7A Playoffs Round 1: Parkview at South Forsyth Takeaways
Control, loss of control, control regained. That’s how it sort of felt watching South Forsyth and visiting Parkview Thursday night in a 7A playoff opener. An athletic and determined Parkview club took it right at the hosts, even surging into the…
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Continue ReadingControl, loss of control, control regained. That’s how it sort of felt watching South Forsyth and visiting Parkview Thursday night in a 7A playoff opener.
An athletic and determined Parkview club took it right at the hosts, even surging into the lead late in the 3rd quarter, but the star duo of forward Devin McGlockton and guard Ethan Underwood asserted themselves in a 20-12 final quarter to lead South to a 62-53 win.
Here’s a Trifecta of takeaways:
LOOKING LIKE PRICE & SALLEY
Devin McGlocktonGeorgia Tech fans in the Atl-area and beyond will no doubt remember the Rambling Wreck duo of Mark Price and John Salley back in the 80’s, a potent combination of outside marksmanship and savvy and inside explosiveness and finishing ability. That’s what Underwood and McGlockton looked like in dismantling Parkview most of the night, as each took turns stepping up when their team needed it. McGlockton was more expansive in his scoring presence, spreading out his 24 points over all 4 quarters in getting most of what he wanted inside on the night, although it’s noteworthy that his 10 4th quarter points were a big part of the winning effort. When the big junior faced double teams, as the Panthers began to do in the 2nd half, Underwood and his backcourt mates took advantage both from the perimeter and in the dribble-drive game, which is a staple of how South chooses to attack defenses. The rising sophomore guard had 12 of his 16 in the second half, including a three-pointer and crafty trap-breaking finish which were key in the 4th. He won’t overwhelm you physically unless he has a big growth spurt between now and winter 2022, but he has the moxie and understanding to hurt you multiple ways nonetheless.
PARKVIEW BACKCOURT IMPRESSES
Miles KellyParkview has some pieces in their frontcourt that contributed, senior small forward Allen Terrell (8 points and athletic presence on defense and the glass) and junior center Avantae Harper (an intriguing prospect at a solidly built 6-5 who had his moments going head to head with McGlockton most of the night) are two, but it was the stellar backcourt duo of juniors Miles Kelly and Jason Edwards that not only had Parkview peeking at an upset during several junctures, but lay a great foundation with Harper for coach Jon Collins to build with for next year. The wiry, 6-4 Kelly had a terrific night with 27 points, featuring six 3-balls and a 12-point 3rd quarter that kept Parkview right there down 1 headed to the last. He’s got a silky smooth stroke and will absolutely make you pay if unmarked, making him a sleeper for the offseason and surely a player colleges will be eyeing as he gears up for his senior campaign. Edwards is your prototypical scoring point man, adept at handling the offense and making good decisions but also capable of getting to the rack or knocking down a deep one (11 points). He may be undersized at 5-10 for the big schools to look hard, but he’s got next-level ability and schools would be remiss to judge that too harshly.
HOW FAR CAN SOUTH FORSYTH GO?
South had some quiet scoring stretches on their home floor Thursday, and those were alleviated by their stars McGlockton and Underwood. But with state top 10-ranked McEachern up next on the road, it will take more than just the two big guns. They get production from a trio of guards who can impact the game – point guard Kohl Harris is an excellent floor general, but when teams back off to concentrate on others, he will need to look for his shot. Coach Scott Givens always has his team well disciplined and organized, but doesn’t dip too far into his bench, so wings Nate Hammond and Thomas Stocks, a pair of solid complimentary ballhandlers, defenders and scorers, will need to be a little less streaky and add more as the Indians close off McGlockton on the block and harass Underwood as he peels off screens looking for shots.