Century 79, Glencoe 63: Top Performers
It’s pretty clear that in order to make the post-season from the Pacific Conference, teams are going to have to finish in the top three. No question it will be a huge battle for the third spot and while Century…
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Continue ReadingIt’s pretty clear that in order to make the post-season from the Pacific Conference, teams are going to have to finish in the top three. No question it will be a huge battle for the third spot and while Century currently sits in that position, they know there’s no room for error. On Thursday night, the Jaguars played with a sense of urgency as it jumped on top of Glencoe early and won going away, 79-63, in a key league win going into their last four games.
Century got things off to a fast start as the Jaguars had things clicking offensively. They scored 25 points in the first quarter and 28 in the second as they continually hit shot after shot, typically threes or layups at the hoop. Sophomore Kyle Hamnes was particuarly on fire with seven straight makes for 16 points while junior Keallum Colburn knocked down 5-for-6 from three-point range for 15 points.
The pace slowed down in the second half but Century was always in control. The win was critical for Century as after what likely will be a win over McMinnville, the Jaguars face Newberg, league-leading Sherwood, and Forest Grove – with Newberg and Forest Grove being their main challengers for a post-season berth.
“I am happy where we are at through this part of the season,” said Century head coach Scott Kellar. “I feel like we still have room to improve and kids come to battle every day in practice—it is a special group. We know making the playoffs will be tough, but it is exciting to at least be able to talk about it at this point in the season.”
Top Performers
Edy Essien (2021 Century) – Stats: 19 pts, 3 ast, 7-12 fg, 2-4 3pt
Essien’s reputation is as a shooter and was able to show off his smooth shooting stroke hitting a couple catch-and-shoot shots from three-point range. But the 5-foot-10 junior has also worked hard on his all-around offensive game and took it hard to the basket and finishing around the rim. He was solid in both halves and ended up with a team-high in scoring. Essien indicated that he’ll be playing once again this spring/summer with OBC.
Kyle Hamnes (2022 Century) – Stats: 16 pts, 3 ast, 4 stl, 7-11 fg, 2-3 3pt
Hamnes had a brilliant first half. The 5-foot-10 sophomore was extremely aggressive with the basketball, attacking the hoop and using his strength to get buckets, some in creative ways. He also stepped outside and knocked down a couple of open threes. Hamnes plays with a big-time motor and was very active with his hands and feet on the defensive end, grabbing four steals.
Keallum Colburn (2021 Century) – Stats: 18 pts, 6-8 3pt
Having seen him twice now, we are pretty convinced that in terms of pure shooting Colburn is one of the top guys in the Class of 2021. The 5-foot-11 lefty is as smooth as silk with his jumper and his range extends feet beyond the high school three-point line. He’s definitely more of a catch-and-shoot kind of guy and he’ll need to add strength but his handle is decent and he made solid decisions with his passing when he did have the ball.
Ikin Chan (2020 Century) – Stats: 10 pts, 3 reb, 8 ast
Chan ran things smoothly at the point for the Jaguars from start to finish. The 5-foot-8 senior was sharp with his passing and was especially good at finding the open man on the perimeter for three. Chan doesn’t often look for his shot but was strong getting to the mid-range and either scored or got fouled on his drives to the hoop.
Grayson Landon (2020 Glencoe) – Stats: 19 pts, 6 reb, 7-13 fg
This was the first time we’ve seen Glencoe play this season but it was quickly evident that Landon is likely one of the team’s leading scorers. He looked for his shot early and often and scored on a variety of mid-range pull-up jumpers and taking it strong to the hole. Landon was also the team’s top man on the boards.
Michael Janeway (2020 Glencoe) – Stats: 14 pts, 2 ast, 6-10 fg
Seemingly more of a lead guard than an actual point guard, Janeway had a solid outing on the offensive end. The 5-foot-10 guard hit open shots, created a bit off the dribble, and in general made good decisions with the basketball and didn’t force the issue too much.
Ben Thornbrue (2022 Glencoe) – Stats: 5 pts, 2 reb, 2 blk
Thornbrue didn’t put up huge numbers but was intriguing due to 6-foot-5 size, mobility, and overall athleticism. The sophomore looked pretty good with a couple of his blocked shots and his shooting stroke looked pretty good from the free throw line. He could be one to keep an eye on for the future.