Seattle Times has Mt. Rainier ranked 5th and Enumclaw 9th in 3A basketball in the state. They met tonight at Bellevue CC for the BCC Christmas Classic finals. Mt. Rainier is the more athletic team but Enumclaw had the size, it was a fun game to watch. Enumclaw took a 10 pt half time lead and had to hold on in the end to win by 3. Enumclaw really played well together and Rainier did not, that was the difference in the game. Mt. Rainier players were visibly upset and pointing fingers late in the game, their inability to handle adversity really hurt them when they needed to be their best.
Enumclaw
#23 - Riley Carel -6-2 JR - Leads the team from the pg position, more of a combo guard. Good ball handler and average athlete. Not really quick but plays under control and hustles. DIII
#42 - Tarren VanTrojen - 6-6 JR Big bodied undersized post. He's listed 260 lbs. and its mostly muscle. He is quite quick and his defense and rebounding was huge. He blocks shots and is physical on both ends of the court. He is only averaging 7.4 pts a game but mostly because of the way they play, they are a pass first team and Tarren was a very good passer. They spread their pts around well which is why they are still undefeated. DII
Mt. Rainier
#1 - Jarrell Banks -6-1 SR One of the better available seniors in the Seattle area. He is a very fast athletic guard that can handle the ball and get to the hoop. He has great body control and can make the defender get on his heals then back up and pull up for a jumper. His shot is flat and he has little follow-through but it's a quick release and it goes in! He has the ability to play defense and put good pressure on opposing guards. He is leading the Seamount Conference in scoring at 21.2 per game. Low to Mid DI
#3 - Dominique Brooks -6-1 SR Solid pg that dribbles with his head up and plays under control. Plays really hard on defense and is second on the team in scoring at 12pts per game. He is thin and looks like he still has some growing to do. Did not see him shoot the ball much. Quick and athletic. DII
#23 - Tyrell Lewis -6-3 JR Athletic guard with great size. Is not very skilled but can make an open 3pt shot. Panicked a lot and took poor shots when Enumclaw pressured. Athleticism and ability to pressure on D gives him potential. Averaging 11.2 pts per game. DII/DIII
#33 - Bryce McPhee -6-5 JR Long thin wing that really kept Mt. Rainier in the game. Had a great put back dunk in transition late in the game. Very aggressive rebounder and defender. A bit thin but looks like he's still growing. DII maybe Low DI with some added weight in a year. Averaging 7.7 pts per game.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Ranier Beach vs. Bainbridge
This one was not as good as I'd hoped it would be. I knew Rainier Beach was talented but Bainbridge I thought would be better. I didn't make it past half time as after about 3 minutes into the game Beach dominated. Bainbridge tried to run some UCLA offense but after a couple of quick screens didn't get them anything they tried to go one on one which is not what you want to do against Rainier Beach. Bainbridge looked scared and it really affected their game. Beach on the hand was sloppy but didn't have to do much to win this one. They must have opened the game with 7 or 8 straight unforced turnovers. Once they got going though they were unstoppable. I would love to see them play Federel Way, a couple of deep athletic teams that like to put on the pressure. I think Rainier Beach is a little deeper and more talented. I have lots of guys to comment on here and I'm sure I missed some.
Bainbridge
#33 - Ben Eisenhardt -6-10 SR - Talented Seattle U recruit, did his best to keep Bainbridge in it. He's long thin and mobile. Needs some work in the waitroom. He can shoot from outside and has some nice moves around the basket. Put's the ball on the floor well but is not a very good passer. I like how he runs the floor.
#10 - Jimmy Bagget -6-0 JR - Tough little guard, was the only player other than Eisenhardt who didn't look scared out there. He did his best and worked really hard but he was not athletic enough to match any of the Beach players. He attacked the basket and played tough D. DIII
Rainier Beach
#4 - D'Vonne Pickett - 5-10 SR - Quick strong little guard. Eastern Washington got another good recruit here. I like the pickup of Pickett and Forbes (Federal Way) for Eastern, although they are small they will certainly compete right away in the Big Sky, they will really be able to apply pressure defensively with these guys. Pickett can really create and he's a lefty which is always nice. He needs work on his jumper but he's more of a pg then a scorer unless it's at the basket.
