Pelican Fest “Men Lie, Women Lie, Numbers Don’t” 2021 Edition
The Pelican Fest may be the highlight of Louisiana Summer basketball. Teams came from Alabama, Mississippi, and even as far as the state of Washington to play games in this reduced AAU/Travel ball tournament season. However, it was a chance…
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Continue ReadingThe Pelican Fest may be the highlight of Louisiana Summer basketball. Teams came from Alabama, Mississippi, and even as far as the state of Washington to play games in this reduced AAU/Travel ball tournament season. However, it was a chance for shoe teams to earn bragging rights, players to establish a case for rankings, and for unknown talent to put the state on notice. This 3 series report will provide a detailed, data-driven, analysis of the player’s games including positives and areas of improvement.
Point Guards
The guards in the Pelican Fest ranged from point guards, scoring guards, and combo guards. Many fans and some coaches assume anyone who can dribble is a point guard. Listed below are mental attributes that evaluators use to assess the abilities of a point guard:
- Ability to get in the lane/Playmaking
- Leadership
- Pick n Roll ability
- IQ/Feel
- Toughness/Competitiveness
After assessing those skills mental skills, we look at the separators…. these are physical abilities that allow a player to create distance between the competition:
- Athleticism
- Defensive ability
- Lenght
- Speed/Quickness
- Shooting
- Rebounding
- Positional Size
The last thing that I put into my evaluations are game stats. The internet is flooded with screenshots of score sheets or the number of points players score or vague language that can give poor information or a poor viewpoint of what really took place. So, the values of stats are +2 for assist, +2 off reb, +2 steal, +2 for a block, +1 for def reb, and -3 for each turnover. Adding these numbers can give coaches and players the data for a clearer picture of their performances.
Camryn Carter 6’2″ PG New Orleans Elite
The summers top riser was not sharp offensively as he was in the Power 24, nevertheless, he did not disappoint. His competitive attitude and energy was in full effect. On the offensive end, Carter is like the Battle Rapper Loaded Lux as he looked to give his opponents “that work”. There were guards who may have scored more points or shot/made more 3 pointers… yes. Yet he gives his team the full package, as he not only looks to create for himself, but he also plays well with others. He shot 10-17 from 2pt, 2-8 from 3pt,1-2 from the Ft line, and 4 turnovers. Carter led all guards in the Showcase Division with 7 assists and would have had more if guys would not have bobbled passes or missed point-blank layups.
Defense OMG… Carter takes more pride on the defensive end than kids value looking at the score sheet after the game…and we know how they feel about that!!! Carter challenged me on Twitter to go see how many times his on-ball defense gave up points. After reviewing the film I must say it’s debatable to say ONLY 2 or 3 possessions in the course of 3 games. His competitors definitely can not say the same. A few people marveled at the scores some players may have had in the tourney, but not on him. He guarded his man like he was Killmonger from Black Panther and they were T’Challa in their fight scene, the only thing missing were the words “is he your king?… Nah I’m your king” as he tossed their offensive attempts over the waterfall.
Carter finished with 8 steals, 13 defensive rebounds most among guards, and 1 offensive reb. His stat grade of 33 points was the highest among guards. Which is an indication of his impact on the game beyond just shooting? I can firmly say it with my chest if he continues to be consistent with his play and offers Camryn Carter is a guy who may peerless when the new rankings come out. To paraphrase Lux, “grown man bars is something you gotta deal with. So, all that collaborated, fabricated ain’t gonna equal up to Cam’s realness,”
JonQuarius McGhee 6’2″ PG Louisiana Elite
McGhee AKA Jigga must be cool as a fan because he, the Jigga Man, and myself are all Sagittarius. I first heard about him this Spring when I spoke with my guy Todd Russ in Southwest Louisiana. Coach Russ gave this young man a very favorable report. Still seeing him in person made the words come alive. We can all admit there can be some bias and politics in rankings and evaluations based on where people live and who their affiliations are, nevertheless I’m glad he got the opportunity to play in the Pelican Fest tournament.
Coming in with one offer from Nicholls State he showed he was deserving of that offer and more. Initially, because of the lineups, I thought McGhee was a shooting guard or wing type player, because he served up defenders like he was a hibachi chef, knifing and slicing helpless defenders going 13-25 from 2pt which was 52%. He was only shot 1-6 from the 3pt line and 1-4 from the free-throw line. By nature I’m unwilling to give a cripple crab a crutch, however, conditioning may have played a role in the paltry 3pt and free-throw shooting since this was his team first event. Still, as I watched McGhee play over the 3 games I could see point guard feel and I.Q. What distinguishes his play from some other guards is his feel and his athleticism.
McGhee tied for second among Showcase guards in impact on the game stats. He had 5 assist, 5 steals, 4 def reb& 1 off reb, 2 blocks, and 2 turnovers which led to a score of 24. Can’t hold a good man down, I see McGhee is deserving of one of the top 11 spots eyes closed hands down,
Carlos Stewart Carlos Stewart 6'1" | CG Dunham | 2021 State LA 6’1″ Scoring Guard LivOn
Stewart had not practiced or played much with his team. This was his first event with them this season and he bought game-changing juice to the party. LivOn had a different strut with Stewart in uniform and in the line-up. I classify Stewart as a scoring guard because his sole focus on the basketball court is to put the ball in the basket. He reminds me somewhat of Patty Mills as a guard in the sense he may initiate, but I’m positioning myself to score.
