East Coast Bump: Standout Seniors
Last night inside the UMBC Event Center, history would be made. Two Baltimore teams in St. Frances and Baltimore Polytechnic Institute took down two top-5 teams in the country in Oak Hill and IMG. Prior to the two prime time…
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Continue ReadingLast night inside the UMBC Event Center, history would be made. Two Baltimore teams in St. Frances and Baltimore Polytechnic Institute took down two top-5 teams in the country in Oak Hill and IMG. Prior to the two prime time games, Rock Creek Christian Academy and New Hope Academy faced off.
The results:
Rock Creek Christian 73 New Hope 67
St. Frances 80 Oak Hill 61
Poly 62 IMG 60
For this article, we’ll look at the top seniors who were showcased in the event.
Jamal West | 6’5 | St. Frances
West had his chance last night to prove he belonged with some of the best frontcourt players in the country. At 6-foot-5, West plays much bigger than he is listed, but has struggled against national competition and taller bigs. The South Alabama commit was by far the best frontcourt player on the floor in St. Frances’ dominant win over Oak Hill. He finished with a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds. West refused to be denied around the basket and punched home a couple of rim-rocking dunks that added insult to injury as he led the Panthers to making a statement to the country.
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Kyree Freeman-Davis | 6’2 | Rock Creek Christian
In 21 minutes of play, Freeman-Davis scored 24 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field and 5-of-9 from deep. The senior transfer caught fire in the second quarter and after hitting a couple of three’s, started to attack close outs and finish in the paint. Freeman-Davis made New Hope pay every time they were a split second slow on a defensive rotation. He was key in helping his team build a lead early in the game that would eventually lift them to a victory.
Brandon Murray | 6’5 | Poly
What more does Murray have to do? He was the best player on a court that featured prospects who are heading to the likes of Duke, Tennessee, Marquette, Ole Miss and more. The 6-foot-5 senior finished with a game-high 21 points in Poly’s thrilling upset over IMG. Murray displayed his entire bag. Making shots from three, shooting in the mid-range off of one or two dribbles and finishing fast break opportunities with high-flying dunks. More importantly, Murray was extremely active defensively especially in the passing lanes. On multiple occasions, he anticipated with perfect timing to get deflections on passes and spark easy transition looks for him or his teammates.
Jaden Springer | 6’5 | IMG
Springer didn’t take long to put the crowd on notice of his elite athleticism. The 6-foot-5 Tennessee commit threw down multiple dunks both in transition and the half court. He showcased true toughness on his takes to the rim where he wasn’t dunking as well. The refs weren’t allowing IMG to get any easy calls. What was so impressive was that Springer didn’t allow that to break him down mentally. He kept driving and kept embracing contact. And most importantly, finishing. Springer led his team with 18 points.
Ace Baldwin | 6’2 | St. Frances
Baldwin has secured himself as the most underrated point guard in the nation. The 6-foot-2 floor general is a surgeon with the basketball and can make teams pay in almost any situation. Whether it’s him drilling a three, dissecting defenses in the pick-and-roll or diving for a loose ball with awareness of where his open teammates are before he even gets the ball, his overall IQ is second to none. Baldwin recorded 12 points, eight assists and four rebounds in the win over Oak Hill.
Cam Thomas | 6’4 | Oak Hill
Thomas is known for being one of the most gifted scorers in the high school ranks. St. Frances was well aware of that and made a concerted effort to make life hard for him last night. Thomas still scored 20, but it wasn’t easy. Eight of those 20 came from the free-throw line while the others were on tough, contested shots in the mid-range. Nevertheless, the LSU commit still made his presence known in the final box score as he was the leading man for the Warriors.
Justin Lewis | 6’8 | Poly
Lewis was on his p’s and q’s last night on both sides of the ball. Offensively, he was knocking down shots from 15+ feet while being contested by longer defenders. When he wasn’t shooting, he was finishing strong above the rim or getting fouled on his way to do so. Defensively, he drew the responsibility of guarding 7-foot Duke commit Mark Williams. As indicated by Williams’ point total of four, it’s safe to say Lewis made him a non-factor on that end. The Marquette commit also showcased his vision being the high-post man as Poly attacked IMG’s 2-3 zone defense. Lewis consistently delivered crisp passes to shooters on the perimeter for three’s. He was also a dominant presence on the glass. Poly did a great job of limiting IMG to one-shot possessions. Lewis was crucial in that effort.
DeLonnie Hunt | 6’2 | Rock Creek Christian
Hunt got off to a quick start in their win over New Hope by scoring 10 of his 19 points in the first quarter. He did it with balance by converting on open kick-out three’s and then taking advantage of one-on-one opportunities where he got all the way to the rim. What I liked most about Hunt yesterday was his efficiency. He didn’t force any shots and took advantage of whatever the defense threw his way. After establishing himself early on, he continued to get into the paint but was looking for Freeman-Davis’ hot hand from outside. That’s a trait you always want to see in your point guard.
Isaac James | 6’7 | New Hope
James clocked in 18 points despite coming up on the losing end against Rock Creek Christian. The 6-foot-7 wing converted on tough shots in the mid-range after one or two dribbles. There were a few instances where he finished with soft touch around the rim following isolation situations. James continues to grow his overall game and become more versatile as an offensive threat.
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Rahim Ali | 5’11 | Poly
Good luck finding more of a winner than Ali. The 5-foot-11 point guard is orchestrating his team as they pursue a fourth-straight state title since he took over as the floor general. In Ali fashion, his only made bucket of the game was the game-winning lay up as he contorted his body to avoid a contesting Springer at the rim. Ali brought intensity guarding the ball the entire night and made the opposition feel pressure for the full length of the court. He’s the definition of heart over height.