Five Takeaways: McDonogh vs Gilman
McDonogh came into last night approaching their last regular game of the season. It held the utmost importance considering they needed a win in order to put themselves in good position of qualifying for the MIAA Playoffs. The first place…
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Continue ReadingMcDonogh came into last night approaching their last regular game of the season. It held the utmost importance considering they needed a win in order to put themselves in good position of qualifying for the MIAA Playoffs. The first place of the black division in Gilman had other plans. As a team, Gilman shared the ball and got open shots throughout the course of the game and were shooting at an extremely high rate. That resulted in the Hounds adding yet another win to their resume and destroying the Eagles’ playoff hopes. The final score was 74-50.
Here are five takeaways from this contest:
Winborne leads the way
Christian Winborne is quickly emerging as one of the top sophomore guards in a very talented 2022 class. The 6-foot-2 combo guard makes sound decision as a ball handler and shoots efficient shots within the flow of the offense. He canned three triples off the dribble, hit a couple of mid-range jumpers and converted three shots from the free-throw line on his way to a game-high 18 points. As time goes on, Winborne’s IQ for the game continues to improve and be obvious with his play against good defenders.
Billups finds his groove
After a quiet first quarter, 2021 Jared Billups asserted himself in the second quarter when his team needed it most. The 6-foot-5 junior had a number of athletic finishes around the rim and was extremely aggressive on the glass. Billups is a handful in transition when he can get downhill and slither through defenders before rising up and finishing. Defensively, he was a presence especially in transition where he recorded multiple blocks by pinning the ball against the glass.
Danny Rosenfeld ignites
Rosenfeld is a Davidson baseball signee, but the 6-foot-2 guard got it going from deep last night. His contributions off the bench played a huge role in developing a comfortable lead heading into halftime. He finished this game with 17 points, 15 of which came from beyond the arc.
Dennis-Sutton flexes his muscles
McDonogh has had a rough season thanks to injuries, but one bright spot has been the emergence of 2022 center Dani Dennis-Sutton. The 6-foot-6 280-pound sophomore will likely be suiting up on Sunday’s in the future for an NFL team, but through the next two years of high school, he’ll be moving opposing bigs around with ease. Last night he was guarded by 6-foot-9 senior Roman Hinds early in the game. Dennis-Sutton set a tone early by scoring the first four times he touched the ball. He found himself in foul trouble midway through the second quarter that limited his time, but still managed to finish with 13 points on the evening.
Going forward for Gilman
We still need to see how Friday unfolds, but it looks that Gilman will either draw Archbishop Spalding or Loyola in the first round of the MIAA Playoffs on Tuesday. It’ll be a tough game for the Hounds either way, but if they share the ball and shoot like they did last night, it’s going to be difficult for a lot of teams to beat them. 2021 guard Jalen Marshall (13 points) fills a big role at the guard slot with his ability to penetrate, finish at the rim and play solid on-ball defense. They’ll need both Winborne and Marshall to be locked in in order to make a run.