#0 - Aaron Dotson -6-4 SR - Big time guard that signed with LSU. He is certainly physical and athletic enough to play at that level. I did not see his great scoring ability though he did finish with 20 (I missed the first half). I saw him miss three 3 pt shots, two of which were air balls. Maybe he just had an off night. He's fast, athletic, and long though so he can create easy buckets for himself. He stole one at the top of the key and took it all the way for a dunk. That's a high percentage shot that coaches like!
#11 - Corey Stern -6-7 SR - This kid reminded me a lot of Cole Dickerson of Federal Way. Similar body types but Stern plays a little more around the basket. He has a good body, he's very mobile and can handle the ball. He's strong and aggressive and will rebound the ball. Does not create well for others. Low-Mid DI
#5 - Jaamon Echols - 5-9 JR - Lightning quick little guard. Like the way he gets after guys defensively, lots of hustle. Great ball-handler, can shoot 3's off a pull-up with a quick release and a nice high arc. Can create for others. His size limits him. High DII, low DI
#3 - Najee Alli - 6-4 SR - Big strong athletic guard - a lefty. Very quick for his size, can really pressure defensively. Handles the ball well. Needs work on his jump shot but can really slash. Is a good rebounder. Low DI
#15 - Mike Reeves - 6-7 SR - Came off the bench and did not play much. I think he is a fairly good wide reciever and that may be what he plans on doing in college. He's long and athletic, great hands - big (not surprised he's a WR). He's a bit thin but he runs, blocks shots, and rebounds. He's got an ok jump shot as well. High DII, Low DI
#10 - Lonnie Pearson Jr. -6-6 JR - Came off the bench and played considerable minutes. Very long and thin, needs work on fundamentals. Can rebound and block shots. Athleticism and size helps him. DII
Bainbridge
#33 - Ben Eisenhardt -6-10 SR - Talented Seattle U recruit, did his best to keep Bainbridge in it. He's long thin and mobile. Needs some work in the waitroom. He can shoot from outside and has some nice moves around the basket. Put's the ball on the floor well but is not a very good passer. I like how he runs the floor.
#10 - Jimmy Bagget -6-0 JR - Tough little guard, was the only player other than Eisenhardt who didn't look scared out there. He did his best and worked really hard but he was not athletic enough to match any of the Beach players. He attacked the basket and played tough D. DIII
Rainier Beach
#4 - D'Vonne Pickett - 5-10 SR - Quick strong little guard. Eastern Washington got another good recruit here. I like the pickup of Pickett and Forbes (Federal Way) for Eastern, although they are small they will certainly compete right away in the Big Sky, they will really be able to apply pressure defensively with these guys. Pickett can really create and he's a lefty which is always nice. He needs work on his jumper but he's more of a pg then a scorer unless it's at the basket.
#0 - Aaron Dotson -6-4 SR - Big time guard that signed with LSU. He is certainly physical and athletic enough to play at that level. I did not see his great scoring ability though he did finish with 20 (I missed the first half). I saw him miss three 3 pt shots, two of which were air balls. Maybe he just had an off night. He's fast, athletic, and long though so he can create easy buckets for himself. He stole one at the top of the key and took it all the way for a dunk. That's a high percentage shot that coaches like!
