Bruce’s Best: 5 Takeaways From Gorman 3 Way Scrimmage
With just a little over a week left before the regular season tips off, a lot of programs have decided to run scrimmages, to make sure their squads start off the season in tip-top shape. Today I pulled up to…
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Continue ReadingWith just a little over a week left before the regular season tips off, a lot of programs have decided to run scrimmages, to make sure their squads start off the season in tip-top shape. Today I pulled up to the Bishop Gorman 3 Way Scrimmage which included Liberty and Faith Lutheran. Here are my takeaways.
- A healthy Dante Davis makes a world of difference: Dante Davis 5’10 PG Liberty 2020 (#38 2020) – I’m only human and on this one I’m %100 bias. I’ve known Dante for the majority of his basketball career and have watched him fight through injuries just to get on the court. It was a pleasure to see him finally playing at %100. He showed off his explosive first step and powerful burst. His areas of improvement included his ability to knockdown shots off catch and shoot action. He let the ball fly with no hesitation, and showed a fluid form and follow through.
- Coleman Lemke keeps adding to his game – Coleman Lemke 6’7 SF Faith Lutheran 2021 – Lemke (#24 2021) – Is one of the more intriguing prospects. He has a perimeter skill set that allows him to put the ball on the floor and make plays off the bounce. He’s one of the more difficult pick and pop covers because he has the size to post up smaller defenders and the skill to beat others off the bounce.
- Julian Strawther has the chance to be a special college player: Julian Stawther 6’6 SF Liberty 2020 (#2 2020) – Whenever he wanted, Strawther was able to dominate during the scrimmage. He’s one of the few players who’s size and strength is underrated. He takes a beating when he attacks the paint. Human nature is for refs to allow bigger guys to get hammered. The same thing happens to Strawther, what impressed me about him was his ability to finish through contact. The other thing you start realizing is, while he appears bigger and stronger than everyone on the floor, he’s predominantly a perimeter player. I believe his experience of getting beat on, will help him at the next level, as he’ll retain his shooting ability while having built a tolerance for physical play.
- I feel better that I selected Noah Taitz as the best shooter in the state: Noah Taitz 6’3 SG 2020 (#3 2020) – Speaking of Shooters, I recently wrote an article selecting Taitz as the best shooter in Nevada. After attending the scrimmage, I feel better about that selection for several reasons. First, I talked to several basketball people that I respect, and most of them easily mentioned him as one of the top shooters in the state. Secondly, just watch him. He gets his shot off in a variety of ways. Extremely underrated when it comes to his ability to create space. Perhaps the best separation dribble shot combo in the state.
- Joshua Jefferson added another dimension to his game: Joshua Jefferson 6’7 PF Liberty 2022 – The race for the #1 spot in the c/o 2022 should be extremely interesting. Especially when you consider. There’s no more Max Allen, Milos Uzan plays for a Championship contender, and Joshua Jefferson and Jaxon Kholer meet head to head twice this year. Jefferson showed improved floor stretching ability. Something that dawned on me about him, is that during AAU, his patience and deliberate style, sometimes can seem out of place. However, in a more structured environment, he looks like a guy that the game has slowed down for. He was awesome in pick and pop action, knocking down several 3’s.