Of all the guard types Stewart is the most explosively athletic, and he uses this to blow past, go through bumps, attack passing lanes, and play above the rim. He is stellar in games due to the advantages created by his athleticism. Over the course of 3 games, Stewart shot 11-25 from 2pt, 3-8 from 3-8, and 11-25 from the free-throw line. Looking at those offensive stats I’m most impressed with the amount of free throws he shot and his 73% from the line. He led all players in this category, elite scores impose their will on the game and their opponents. These types of players are willing to take a beating for their teams, they don’t shy away from contact and take poor shots. The fact that he almost shoots 75% from the line says he can improve to at least 80% in that area. This means when the game is on the line it’s no doubt who’s getting the ball due to his impact on his team’s point per possession. Other stats are 2 assists, 4 turnovers, 4 offensive rebs, 4def rebs, and 7 steals, these numbers allowed Stewart to finish 2nd with a score of 24 in impact points. I can see Stewart making his fair share of contributions in WAC games in a year or two.
Taj Gilyot Taj Gilyot 6'3" | SG McMain | 2021 State LA 6’3″ PG N.O. Elite
Gilyot was initially miss labeled a shooting guard nevertheless, he is a point guard. Due to positional size, he catches the eyes easily. Having watched Gilyot for three tournaments, this last one was not his best performance. Normally, Gilyot balances feeding teammates and finding his own on afterward. Another attribute possessed by this player is his ability to help his team on the defensive boards. This tournament Gilyot shot 30% from 2pt going 6-20, 1-2 from 3pt, and 3-6 from the free-throw line. Gilyot placed 3rd with 19 impact points-based on 9 def reb, 2 off reb, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 8 assist.
Carter Domingue Carter Domingue 6'3" | PG St. Thomas More | 2021 State LA 6’3″ PG LivOn
When watching Domingue you can’t by using the naked eye. Using the scrutiny of the microscope you can notice what the average fan will miss. Having to share minutes with other good players and not disrupting the flow isn’t easy. Carter shot 3-6 from 2pt and 0-5 from 3pt not impressive compared to others, but enough to allow hot guys to continue to get theirs. Where Carter has excelled, is his ability to continue effect the game despite not shooting or scoring as much. Is an impact score of 14 was higher than 3 guards who played more than him. He had 5 assist which was more than 5 other guards, tied for second with 4 off rebs, 4 def rebs, 2 steals, and 5 turnovers.
Claudell Harris Claudell Harris 6'3" | CG Hahnville | 2021 State LA 6’1″ Scoring Guard N.O. Elite
Harris is an enigma. Blessed with quick hands that can change direction faster than the red card in 3 card monte. A good enough athlete to finish dunks or run the floor with the best of them, and you add a scorers mentality…you should have a calculus problem the other team can’t solve. Looking at his impact stats` may bewilder you to: 0 assist, 0 turnovers, 1 steal, 9 def rebs, and 1 offensive reb. In 3 games only 1 steal, no assist, and 0 turnovers says Harris is playing below his talent threshold. In the three tournaments, I’ve seen him play this is the norm. Without the ball, Harris spends most of his time just looking, with the ball it seems every play is his play. This is an I.Q. and maturity issue, also something with focus and coaching that can be improved upon.
Kendrick Delahoussaye Kendrick Delahoussaye 6'0" | PG Lafayette High | 2021 State LA 6’0″ PG Louisiana Elite
Once again my guy Todd Russ was the first to put me on Delahoussaye, and in one shining moment against LivOn, Delahoussaye told the world “I am who they say I am.” He shot 5-6 from 2pt, 2-2 from 3pt, 6 def reb, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 5 turnovers. The smallest guy on the floor was a giant. Delahoussaye has all the tools, he can get into the paint, split the ball screen, shoot over the screen, snake the screen, and put the defender in jail. You could also tell he has been well-coached by the way he was able to hit the diagonal pass out of the double team. Even more impressive opponents failed to make him fish food on defense. Delahoussaye had opponents discombobulated. One knock some may say from this weekends tournament may tout is conditioning. The other two games Delahoussaye was 3-7 from 2pt, 0-3 from 3pt, 2-4 from the free-throw,1 off reb, 2 def reb, 2 assist, 1 steal, and 2 turnovers in limited minutes. But if Delahoussaye can play consistently like he did against LivOn he should be claiming new territory in the next rankings.
Emareyon McDonald Emareyon McDonald 6'1" | PG Scotlandville | 2021 State LA 6’1″ Shooting Point Guard LivOn
McDonald is the long lost Splash Brother. In my report of the Power 24 tournament, many people thought I was a bit harsh on McDonald, yet too much sugar gives you cavities. During our earlier rankings vote, I thought be could be a strong candidate for the throne. Nonetheless, success is not about the accolades but the drive, competitive spirit, and grit. With tapered expectations McDonald bounced back this tournament, and shot the ball better. Shooting is a premium skill, and that is something he can do better than most. McDonald averaged 12 pts a game on a talented team with his worst game 6 pts going 0-1 from 2pt, 2-6 from 3pt, and 0-2 from the free-throw line. Be that as it may, shooting doesn’t always travel, and how will you contribute in other ways to place a winning stamp on the game? Impact stats 2 off reb, 3 def reb, 2 assists, 2 steals, 8 turnovers. I know he can improve in these areas because his shortcomings aren’t from a lack of ability, but a lack of effort. Defense is an indicator of effort, toughness, and competing so going into our next rankings these things will be looked at closely.