5 Takeaways: Winder Barrow at Centennial
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The Centennial Knights advanced to just their 2nd-ever Elite 8 playoff appearance this past Friday night with their come from behind 66-58 6A playoff victory over Winder-Barrow, here’s what we saw: EMERGING STAR 2023 guard Mansir Williamson Mansir Williamson 6'2"…
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Continue ReadingThe Centennial Knights advanced to just their 2nd-ever Elite 8 playoff appearance this past Friday night with their come from behind 66-58 6A playoff victory over Winder-Barrow, here’s what we saw:
EMERGING STAR
2023 guard Mansir Williamson Mansir Williamson 6'2" | PG Centennial | 2023 GA has been gaining confidence and making strides in his game almost nightly, and he hasn’t let up on the gas in the playoffs either. A slick lefty, he’s quick off the bounce with really good rise at 6-2 and is very comfortable out past the line, a difficult combo to handle. In their opening-round win over a solid South Cobb team Williamson had a line of 17 pts, 5 reb, 3 ast, 2 stls, the kind of all-around production we’ve been seeing develop all season. He followed that up Friday with 12-7-2-2, but all of his 12 points came in a 25-point 3rd quarter which saw the Knights turn a 7-point deficit into a 4-point lead they would never relinquish. He knocked down a pair of 3s and went 6-7 from the stripe, a terrific display when his team needed it most.
A NEED FOR SENIORS
No amount of young talent on any level can be devoid of some veteran leadership, particularly in tight spots or when the need to close out a tight game is required. Steady KJ Spooney KJ Spooney 6'0" | CG Centennial | 2021 State GA is an invaluable piece at the point for coach Matt Barkley, but Centennial seniors Kyle Duncan Kyle Duncan 6'4" | CG Centennial | 2021 State GA and Logan Turner Logan Turner 6'5" | SG Centennial | 2021 State GA really stepped to the forefront in the last stanza, combining for 14 of the team’s final 16 points to ensure that Elite 8 trip was theirs. Having seniors who want the ball and can step to the line or knock down a big bucket late is what usually drives teams deep into the postseason.
FRICKS AT 100%
It was good to see Winder-Barrow forward Wyatt Fricks Wyatt Fricks 6'9" | SF Winder-Barrow | 2021 State GA playing at 100% without the cumbersome knee brace he lugged around all of last season and into the summer. He was aggressive looking for offense, took on contact and got the stripe (12-14, 18 pts total) and was a factor on the glass and defensively as part of a big frontline with Isaiah Nelson-Ododa Isaiah Nelson-Ododa 6'10" | PF Winder Barrow | 2021 State GA that was troublesome for the smaller home Knights in the first half.
WHO’S THIS GUY?
Basically a one-man gang keeping a somewhat fading WBHS team in the game in the last 24 minutes, 2022 guard Tim Loud was impressive in a lot of ways. A gifted 6-1 athlete, he showed plenty of game in tallying 24 points for the Bulldogs and has to be a name to watch moving forward after showing off some serious vertical on an oop from Fricks, range out past the arc, and a want for driving it at the basket (8-12 FT).
UP NEXT
It’s Knights vs Knights as Centennial makes the drive outside of Augusta to face Evans (21-2), a top 5 team in the state in virtually any rankings index, who are keyed by 2021 forward Rashad King Rashad King 6'5" | SF Evans | 2021 State GA and 2023 riser 6-6 Tyson Jones Tyson Jones 6'8" | PF Berkmar | 2023 State GA .