Randolph Survives Whitesburg Christian: 6 Players That Stood Out
1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | |
Whitesburg Christian Warriors | 13 | 27 | 34 | 48 |
Randolph Raiders | 6 | 20 | 32 | 49 |
In a Friday night cross-town match up between the Whitesburg Christian Warriors and the Randolph Raiders, it was nothing short of exciting. It was all Whitesburg for most of the game, but the Raiders were resilient down the stretch and came away with the win in the final seconds. Below are six individual players whose on-court performances stood out.
Ben Cox, Whitesburg Christian: Ben was a pivotal player in Friday’s game for the visiting Warriors. He had a slow start but really started heating up in the second half. In the first half, he showed the ability and IQ to run the floor and find the open spot. He stayed parallel with the ball and located to the corner where he was rewarded a corner three. When closing out on three pointers, he needs to close out low and not jump by the offense trying to make a big block. He really rebounded the ball well for his 5’9″ shooting guard position. He hit a big fall away three pointer at the end of the third quarter to give Whitesburg the lead entering the fourth quarter and maintain the team’s energy. He has a good first step off the dribble that allows him to attack the basket. Sometimes, though, if he takes a better line to the basket, he’ll finish the shot with much more ease. He hit two big free throws with six seconds remaining to give Whitesburg the lead, but it wasn’t quite enough. Ben finished with 9 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals.
Evans Bryant, Randolph: Evan crucial late in the game for the Raiders in overcoming the Whitesburg lead. He applied harassing pressure on double teams and forcing turnovers. He was patient with his shot fake forcing the Whitesburg players to jump. He was always willing to make the extra pass for an easier bucket. He never scored, but he’s a player that every coach needs. A player that’s willing to do the small things for his team’s success.
David Martin, Whitesburg Christian: David was a force to be reckoned with the entire game. From the start, he was on the attack with big strong moves in the post. He could finish through contact. He can take the ball off the dribble from the high post and attack the basket. He seemed to throw a different mix of face up moves or back-to-the-basket moves. He showed extremely good footwork on the block and made himself difficult to guard. In the first half, he had three or four drives that should have been finished with his left hand instead of forcing with his right. In the second half, he showed the ability to use the left but was unable to capitalize on it. As hot as he was in the first half, he really cooled off in the second half. Being 6’4″, he needs to be a little more aggressive on the boards. He’s only a junior, though, so expect a huge senior season from him with a big summer of work. David finished with 17 points.
Isaiah Matthews, Whitesburg Christian: Isaiah has so much untapped potential. The freshman guard played extremely well the entire game finishing with 12 points. He loved to push the pace and attack. He has good vision in the open court and makes the right pass. He was clearly at his best when he could attack the basket with a full head of steam. Although sometimes, he found himself forcing a tough shot or turning the ball over. Having a midrange floater in his bag of tricks would allow him to attack but pull up before he’s in too deep in the defense. He brings a lot of energy and is constantly fired up. It seems like his motor never stops. He showed the ability to extend the floor and knock down the three point shot. Being able to do that, will only open up his dribble-drive even more. At times, he seemed lazy on rebounding. As a guard, it’s difficult to want to rebound with the bigs, but you have to box out anyone and not get caught watching.
Malley Cooper, Randolph: Malley was the star of the show for the Raiders. At times, it seemed like he was their entire offense. His first bucket came by him getting lost on an inbound pass and knocking down a corner three pointer. He could finish strong through contact off the drive and found a way to get to the free throw line. He was good at exploiting the sometimes overaggressive defense and getting passed them with the dribble. He was the entire Randolph offense finishing with 25 points. Late in the game, he made the biggest play of the game. In the waning seconds, he evaded a charge, finished the bucket through contact, tied the game, and sealed the game for the Raiders.
Thomas Emerson, Randolph: Thomas was another big piece for the Raiders’ victory. He was a big able to step outside and knock down two big three pointers. He was active on the boards and able to keep offensive possessions alive. His big body forced tough shots in the paint for the smaller Whitesburg guards. He distributed well from the high post either to cutters or keeping the flow of the offense. He made two clutch free throws in the final minute to keep the pressure on the Warriors. He finished with 8 points for the night.