5 Key Questions: Centralia vs Belleville East
Probably the top two teams at the Centralia Thanksgiving Tournament met on Wednesday night in the round robin event as host Centralia took on Belleville East. Early it was all Centralia as they stormed out to a 11-0 lead in…
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Continue ReadingProbably the top two teams at the Centralia Thanksgiving Tournament met on Wednesday night in the round robin event as host Centralia took on Belleville East. Early it was all Centralia as they stormed out to a 11-0 lead in the opening minutes. Belleville East came back to take the lead in the second quarter. It was close for the rest of the game going to OT tied 52-52. It was a wild OT period in which Centralia won 63-59.
Could You Possibly Call Any More Charges Refs?
Let’s start off with this because well……it was ridiculous. Is this a point of emphasis or something because I have not seen anywhere near this many charges called in any game this year or maybe EVER! No lie there had to be close to 20 charges called. Everyone on the floor almost fouled out on both teams.
Can Centralia Win Without Any Size?
The Orphans starting lineup went 5’9”, 5’11”, 5’9”, 6’2”, and 5’7”. This has to be right up there as one of the shortest big school lineups in the state. It doesn’t seem to matter though. All five guards pass, cut, and shoot the ball. Defensively they are scrappy and tough. Jamie Long runs the show at the point. He is the best ball handler of the group and top distributor. Hits open threes and makes free throws. He had 14 points. Preston Johannes is a two guard in the senior class that at 5’11” plays bigger than his height with long arms. Sound shooter pulling up from mid-range as he had 16 points on the night. Tyree Wesbrook was the star of the night for the Oprhans. He drilled five threes in his 16 point performance. Connected on big shot after big shot. Lots of arc on his shot with deep range. Crue Walker didn’t have his best game, but the 6’2” shooting guard with strength hit the one when it matter most from three in OT.
Is Lee Bennett the Best Coach in State?
I have always said there are a handful of coaches in the state that win 20 games every year because they are just that good as a coach. No matter who they have they win. Centralia head coach Lee Bennett is definitely in that category. They run a system to perfection where unless they get a layup or open three his team will not shoot. This is probably as a group the least talented team he has had in a while and they beat a team that might have three D1 players.
Is Braxton Stacker Ranked Too Low?
We were really aggressive with ranking Belleville East shooting guard Braxton Stacker at #16 overall in the latest 2022 Rankings update. It might not be high enough! He showed such growth in his game when we saw him at the Southwest Jets Fall League. He has size at 6’4” with a wiry build. Elite level athlete that has some of the best hops in the state. He showed them off in the second half with a thunderous jam on a ferocious slash. At this stage the majority of his game offensively is in transition or one on one to the rim. Was impressed with his tight handles being able to put combination moves together to get scores. A couple times he was a bit out of control on charges (some of which weren’t deserved). His explosion and burst with the ball in his hand are super impressive out of a young prospect. One of his better moves he went on a straight line drive and maneuvered the ball with his long hands to get a clean look at the cup. He isn’t a great shooter at this stage, but hit a big shot late to send the game to OT with a deep three letting it go with a lot of confidence. Defensively he has a chance to be a plus defender at the D1 level. He is aggressive on that end of the floor moving his feet, using his length to get in his opponents space, and recovers well. Also had several explosive blocks. Stacker went for 24 points on the night. The answer to if he is ranked too low? Yes.
What is Upside for Belleville East This Year and Beyond?
Belleville East is a young group. Their three best players are a junior, sophomore, and freshman. We broke down the sophomore above. The junior prospect is Ethyn Brown. It was a very quiet first quarter for the Lancers guard, but he got it rolling in the second quarter. A lot of what he did started on the defensive end getting steals and pushing in the open floor for layups. Also had a slick left handed layup in traffic. Finished with 12 points fouling out midway through the fourth quarter. Freshman star Jordan Pickett couldn’t buy a shot on the night. He took good shots for the most part, but they didn’t fall. The 6’1” combo guard who has a strong build was best as a distributor. Made several excellent dishes in the lane for dimes. We know he can score so this was good to see. A surprise player that came up big for Belleville East was Bryson Ivy. The 6’1” junior played with a ton of energy. Got on the glass for put backs. Had an array of layups in traffic. His hustle was evident on both ends of the floor getting the most out of his ability. Went for 12 points. Long term this team can be really good especially next year as everyone we mentioned will return. For this year I think how successful they will be is dependent on their perimeter shooting. They made one three all night. With so many slashers they need to make shots to open the lane up.