A Saturday Splash: Sequoyah at Cherokee Takeaways
It’s just a little more than 8 miles which separate Sequoyah and Cherokee high schools, but when it comes to battling on the basketball court, that distance is a chasm filled with all the bitterness a long-standing crosstown rivalry brings.…
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Continue ReadingIt’s just a little more than 8 miles which separate Sequoyah and Cherokee high schools, but when it comes to battling on the basketball court, that distance is a chasm filled with all the bitterness a long-standing crosstown rivalry brings.
Donovan ShippIn a game of swings, with Cherokee leading after 1, Sequoyah after 2, Cherokee again after 3, and then after a back and forth final quarter tied with under 5 seconds to go, it was almost destined for some type of heroics or overtime. Nearly invisible for three quarters, star Sequoyah point guard Donovan Shipp came alive with all of his 11 points in the 4th, the last 3 an absolute dagger from the corner as time expired to break the hearts of the home Warriors, 74-71, in what was as good a high school game as you’ll see.
My Trifecta of “meal-time” takeaways from the game:
THE STEAK: SHIPP “MISSING AT SEA”, BUT GRECO DOES THE HARD PADDLING
Jacksen GrecoWhile the 5-10 Shipp carries the marquee mantle around the metro area for the Chiefs, fellow senior Jacksen Greco, not an unknown quantity by any means, picked up the heavy lifting on this evening. With Shipp bottled up by Cherokee and assuming a more facilitator role, Greco was spectacular from the jump, scoring from everywhere on the floor on his way to a team-high 23 points. Greco gets his points in so many ways, it can be hard to quantify – he can beat you from 3, he can out-hustle you on the offensive glass for putbacks, he can stick a floater past your outstretched hand, or he can just pop a 12-footer as you aimlessly wave your hand in his direction. It was an all-around offensive game which was very impressive for the Mercer-bound 6-3 guard, and Sequoyah needed it with their star point man engaged in a battle with multiple Warrior defenders.
THE DESSERT: OTHER CLUTCH SENIORS PROVIDE THE “WHIPPED CREAM”
Myles McGeeGreco appeared nearly exhausted at points with all the work he was doing at both ends, so to hang with a hard-charging Cherokee bunch, it couldn’t be a 2-man show with Shipp. Seniors Myles McGee, Dashuan Robinson, and Arthur Parker were terrific in secondary roles, providing hustle, defense and rebounding and combining for 30 points among them. Robinson, playing the five at 6-3, had several key buckets in the middle of the game to either keep Sequoyah close or edge them ahead, while also going head-to head with the 6-6 Elijah Tucker for Cherokee most of the night. McGee makes for a very effective and efficient third guard alongside Shipp and Greco, and got 4 key points in that roller coaster last quarter while also at just 6-1 digging into the paint for key rebounds playing as a defacto 4-man. Parker, a spot-up shooter by trade, had a pair of 3’s in the 2nd quarter which helped the Chiefs build a 5-point halftime bulge. The point being, to beat a team the quality of Cherokee on their floor, a club full of seasoned veterans all had to dig deep and find it, and they did.
THE CHECK: BIG NIGHT FOR CHEROKEE STARS GOES UNSATIATED
Taihland Owens Zack Vickers
Junior studs Taihland Owens and the aforementioned Tucker garner a lot of the ink for the Warriors, and rightfully so, Owens being a fluid, exciting 6-4 scoring guard and Tucker an explosive jumping jack that commands respect. But 6-4 senior forward Zack Vickers was not going to be denied in his final regular-season match-up with his rivals, as he dominated inside for most of the game, scoring and rebounding and leaving it all out on the floor. He finished with 22 points, 11 coming in a dominating first quarter effort, as he got buckets from both inside and out, adding two 3’s. Owens had a game-high 25, and in a metro full of terrific guard play, he has to be in the conversation. A true scorer, he has a wonderful mid-range game to go with deep marksmanship out to 25 feet and a nose for the rim in close. The junior guard list in the ATL-area is loaded, one Owens deserves to rise with his mature scoring ability. Tucker appears a touch raw, in that his post game has a near limitless ceiling but could use continued refinement, so for now he relies on superior athletic ability and a vertical leap to the roof. By this time next year in his final campaign, he could be a real show-stopper.