PHD Scout: SF Christian vs SF O’Gorman
Is Sioux Falls Christian the best team in South Dakota at the moment? It would be tough to argue for anybody else. They are the number one ranked team in the state in Class A at the moment and with…
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Continue ReadingIs Sioux Falls Christian the best team in South Dakota at the moment? It would be tough to argue for anybody else. They are the number one ranked team in the state in Class A at the moment and with Class AA being a complete jumble in terms of top contenders, you may have to give the nod to the Chargers.
Especially considering that of the four teams that have been ranked number one in Class AA, SF Christian has now beat two of them (Washington, and last night O’Gorman). Convincingly.
The Chargers won 59-44 over the Knights last night out-rebounding their opponents 38-30 and playing one of the best halves of high school defense you will ever see. O’Gorman spent the final 16 minutes of the game having to force up tough shots as the Charger defense forced them into contested attempts and individual creations.
SF Christian has trained its players to defend screens better than any team we’ve seen this year. The way they talk out screens, battle over the top to beat opponents to the spot, give each other the right space to maneuver, and how they cut off angles, it all makes life extremely tough for a team to produce a quality shot.
The Knights halfcourt offense struggled so badly to create space for opportunity as a unit that they recorded only two assists for the game. In addition, Dordt signed Chad Barkema was the most dominant player in the game totaling 24 points with nine rebounds.
So how will the Chargers handle all of this praise? They are the talk of the town right now from all media sources print, social, and broadcast. Do they start thinking they are better than they are or does this team buckle down and gear up for the next two months?
Based on the team I saw last night, this is a deep group of fighters who know how to play a team game. The hardest worker is the best player (Barkema) and they have a battling lead guard in Jackson Schipper who is better than people knew. To stay the course the team needs leaders on the floor (the seniors) and on the bench (Coach Mike Schouten). It looks like they have both.
The Knights are 4-3 on the season and have a weekend road trip playing Stevens on Friday and number one ranked Pierre on Saturday. Then they have rival Washington next Tuesday in a state final rematch.
The Chargers sit at 5-0 with games against Unity Christian from Iowa on Firday and then Dell Rapids next Tuesdaaay.
SF O’Gorman
Jimmy Burma. Burma led the Knights with a dozen and I felt like he was the one guy that was consistently able to create a quality shot for himself in this game for his team. We saw him go left into a pull-up jumper beating the defense to the spot after a ball reversal, and we saw Burma attack baseline right and come up on the other side of the rim for a reverse. Burma was one of the stronger players on the court and he used that, a developed skill set, and matured court game to read the defense and create opportunity for himself.
Antonio Casiello. Antonio had his moments. There was the buzzer beater at the end of the third quarter, there was some attacks for results (free throws), and even when things aren’t going as well Antonio had an upbeat attitude. Did not have the game he wanted though and we expect to see him come out more motivated in the games to come.
Matt Cartwright. Matt is a good sized junior wing at 6-foot-5 and at that size he does an excellent job rebounding. To have your shooting guard lead in rebounding in a game is a rare thing but Matt gives you that, and skill as a lengthy two. Knocked out one trey but did not have many chances to score in the second half.
JP Costello. The 6-foot-6 power forward scored three times and all three buckets were active scores using his length to finish plays. JP uses his length very well after facing and leaving his feet using his body to shield and then extend to finish. Like how well Costello gets up and down the floor as a four man as well.
SF Christian
Chad Barkema. There is not enough room here to talk about all the ways that Chad impacted the game. Bottom line, when he signed with Dordt three weeks they got a complete steal as I feel this guy could have helped some division two teams. Why? Lets start by saying that he could get on the floor early in college because of his length as a small forward at 6-foot-5, his defensive positioning is excellent, and his work rate is outstanding. Those factors alone could get him on the floor at the D2, D3, and definitely the NAIA levels as a college underclassmen. Then you add in that Chad is so good in facing up to attack other forwards in both directions that he piles up totals from the attack and from opponents fouling him after they are beat. Made some huge foul shots in the fourth quarter to put the game away, loved the pull-up jumper early in the second half, went coast to coast off a board attacking through the retreating defense, and all around Barkema was the best player on the floor.
Austin Schreur. Austin is a big 6-foot-7 that is very tough to move on the block. Once he gets post position he is an easy target to hit because he is so immovable. Mobility wise he definitely has to play the five which is a good thing as when he turns over his left shoulder his contact allows him to be on balance and make his move.
Jackson Schipper. When it comes to stock raisers Jackson was the biggest stock raiser of the evening. To put it bluntly, he out-played the Knight lead guards on both ends. Jackson’s defense getting over the top of the screens and moving laterally to beat Knight players to the spot was consistent from start to finish and played a big part in the Knights not being able to move the ball to the spots they wanted to. Jackson’s control of the pace of play also stood out as his mix of pushing in transition as well as his controlled half court tempo were nearly perfect. Made some huge foul shots down the stretch and made a play of the game late when he was pressured but handled that pressure without issue and blew through the defense for a key late score. At six feet tall Jackson is much quicker than we thought. His attacks were ahead of the O’Gorman defensive rotations which led to positive production for his team.
Dejay Fykstra. The 6-foot-5/6-foot-6 small forward played his role perfectly. Battled over the top of screens to keep players like Cartwright from catching in spots to make plays. At his size Fykstra moves very well laterally and that helps make him the defender he is. That and the work level he plays with. Also hit a really nice pull-up jumper which was one of four possessions he scored on.