#11 - Corey Stern -6-7 SR - This kid reminded me a lot of Cole Dickerson of Federal Way. Similar body types but Stern plays a little more around the basket. He has a good body, he's very mobile and can handle the ball. He's strong and aggressive and will rebound the ball. Does not create well for others. Low-Mid DI
#5 - Jaamon Echols - 5-9 JR - Lightning quick little guard. Like the way he gets after guys defensively, lots of hustle. Great ball-handler, can shoot 3's off a pull-up with a quick release and a nice high arc. Can create for others. His size limits him. High DII, low DI
#3 - Najee Alli - 6-4 SR - Big strong athletic guard - a lefty. Very quick for his size, can really pressure defensively. Handles the ball well. Needs work on his jump shot but can really slash. Is a good rebounder. Low DI
#15 - Mike Reeves - 6-7 SR - Came off the bench and did not play much. I think he is a fairly good wide reciever and that may be what he plans on doing in college. He's long and athletic, great hands - big (not surprised he's a WR). He's a bit thin but he runs, blocks shots, and rebounds. He's got an ok jump shot as well. High DII, Low DI
#10 - Lonnie Pearson Jr. -6-6 JR - Came off the bench and played considerable minutes. Very long and thin, needs work on fundamentals. Can rebound and block shots. Athleticism and size helps him. DII
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Kentwood vs. Federal Way
I had to go see the big man Josh Smith and see how he would play against the pre-season top team in 4A. I had to hustle down there after physical therapy in Lake City and missed the first quarter. It didn't look like it was going to be much of a game when I got there. Federal way had a 5 pt. lead and quickly pushed it to 20. Federal way is fast and athletic, they used full-court and half-court pressure to frustrate Kentwood. Kentwood is lacking a great dribbler but for the most part did a good job of passing their way around the press. There was one long stretch where they got nervous and Federal Way took advantage by forcing turnovers and getting some easy buckets, this is how they pushed the lead to 20. When Kentwood did a good job and broke the press the big man usually got a thundering dunk out of it. The ball looked like a baseball in this guys hands. It reminded of me of dunking a little nerf ball on those hoops that hang on the back of your door, that's how big this kid is. Kentwood somehow battled back, spurred by a couple of Josh Smith dunks, some impatient shots by Federal Way, and some key 3's by Tre Tyler. But they didn't get close enough in the end and Federal Way sealed the deal with free-throws. Federal Way is talented and deep, they can match up with anybody. I can see why they were picked so high. Some player comments:
Kentwood
#34 - Josh Smith -6-9 JR -Supposedly the top JR in the nation or right up there. Can't really argue with that, he's a giant, looks like Shaq, and looks like he can still grow and put on more muscle. He's got a soft touch and ok footwork. He grabbed 15 rbs and he wasn't even trying, imagine if he did! If he tones up a little more, keeps his weight but gains some quickness, he's going to be unstoppable. And he makes free throws.
#33 - Tre Tyler -6-2 JR -Somewhat athletic, ok body. Competitive and not a shot he doesn't like. He took four 3's from NBA range and made 3 of them. Needs to improve his ball handling and passing. DII/DIII
Federal Way
#11 - Michael Hale III - 5-10 SR Very quick little pg. This kid has great ball handling skills, can dribble with his head up and has all sorts of moves. He was faking people out left and right and finished with 23 to lead all scorers. He has a nice pull-up jumper as well, made a key steal at the end of the game and got fouled to end Kentwood's come-back bid. Size limits him. Low DI
#32 - Jeffrey Forbes -6-0 SR Apparently has signed with Eastern Washington. I liked this little guard, he's got really quick feet and is a great defender, his lateral quickness is excellent and he can apply pressure all day. He can shoot outside and is more of a 2 than a 1. His ball handling could improve. Very athletic.
#25 - Cole Dickerson -6-7 JR Good athletic body, good handle and touch for a big man, more of a 4 than a 5. Would be a great 4 man that can reverse the ball run the floor and make the high low pass. Athletic and rebounds well, can finish at the basket. Didn't see him shoot but if he can could be a very dangerous college player. Low DI
#5 - Andre Barrington -6-3 SR Not surprised he signed with WSU (football), plays like a linebacker, huge upper body and shoulders, hustles and plays D, sacraficed his body the whole game. Needs skill work.
#20 - Robert Christopher -6-3 JR Long athletic guard, needs to work on his feet and ball handling. Quick and can finish at the basket. Aggressively rebounds as a guard. Needs more skill work but has lots of physical potential. DII
Kentwood
#34 - Josh Smith -6-9 JR -Supposedly the top JR in the nation or right up there. Can't really argue with that, he's a giant, looks like Shaq, and looks like he can still grow and put on more muscle. He's got a soft touch and ok footwork. He grabbed 15 rbs and he wasn't even trying, imagine if he did! If he tones up a little more, keeps his weight but gains some quickness, he's going to be unstoppable. And he makes free throws.
