AAA Region 5 Playoffs: Game 1 Takeaways
With Region play tipping off across the state in a slew of areas, Prep Hoops Georgia headed over to The Lovett School in Atlanta, host for the 3A Region 5 tournament, and Monday featured three games to kick off play.…
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Continue ReadingWith Region play tipping off across the state in a slew of areas, Prep Hoops Georgia headed over to The Lovett School in Atlanta, host for the 3A Region 5 tournament, and Monday featured three games to kick off play.
CEDAR GROVE VS TOWERS
Cedar Grove, a team with clear talent on the roster that belied their 5-16 record entering, had seeming control most of the way, leading after all 3 of the opening quarters before Towers made a furious late push in the 4th to close within 4 at just over a minute remaining, before hanging on to post a 61-58 victory. The two teams were evenly matched athletically, and with the exception of Towers 6-7 center Jordan Graves, an excellent rebounder and rim protector, CG possessed a clear height advantage both on the interior and the wings. However, they didn’t fully utilize it throughout, as they relied more on their perimeter athletes at times, allowing the game to be more evenly played as Towers played almost entirely from the 3-point arc in. But the moments where the Saints got their big people involved, it was a mismatch against a tough and strong-willed Towers club from Decatur, whose season concluded at 11-13.
A guard rotation made up of seniors Justin Minnette and Brice Brittain and sophomore Quintin Hall did a solid job weathering some Towers full-court pressure and distributing to the Saint scorers on the wing and inside, as the three contributed 11 points as a group.
Players who stood out:
Jeffrey Daniels (Cedar Grove, 2020, 6-4, SG) – When I first saw the Saints back in December at the Wheeler Tournament of Champions over Christmas break, they were without several players from the football team who didn’t join the team until January, and in that game versus Miller Grove Daniels had to almost do it all. He was impressive then, and after a bit of an admonishment from coach Corey Lazenby in the 1st quarter, he turned it on last night as well. He can shoot the 3, get to the rack with a physical frame, and is a terrific leaper, a player when locked in that can light you up. He finished with 22 in the win.
Shamdarius Echols (Cedar Grove, 2021, 6-6, F) – A smooth mover at the 4-spot, Echols was sick back in December so he wasn’t present either, but last night in combination with Daniels, he played the inside to Daniels’ outside to form a lethal combo. Most of his 18 points on the night came from 8 feet in, with a variety of spins and turnarounds and tidy finishes off dishes from the CG guards. An A+ athlete who possesses pretty good strength, he’ll team with good-looking freshman big man AJ Green next year, and with that additional year to develop could be a very intriguing big man prospect heading into next season.
Eric LewisEric Lewis (Towers, 2021, 6-0, F) – Tackling Echols, Green, and Daniels all day on the interior, the under-sized Lewis was the consummate fighter, producing an amazing 17-point 4th quarter on sheer effort and will. Finishing with 23, he’s not without talent, and if he can develop a more diverse outside game, I could easily see him rise as a prospect with his athletic ability and willingness to mix it up inside.
Khalil White (Towers, 2020, 6-2, G/F) – Pairing with speedy junior point man Zakevias Mathis, White played with a chip on his shoulder and plenty of fire. Playing much bigger than his size, White was impressive getting the basket and a nuisance on defense with his active hands and awareness, and he tallied 11 hard-fought points in his final game.