5 Takeaways: Southwood vs. Captain Shreve
One of the big contest this week was the showdown between Captain Shreve and Southwood for the 1-5A district title. Southwood has not won an outright district championship in 16 years while Shreve has won one and tied for another…
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Continue ReadingOne of the big contest this week was the showdown between Captain Shreve and Southwood for the 1-5A district title. Southwood has not won an outright district championship in 16 years while Shreve has won one and tied for another this decade. In a battle that was nothing like the blowout at Southwood, both teams fought to the bitter end. Finally, Southwood prevailed, 58-54, in one of the most, well played games of the season.
Southwood’s defense stands tall
In the first game of the season, Southwood gave up 85 points to the Bossier Bearkats. Since then, their defense has grown exponentially. On Tuesday night, the Cowboys put together a defensive effort that showed why they are one of the top 10 teams in 5A. In the first half, their help defense caused several Shreve turnovers. Christian Caldwell (6’6″, 2020) had five blocks just rotating over to deter baskets or from playing solid man-to-man defense against Shreve post players. Cowboy wing defenders deflected several passes that caused run outs as well. The last two minutes of the game saw an impeccable effort as well. The 9-0 run that gave them the victory came from trapping ball handlers, creating steals, forcing difficult shots and blocks that turned to outlets. Coach Hamilton has stressed defense to this group all year and it has clicked at the right time. Very inspiring defensive performance by Southwood.
Shreve’s “Big 3” minus two
I stated in another article that if Captain Shreve were to win, two members of their “big 3” would have to play well. Prior to Tuesday, when Marvin Young (6’3″, 2019), KJ Jones (6’2″, 2019), and Kendall Coleman (6’8, 2020) played in big games, they played well. On this night, Jones and Coleman were almost non-factors on the offensive end. While Young carried the Gators with a game high of 26 on this night, the other two had a sub-par effort. Coleman and Jones combined for four points in the first half with Coleman being held scoreless. Coleman woke up in the 3rd and dominated the boards and paint scoring eight points and collecting several boards. These three scored every Gator point in the 4th quarter. They also had key turnovers and Jones shot two crucial air balls at the end. While this game was closer than the first one, the scoring effort of Jones and Coleman were less than desirable in this game for all the district marbles.
Christian Caldwell’s “block” party
The Cowboys do not have a true post presence. They rely on long, athletic wings to guard the interior. On Tuesday night, Christian Caldwell answered the bell with 8 blocks. While everyone will probably remember his block at the end of the game which led to a transition layup, it was his interior defense early that set the tone. Whether is was on the ball or providing help on a drive, Caldwell blocked or altered shots repeatedly during the first two quarters. In the final stanza, he cemented the Cowboy victory with his interior protection of the basket. Those eight blocks showed that Caldwell is a defensive presence that can not be ignored as the Cowboys march on into the playoffs.
Marvin Young steps up offensively
All season long, Marvin Young has facilitated the offense of the Gators. On Tuesday night, he displayed that he can be a primary option in the offense. With Captain Shreve struggling with turnovers, Young took the reigns of the offense. With his long arms and great handle, Young took turns driving on the various Cowboy defenders who took the challenge to guard him. More times than not, he won the battle. Marvin went to the free throw line repeatedly or finish at the rim with his fierce drives to the rim. He displayed the ability to get the shot off despite an abundance of contact. His 17 point second half (game high 26) explosion gave the Gators hope in not only this game but moving into the playoffs. If he can score like this against other opposing guards while getting some help from his teammates, Shreve may pull a playoff upset.
A prep star in the making
Daniel Ortiz (6’0, 2021) led a balanced scoring attack by the Cowboys on Tuesday. Even though he is a sophomore, he put the players guarding him on notice. Ortiz was able to create opportunities for him to take open jumpers with relative ease. His handle is very mature for such a young prep player. His ability to get to the rim was very telling. Again, his handle created an advantage for him. When he got to the lane, he punished the defender instead of taking the punishment himself. He created several opportunities for himself at the free throw line. Daniel Ortiz is going to be a combo guard that will create mismatches on most nights. This night in particular, he was one of the driving forces in the Cowboy victory.
Both teams gave their best effort. As the playoffs approach, both teams seem to be well prepared for what the second season holds. Whoever they play in the playoffs, they will get a dose in what it is to play a top team from 1-5A.