Palma Defeats Carmel 67-56 Wins PCAL Title
Prep Hoops NorCal was in the gym for a highly anticipated game between two teams that had all kinds of implications to it. The league championship was on the line. Which team will get a higher seed, and earn a…
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Continue ReadingPrep Hoops NorCal was in the gym for a highly anticipated game between two teams that had all kinds of implications to it. The league championship was on the line. Which team will get a higher seed, and earn a bye for the first round of play-offs. Palma and Carmel are two pretty good lower division schools who’ll probably be seeded 1 and 2 in DIV Play-offs. The game itself was full of energy with Palma jumping out to lead in the first qtr mainly because of the play of their guards. They kept it going throughout for a 17pt lead at the half, before Carmel started to get some traction to close the gap to 10 at the end of 3. Carmel made a mini run to get to within 4, but Palma’s guards delivered again to seal the deal and win 67-56. Here’s my take on the players who I thought played well.
Palma’s guards scored 45 of the teams 67 points. They have three quick guards under 5’10 that run around causing all kinds of problems on defense, with quick hands that led to turnovers and lay-ups at the other end. Nate Jean Pierre 5’10 2022, probably the most notable of the 3 played his usual solid floor game, with solid handles, good patience running the offense, utilizing his mid-range jumper, and screens effectively scored 12 points. AJ Zuniga 5’4 2020 might be the smallest player, and could very well be the toughest. Zuniga was fearless in this game hustlin, and scrappin for loose balls. He nailed two big 3’s to finish with 10 pts. Aaron Garibay 5’10 2021 guard. This could’ve been one of those breakout games for Garibay. He came off the bench to ignite Palma in a way that got the whole gym worked up. Garibay was the games high scorer with 23 pts. He nailed four 3’s, made big time free throws at the end under pressure. Joey Finley Palma’s 6’7 2022 had his hands full with Carmels size most of the game. He did manage to get a big block and score a key basket before fouling out with 10 pts for the night.
Carmel
This was my first time seeing Carmel this season. I went to evaluate JT Byrne the 6’7 2021 post player. He didn’t disappoint. Byrne gave his best effort in defeat, scoring 21 pts, and collecting 16 rebounds. He’s got a good size body on him, he hustles and plays every play. He takes up space in the paint. He and his teammates work well considering that Carmels front line average height is 6’7. Kai Raine Lee 6’5 2020 wing prospect who handles himself well on the perimeter. Lee’s a confident player who can take it strong to the basket for a lay-up or use his height to shoot over others in the key. He has a nice mid-range jumper to go with a solid step-back move. He rebounds and leads the break in transition, often making the right pass or going coast to coast for two. He’s probably a wing type prospect. he score 18 pts. The other big is 6’8 2020 Hunter Heger, who could develop over time into a stretch 4 type of player. Like Lee he too likes to roam around the perimeter. He’s got a long wingspan, his lateral movement was okay, he caused some problems out front when Carmel started trapping late in the game. He had decent form on his 3 pt attempt. Good teams usually have a of player who can come off the bench and contribute in a big way. Max Carr 6’3 2020 guard is going to be a key player for Carmel in the play-offs. He’s a scrappy player who brings intensity on both ends of the floor. He fights for rebounds on both ends of the floor. He can guard 3 positions. he scored 13 pts.