7A Playoffs Round 2: East Coweta at North Gwinnett Takeaways
Since the 3-point shot has become the focal point of the modern-day approach to the game, the classic quandary sometimes now arises when up by three points late in a game – to foul or not to foul? That’s what…
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Continue ReadingSince the 3-point shot has become the focal point of the modern-day approach to the game, the classic quandary sometimes now arises when up by three points late in a game – to foul or not to foul? That’s what faced North Gwinnett coach Matt Garner Thursday night in a 7A second-round game against East Coweta after unsung hero senior Matt Gilbert (playing for standout junior guard Kobe Jackson, no longer with the team this season) drained a corner 3-ball with 10 seconds left to give his club a 60-57 lead. After a pair of unusual offensive foul calls against each team inside that last 10 seconds gave the ball to East Coweta out of bounds in their half, Garner chose not to foul as the ball came in to EC’s stellar senior Chris Youngblood, who cooly stepped back from 2 defenders and sunk a 22-footer at the buzzer to tie it and force overtime.
One overtime wasn’t enough however, but both teams seemed mentally spent in the 2nd extra frame (and stagnant with stars Brandon Stoud of EC and JR Martin of NG fouled-out on the bench), and just a single RJ Godfrey free throw was enough for the home Bulldogs to eke out a 66-65 win in one of the top division’s games of the year for sure.
Some standouts from the night:
RJ Godfrey (North Gwinnett, 2022) – One of the area’s top sophomores, the 6-4 Godfrey was Mr do-it-all for the home squad, playing both point guard and center at different points on the night depending on what Garner needed from him. In regulation, Godfrey assisted Martin with the ball-handling in the absence of Jackson, but often quickly thereafter manned a post block to utilize his advantage against an EC club that, while not small, didn’t have a true low post defensive presence. His comfort zone clearly is within 10 feet for now, but should he develop an outside game, his ceiling is limitless, as he’s already a near unstoppable force right around the basket. Of his 19 points, 6 came in the stingy overtime period, including what turned out to be the game-winner with that lone free throw.
JR Martin (North Gwinnett, 2020) – Playing the point, a position not unfamiliar to him having seen NG several times this year, but not his more natural position off the ball, Martin was tremendous all night both as the lead ball-handler and as an outside gunner. He dropped in five 3’s on his way to 17 points and showed the poise you’d expect from a polished senior and quarterback (his role for the Bulldogs football team). One of those two peculiar offensive calls late in regulation cost him a shot to be on the floor for overtime, but his final season continues as they get set to host McEachern in next week’s Elite 8 matchup.
Senior center Jared Ivey and rising junior guard Brendan Rigsbee make up the other two stalwarts in Garner’s key quartet, and both had big moments, Ivey a lethal rim protector who also fired up the crowd with 4 thunderous dunks, and Rigsbee, a crafty lefty who is a terrific penetrator with excellent hops and a nose for getting to the rim, while also acting as a more than viable threat from long range. Jackson is expected to be back next year, and he, Godfrey and Rigsbee provide North fans with a lot to look forward to.
Chris YoungbloodChris Youngblood and Brandon Stroud (East Coweta, 2020) – Set to play together at Kennesaw State next year, the two outstanding seniors left it all on the floor Thursday. Stroud played his normal point-forward role, handling the ball all over the floor, getting to the rim, and doing what he could at 6-5 in defending Godfrey and Ivey down low. The smooth lefty can flat out score from all spots, he posted 20 points in his final game and has an enormously bright future ahead for the Owls. Youngblood’s reputation as a gamer and stellar all-around talent was well-established before his dramatic three-pointer echoed through Twitter all over the metro area, but his performance in a brutally-tough road environment simply added to his list of superlatives. All three times I’ve seen East I’ve been so impressed with how physical a presence he is on the floor at 6-4 from the guard spot, he’s an elite defender and can light it up from distance or back you down and jump over or through you to get buckets. He’ll shine in whatever capacity KSU asks.