Five Takeaways: John Hay at Waite
The preseason Toledo City League favorite Waite Indians took care of business at home last night against John Hay, 65-53.
The win moves Waite to 2-1, as they beat Toledo Woodward on Friday. John Hay is 2-2 after the road trip.
Now, for our five takeaways…
Role players were the difference
It wasn’t Carl Banks or Keyshawn Leach that led the way for Waite in this one. Instead, guards Mark Randall (16 points) and Dominique Booth (15 points) took advantage of John Hay’s aggressive defense and found openings. Randall, a 6’0” junior, needs just a small bit of separation for his jumper. He will be important for Waite as a floor spacer this season. Booth on the other hand was diving into the lane and showed a nice floater in the second half.
Carl Banks is crafty
At 5’7”, the senior guard has to find clever ways to get shots up out of necessity. He’s extended his range to about the NBA 3-point line. Banks is going to let it fly from out there whenever the defense goes under on a pick and roll. He also scored on a pair of backdoor cuts, as he changes directions on a dime. In the lane, Banks can pro hop in any direction for a quick floater. He ended the game with a solid 13 points.
Is Waite still the City League favorite?
For the true answer to this question, go to Waite on Friday night for their game against Rogers. Rogers is 1-3 after scheduling a challenging group of non-conference opponents but don’t count them out.
Waite’s win over John Hay was promising, as they beat a much larger and more athletic opponent by playing a 1-3-1 zone — a feat they’ll need to accomplish again to push past Rogers. As mentioned, players other and Banks and Leach looked like contributors. Finally, they can force a team to play a half-court game, which could make City League opponents uncomfortable.
Dalen Solomon impresses in the loss
Solomon, a 6’6” wing/forward, had a strong second half for John Hay, finishing with 12 points. The senior has a strong frame and above average athleticism, allowing him to be a quality rebounder. In the open floor, Solomon has a bit of wiggle to elude defenders or finish through contact. Hitting the jumper with consistency will be key for him if he plays at the next level.
John Hay couldn’t take advantage of size
Going against a Waite team who plays four guards who are about 6’0” or under and one 6’4” post player, John Hay struggled to take advantage. John Hay was stifled by the Indians 1-3-1 zone and was baited into 3-pointers all night. On defense, Waite’s patience with the ball in the second half forced John Hay to be aggressive up top, clearing out the lane once the ball was swung around a couple times.