fact that there is no better place to be than in Baltimore City when a marquee high school basketball game is going on. With the baseline surrounded by standing fans, the bleachers at…
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Continue ReadingLast night was a testament to the fact that there is no better place to be than in Baltimore City when a marquee high school basketball game is going on. With the baseline surrounded by standing fans, the bleachers at full capacity and an electricity in the air, Patterson and Poly battled it out as the top teams in the city. It took overtime to decide the winner, but Patterson took the 67-64 win in overtime.
Here are five takeaways:
Zack Blackwell was the most important player for Patterson
Blackwell finished with 14 points on the night and made play after play down the stretch to put Patterson in a position to win. But it wasn’t the offensive side of the ball where Blackwell impacted this game. He put on one of the most impressive defensive performances I’ve ever seen. He was a relentless on-ball defender, picking up Rahim Ali 84-feet every single possession. Poly is extremely dependent on Ali to get them in their offensive sets, so the fact that Blackwell disrupted that process by making him turn it over and make careless decisions was key in their 14-point comeback.
Trio of juniors pace Poly throughout
Ali, Justin Lewis and Brandon Murray combined for 45 of Poly’s 64 points. The three had a fair share of explosive plays. Lewis had a put-back dunk over Jalen Willis that had the gym nearly explode early on. Murray had two one-handed dunks in transition where he cocked the ball back behind his shoulder on his way of taking off the rim. Ali handled Blackwell’s consistent ball pressure about as well as anyone could. He utilized ball-screens to free himself for pull-up 15-footers on his way to a team-high 16 points.
Mungo and Price lead the offensive attack
The two seniors finished with 18 points each in the win. Price fouled out in the fourth quarter, so it was Mungo who came through for the Clippers late with his game-deciding three-pointer. Throughout the course of the game, Mungo and Price scored from all three levels, but the majority of their baskets were earned inside the paint. Price took control late in the third and early fourth quarter, but when Patterson found themselves down 14, it was because Price wasn’t getting the touches he needed.
Patterson stays the course
When Poly was up 15 points as the third quarter concluded, the energy in the gym from Patterson fans had been contained. The vibe in the air was the Poly would hold on and maybe even run away with the win. Instead, Patterson stayed the course. They pressed full-court, crashed the glass hard defensively and converted on open looks from three and around the basket. Eventually, the momentum swung as the Clippers went on a 12-0 run. The intensity in the players and fans had become evident. This game was a prime example of why you never give up, no matter what kind of hole your team may be in.
There’s nothing like a Baltimore atmosphere
When I walked in the gym for the start of the junior varsity game, it was standing room only. That’s when I knew this game was going to go down in the books. The only atmosphere that compared to this was last year’s St. Frances vs Poly match up at Goucher College. They closed the entrance doors as the gym filled to capacity. Just inches beyond the baseline stood fans doing whatever they could to get inside the player’s heads. Some would complain, but in my opinion, it brings out the best in everyone and forces the players to play as hard as possible.
Highlights of an epic Baltimore City overtime thriller between Poly @PolyBoysBball and Patterson @PattersonBBall from Tuesday eveninghttps://t.co/c8El3CV47l
— Capitol Hoops (@CapitolHoops) January 16, 2019