Five Takeaways: Gilman vs Archbishop Spalding (MIAA Quarterfinals)
The postseason is officially under way and if last night’s game was any sign for what the next few weeks hold, buckle up. No. 1 of the black division Gilman hosted the No. 4 red division Archbishop Spalding. Both teams…
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Continue ReadingThe postseason is officially under way and if last night’s game was any sign for what the next few weeks hold, buckle up. No. 1 of the black division Gilman hosted the No. 4 red division Archbishop Spalding. Both teams were on the short list of surging teams that started hitting stride in the last quarter of their schedule. In a absolute barn-burner, Spalding pulled off an upset of the top-ranked Hounds by a final score 89-85. They’ll travel to Mount St. Joe Thursday to take on the Gaels in the semifinals.
Here are five takeaways from the contest:
Cam Whitmore has arrived
Whitmore has had some big outings this season, but none bigger than last night’s 34-point performance. In dominant fashion, Whitmore got started right away by exposing a mismatch as the opposing big refused to guard him closely on the perimeter. The 6-foot-7 sophomore buried the first triple of the game and never looked back. Gilman had no answer for Whitmore when he put his head down and attacked the basket. If he didn’t score on those occasions, he drew fouls and converted 14-of-15 from the charity stripe. His highlight of the game came in transition when he took flight over the opposing 6-foot-9 big and threw a dunk down Blake Griffin style that even called for the Gilman crowd’s jaws to drop. Whitmore has officially arrived and it doesn’t look like he’ll be going away any time soon.
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Winborne’s determination gives Gilman a chance
2022 guard Christian Winborne‘s performance was overshadowed by Whitmore’s, but there’s no ignoring his team-high 25 points. Early on, Gilman struggled mightily to hit any jump shots. It was at that time that Winborne would take over and relentlessly attack the rim for the remainder of the game. 13 of his 25 points came from the free-throw line. Winborne handled the ball well under pressure and converted on multiple pull up jumpers in the mid-range after breaking his man down off the dribble. There’s no questioning Winborne’s heart and it was a main reason why Gilman pulled within three points with one minute remaining.
Spalding’s youth talent is a secret no more
When the starting five was announced for Spalding, it’s noteworthy that four sophomores and one junior are introduced. Besides Whitmore, CJ Scott, Jordan Pennick and Ty Peterson were all sophomores who had a major impact on last night’s outcome. Scott was involved early attacking the rim and finishing through contact as he recorded 14 points. Jordan Pennick was a bull in a china shop as he embraced contact on his drives and came through with clutch baskets, scoring five of his 14 points in the final minutes. Ty Peterson did a nice job of controlling pace throughout, but remained aggressive when opportunities came his way. The 5-foot-11 sophomore point guard finished this game with 15 points.
Jordan Foster ends career with a strong outing
Foster refused to go down quietly as the 6-foot-3 guard scored 12 of his 18 points in the final frame. He made four three’s on the night and looked really good when doing so. He had a couple of takes to the rim that showcased his explosiveness and quick jump towards the rim, avoiding the weakside rotating defenders. In his last high school game Foster played with great energy and gave a couple of Division I programs watching a reason to consider him as a walk-on for next season.
What’s next for Spalding?
The Cavaliers will travel to Mount St. Joe, who escaped with a two-point victory over Pallotti last night. Spalding came into last night’s game confident in their abilities, but given that they’ve already beat the Gaels on their home floor will only add to that confidence. They match up well with their size and can overwhelm the Gaels with their athleticism. What Mount St. Joe has is crucial experience in high-pressure games. Many times, that becomes the deciding factor in postseason games. But then again, we haven’t seen a young team with this much of an edge and skill for some years now. It has to makings to be a classic.