Five Takeaways: St. Frances vs Poly
This past weekend, we had what is now the biggest rivalry game in the city of Baltimore. Not a rivalry in a sense of the teams having animosity towards one another, but in the fact that these two have consistently…
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Continue ReadingThis past weekend, we had what is now the biggest rivalry game in the city of Baltimore. Not a rivalry in a sense of the teams having animosity towards one another, but in the fact that these two have consistently been two of the top teams you can find not only in the city, but in the state. In an outstanding game through and through, Poly escaped with a 59-58 win over St. Frances in front of a packed SECU Area at Towson University.
*Before we get to the takeaways, I want to offer my thoughts and prayers to the St. Frances basketball family. A family member of one of the players received challenging news last Thursday, which left the entire team emotionally drained. This person is not only a huge part of the St. Frances basketball family, but he is also a huge member of the basketball community in Baltimore. Keep fighting, stay strong. You have endless support.
Now for the takeaways:
Ian Wallace plays hero
Poly trailed by two as the clock was winding down from 30 seconds. As they got into their offense, swinging the ball quickly around the St. Frances zone, the ball movement died for a second on the left wing. Over on the right side free-throw line extended stood Ian Wallace awaiting the skip pass that seemed to float in the air in slow motion. Wallace caught it and immediately let it fly from a few feet behind the three-point line. The ball hit nothing but net to give Poly a one-point advantage with 15 seconds left. St. Frances had a couple of good looks around the rim for the win, but they didn’t fall. The buzzer sounded and the Engineers celebrated. That shot was the only one Wallace made all game, but it was at the most important time.
Rajeir Jones starts hot for the Panthers
It seems like Jones shows up in the biggest games for St. Frances. It was no different on Saturday night as the Chicago State commit led his team with 21 points. Poly started out in a 3-2 zone. Because Jones is a threat from deep, the Poly defenders were sprinting at him during every catch. Jones did a great job of attacking the close-outs with one or two dribbles for mid-range pull-ups and converting. He had a balanced scoring game throughout, but his biggest quarter came during the second frame when he scored eight points on two three-pointers and two free-throws.
Brandon Murray continues to be a critical piece
Murray has already made his fair share of big plays this season, including a game-winning three against Edomonson last week. In this game, he led the Engineers with 21 points that included a couple of electric dunks. One game in the form of an alley-oop as he cut from the left corner, the other occurred in transition when he threw it down with one hand. People may have thought Murray’s biggest weakness was his jump shot, but after watching him more than a handful of times, I can confidently say he is a player you have to account for on the perimeter. His ability to finish at the rim just makes him an even tougher match up for his defender.
Jamal West keeps adding to his game
At 6-foot-5 and freakish athleticism and physicality, there’s no doubt that West could hold his own against bigger players at the next level. But with low-to-mid major schools recruiting him, they want him to play primarily on the wing as a small forward. With that being said, he has to be a threat as a shooter and this season he has showcased that ability. Against Poly, West finished with 16 points, nine of which game from deep. He exploded in the third quarter, scoring 12 points to help St. Frances hold a nine-point advantage heading into the fourth.
Bigger than basketball
High school basketball is a lot different than it was 10-15 years ago in large part due to AAU. All of the top players know each other well because they either play on the same AAU team or play against each other often during that time. So while they may sport different jerseys during the high school season, some look at players on the other team as their brothers rather than their hated rival. Following the game, a couple of Poly players went into the St. Frances locker room to show their support for the individual on St. Frances who had received tough news just two days prior. That sort of action speaks to their character and how basketball is such a small thing in the big scheme of life. So with that being said, Rahim Ali and Justin Lewis, shout out to you for being their for your friend when he needed it most. After all, that’s what life is all about.