Birmingham vs Gardena Open Division Round 1
CIF Playoffs kicked off this past week, and there were intriguing matchups all around. On Thursday night, Birmingham (No. 4) hosted Gardena (No. 5) in a first round City Section Open Division game. Gardena has been a solid and surprising…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingCIF Playoffs kicked off this past week, and there were intriguing matchups all around. On Thursday night, Birmingham (No. 4) hosted Gardena (No. 5) in a first round City Section Open Division game.
Gardena has been a solid and surprising team this season and they certainly gave Birmingham all they could handle. The Patriots clung to a 35-32 lead at the half. They began to build a double-digit lead in the second half, but the Panthers kept fighting and clawing their way back into the game.
Missed free-throws plagued Gardena in the second half, and Birmingham was ultimately able to pull away and win, 70-58. Here’s a look at some of the players who impressed in this game.
1. Michael Frankling – Gardena 2020
Frankling is one of the most underrated point guards in Southern California. He’s a very strong guard and he’s able to get to the rim at will. He is bigger than most other point guards and he uses his strength and body well to finish strong at the rim. He’s a good defensive player too. He can anticipate what the offensive player is going to do and he can turn his defense into a fast break.
2. David Elliott – Birmingham 2021
Elliott is an explosive scoring wing with the ability to score from anywhere on the court. He can make plays off the dribble and hit pull-up jumpers, or he can get all the way to the rim. Once he’s at the rim, he’s looking to finish strong. He’s quick in transition and he fills the lane well on a break to finish at the rim.
3. Ryan Musa – Gardena 2020
Musa was a solid presence in the paint for the Panthers. On the defensive end was where he stood out the most. He plays solid interior defense. He’s long and mobile and can cover ground well on the court. He has good timing on his shot blocking. A good deterrent for opposing players looking to drive the lane. He’s also a good rebounder.
4. Corey Cofield – Birmingham 2021
Cofield, along with Elliot, forms a deadly wing scoring tandem for the Patriots. Cofield has good size for a wing, he’s long and athletic and creates matchup problems for opposing perimeter defenders. He can get to the rim and he can finish strong with contact. He also has a good midrange shot. He’s a decent enough playmaker in transition capable of finding his teammates.
5. Elisha Cofield – Birmingham 2020
The Patriots may have strong wing scoring, but the elder Cofield provides a good interior presence on both ends of the floor. He’s a good rebounder; finished with a double-double (12 points, 16 rebounds) against Gardena. He’s a decent shot blocker, can keep up with an offensive player and times his blocks well. Runs the floor in transition and finishes strong at the rim.