Players to Watch in the 4A Final Four
It’s hard to believe that the high school season will come to a close this weekend at the University of Maryland as public school state championship games take place. The 2018-19 season has been filled with a ton of wild…
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Continue ReadingIt’s hard to believe that the high school season will come to a close this weekend at the University of Maryland as public school state championship games take place. The 2018-19 season has been filled with a ton of wild finishes and it wouldn’t surprise me if it ended in the same fashion. Starting with the Class 4A Final Four teams, we’ll take a look at some players to watch on Thursday evening and Saturday in the title game.
March 14: Eleanor Roosevelt vs Dulaney (7pm)
Broadneck vs Richard Montgomery (9pm)
Isaiah Gross | Eleanor Roosevelt ’19
The 21-3 Raiders are a team with plenty of lethal options on the roster, but Gross is a main cog in their attack. The Coppin State commit is averaging 17.7 points per game and provides tremendous toughness and versatility on both ends of the floor. Gross has the athleticism to finish strong around or above the rim as well as the ability to knock down jumpers from the outside. It seems like whenever Eleanor Roosevelt plays in a big game, Gross comes through as a scorer. He finished with 34 points against DeMatha, 32 points in a game against Douglass and 28 points in the regional title game against High Point.
Cam Brown | Eleanor Roosevelt ’19
Brown is the leading scorer for the Raiders at 20.1 per game. He’s been the most consistent throughout, scoring 20 or more points in 13 of the 24 games this season. At 6-foot-3 with good size and athleticism, Brown can mix it up well offensively and use those same attributes to be an effective defender. He can really impress when out in the open floor, which given the bigger court at the Xfinity Center, may be the key to Eleanor Roosevelt winning the entire tournament.
Ryan Conway | Dulaney ’21
Conway has been the clear leader for this Dulaney team all season long. The talented sophomore guard can score at an alarming rate from just about anywhere on the floor. He has an efficient pull-up from three, can break his man down and score from the mid-range area and finish crafty lay ups around the rim. Conway scored 30 points in their thrilling win over Springbrook this past Friday to claim the school’s first regional title in 42 years.
Ike Cornish | Dulaney ’21
Cornish had a rough outing to start in the regional title game, picking up two early fouls that had him glued to the bench for much of the first half. He responded by scoring 14 second half points and being a crucial help to Conway in erasing Springbrook’s double-digit lead. The 6-foot-5 wing is very long and uses that length to finish around the rim. He doesn’t settle for jumpers unless he is left wide open. Instead he’ll attack the defense off the catch as they are rotating and find small lanes to slither his way to the basket. He’s also a threat in the open floor for lobs, which he and Conway will look to execute as much as possible.
Ryan Cornish | Richard Montgomery ’21
Cornish is a 6-foot guard that may not steal your heart in warm-up lines, but it won’t take long for him to grasp your attention during the game. Cornish is always a threat to have a big scoring outing. His outside shooting makes the game much easier not only for him, but for his teammates. His IQ allows him to bait close-out defenders and get into the paint to free up others for scoring opportunities.
Djordje Orcev | Richard Montgomery ’19
At 6-foot-5 with a strong frame, Orcev can make his presence known on both ends with his physicality and size, but what has been most evident about his game this season is the way he creates his own shot. Orcev primarily played as a guy who played around the basket for much of his career, but has transitioned into a legitimate win threat. He’ll be a match-up issue for Broadneck and if Richard Montgomery in the Final Four game.
Logan Vican | Broadneck ’20
Broadneck has a very balanced scoring attack that depends largely on their outside shooting, but Vican provides an inside presence at 6-foot-8. He’s been consistent as a scorer throughout the season and a solid rebounder, tallying a fair share of double-doubles. In their game against Richard Montgomery, Vican will be crucial in rebounding, blocking shots and scoring inside.
Che Colbert | Broadneck ’19
Colbert runs the show for this Broadneck team as the point guard. He’s a threat to score from all three levels. In the half court, Colbert is effective as a shooter from outside, but in transition, he aggressively attacks the rim. Against Richard Montgomery, taking his man off the dribble and getting into the paint to free up shooters on the perimeter will be key, but he also has to look to be aggressive because when he is, this team is very difficult to beat.