Bartlett has positives to build on
After Bartlett’s first two games of the season, Panthers head coach Dion Real wondered how the offense would improve. When would the iron strike hot was also something Real pondered. Then, came along junior guard Amarr Knox, the transfer from…
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Continue ReadingAfter Bartlett’s first two games of the season, Panthers head coach Dion Real wondered how the offense would improve.
When would the iron strike hot was also something Real pondered.
Then, came along junior guard Amarr Knox, the transfer from Memphis Central High School, who was cleared by TSSAA to play in Bartlett’s third game of the 2020 season at West Memphis. It was a sigh of relief for Real and his staff because the 6-foot-2 scoring guard made the offense go and took pressure off of other players who were asked to do a lot on the offensive end.
Knox had 24 points, seven steals, four assists and two rebounds in the Panthers’ win over the Blue Devils.
On Saturday night at MUS, Knox was quiet for the most part – 2 for 15 from the field – but hit a runner in the fourth quarter to put Bartlett up 40-33 over the Owls. A 3 by Knox early in the fourth quarter had the Panthers up 43-37 and in position for a victory. But down the stretch, Bartlett missed two layups and gave up an uncontested 3 by senior guard Henry Nickey that led to MUS winning 50-47.
By the facial expressions on some of the players, the loss was heartbreaking, especially since the Panthers were under three minutes away from winning their second-consecutive game.
“Everybody just needs to get better every day,” Real said.
Real was pleased with his team’s defensive effort, which held the Owls to 50 points one night after they scored 74 points in a win over MRA. Bartlett’s defense harassed freshman point guard Curtis Givens Jr. and had freshman forward R’Chaun King on the bench for most of the game due to foul trouble.
The Panthers had Givens turn the basketball over five times and forced him into bad shots. Given finished with 11 points on 4 of 13 shooting.
Another bright spot is freshman forward Rashad Williams, who played over 25 minutes against the Owls. He finished with 11 points and nine rebounds on 5 of 7 shooting. The 6-6 forward contests shots at the rim, rebounds the basketball and knows how to position himself on the block.
“He’s getting better. Every single day, I’m seeing improvement. It showed in the game tonight,” Real said about Williams, who also had three steals and two blocks.
With Knox as the team’s best guard and offensive weapon to go along with Williams, Bartlett has two cornerstone pieces to build positives on. Senior guards Will Farris, Kam Jones and Keenan Thompson are capable of helping the offense.
Farris had 10 points Saturday night. Jones went 1 for 2 from 3 and Thompson went 2 for 3 from deep. Senior guard Calvin Jennings will play hard and go after every ball that comes off the rim. The offense will improve more once sophomore combo guard Regale Moore returns to the team.