Five Takeaways: McNamara vs. New Hope Scrimmage
FORESTVILLE, MD – Bishop McNamara hosted New Hope for a preseason scrimmage on Wednesday evening, and Prep Hoops was in the gym for this contest. Here we recap the scrimmage with a brief rundown of five takeaways. MUSTANGS BOAST DEEP…
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Continue ReadingFORESTVILLE, MD – Bishop McNamara hosted New Hope for a preseason scrimmage on Wednesday evening, and Prep Hoops was in the gym for this contest. Here we recap the scrimmage with a brief rundown of five takeaways.
MUSTANGS BOAST DEEP STABLE OF LEAD GUARDS
It seemed like McNamara started a different point guard to begin each quarter. Ed Johnson III, the lefty junior, started off the game strongly by knocking down a couple of perimeter jumpers. He then showcased his playmaking ability by seeing the floor well and distributing the ball to his teammates. Kenny Womack, another lefty who has committed to Howard, was in the game to start the second quarter and asserted himself immediately. Womack was a vocal presence on the floor and played good defense. Offensively, he got to the basket at will and finished well through contact. Womack also hit a three-pointer to show that he must be accounted for on the perimeter. Jaden Johnson, a promising freshman, started the third quarter and played very well. He is a strong guard who demonstrated a confident handle, embraced contact in the paint and showed that he can finish in traffic. Johnson also displayed good court vision. He pushed the ball quickly in transition and consistently looked to involve others.
HALL IMPRESSES DEFENSIVELY
New Hope Point Guard Jaylen Hall logged 40 minutes during this scrimmage. He impressed as a result of his constant effort and ability to make an impact on the defensive end. Hall picked up full court more often than not. He was active and alert at all times while off the ball. Hall matched up well against McNamara’s stable of rotating guards. He forced several turnovers with his overall activity level, and he should be commended for this.
BROWN EFFICIENT INSIDE THE ARC
David Brown III, a junior wing known for his shooting, struggled to find his shot at the beginning of this contest. He emphasized getting to the basket as a result, and his decision paid off. Brown made smart cuts off the ball and got some easy looks at the rim as a result. He used his quick first step to blow by defenders while on the ball and did not have any trouble finishing around the basket in traffic.
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NEW HOPE HAS GOOD POTENTIAL
You won’t find many who can match Cortland Johnson’s athleticismOne of the first things you will notice about New Hope’s roster is that they have good size all across the board. 6’8 junior post, Jorclay Kanicki, is still quite raw but offers value as a productive rebounder and energy guy. Henrikas Kalnius, a 6’7 junior, can stretch the floor with his nice-looking jumper. 6’5 senior Cortland Johnson, who was easily the best athlete in the gym, played with a high motor throughout and demonstrated intriguing defensive potential. 6’6 senior Isaac James, a multi-faceted wing with a solid all-around game, has a chance to increase his stock in a big way if he can perform at a consistently high level this season. Coach Marcus Chester acknowledged that his group still has plenty of work to do, but he believes their future is bright and we agree.
MCNAMARA ROSTER FULL OF ENERGY
Guys like Christian Niles and Josh Jackson came in and provided great energy off the bench for McNamara. The junior backcourt tandem worked hard defensively and were encouraged by their teammates from the bench. After the scrimmage, David Brown mentioned that this group enjoys each-others company and loves to root for one another. That is always good to see early on in the season. We’ll see if they can keep it up.