#33 - Tre Tyler -6-2 JR -Somewhat athletic, ok body. Competitive and not a shot he doesn't like. He took four 3's from NBA range and made 3 of them. Needs to improve his ball handling and passing. DII/DIII
Federal Way
#11 - Michael Hale III - 5-10 SR Very quick little pg. This kid has great ball handling skills, can dribble with his head up and has all sorts of moves. He was faking people out left and right and finished with 23 to lead all scorers. He has a nice pull-up jumper as well, made a key steal at the end of the game and got fouled to end Kentwood's come-back bid. Size limits him. Low DI
#32 - Jeffrey Forbes -6-0 SR Apparently has signed with Eastern Washington. I liked this little guard, he's got really quick feet and is a great defender, his lateral quickness is excellent and he can apply pressure all day. He can shoot outside and is more of a 2 than a 1. His ball handling could improve. Very athletic.
#25 - Cole Dickerson -6-7 JR Good athletic body, good handle and touch for a big man, more of a 4 than a 5. Would be a great 4 man that can reverse the ball run the floor and make the high low pass. Athletic and rebounds well, can finish at the basket. Didn't see him shoot but if he can could be a very dangerous college player. Low DI
#5 - Andre Barrington -6-3 SR Not surprised he signed with WSU (football), plays like a linebacker, huge upper body and shoulders, hustles and plays D, sacraficed his body the whole game. Needs skill work.
#20 - Robert Christopher -6-3 JR Long athletic guard, needs to work on his feet and ball handling. Quick and can finish at the basket. Aggressively rebounds as a guard. Needs more skill work but has lots of physical potential. DII
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Seattle Prep vs. O'Dea
A great way to kick off the high school basketball season is a Seattle Prep - O'Dea game. These are a couple of talented teams that put on a good show, with Seattle Prep getting the win. Lots of athletes on the court for this one, these two teams showed they will be very competitive this season. Seattle Prep took the early lead and held it through most of the game. Home court certainly helped but team defense was the key, they play pressure man to man and they have the athletes to do it. Both teams were deep with talent and could go to there bench when needed, it was a very evenly matched game. In the second half O'Dea went on a run and tied the game at 41 late in the 3rd quarter (maybe early in the fourth). Prep responded with some big put backs off of offensive rebounds, another key to there victory.
After watching this game and two NWAACC tournaments, I really think the NWAACC is down this year as far as talent, they have always been at a disadvantage to the bigger JUCO's that offer scholarships and housing but I think this year is particularly weak. I haven't seen all the teams yet but for now that's how I see it.
Here are some player observations:
Seattle Prep
#25 - Patrick Nyeko -6-6 SR Most potential on the court but wasn't the best player tonight. Struggled a bit offensively, particularly with putting the ball in the hole. He really attacked the basket well but didn't finished strong, he did find his way to the foul line which I liked. This kid is a big wing, and yes he can play on the perimeter. I did not see him shoot but for a 6-6 guy he can really put the ball on the floor and get to the basket - quickly and with both hands! If he has a jump shot he will be a very good college player. Reminds me of Linton Johnson who was at Tulane when I was a manager there, Linton actually didn't start most of his senior year but because of his 6-8 athletic frame and his work ethic ended up in the NBA. I don't think Nyeko is quite that good but he should be a good college player if he works hard. My favorite thing about him was his perimeter defense, he got his long arms in the passing lanes and did not let his man get the ball, lots of deflections and at least one steal. He should be low to mid DI.
#3 - Jon Humphrie -6-1 SR Most aggressive player for Seattle Prep, really wanted to score. Fairly quick and ok leaping ability, not a high-flyer. Strong with the ball and can handle it well. Did not finish well at the basket, forced some shots. JC/DII/DIII
#24 - Sam Howell -6-2 SR Really liked this kid, reminds me Jordan Hayter, a 6-3 guard we had my first year in Alaska who was the Oregon 3A player of the year his senior year. Sam is a smart tough player. Could be stronger but makes up for lack of size with hustle. He dived on the floor for at least two balls and took charges. Can shoot 3's, quick release. Can dribble and pass well. Sets screens and uses them. Plays hard D, good away from the ball. DII
#21 - Mitch Brewe -6-4 FR Could have commented on more players but wanted to at least mention this kid. Didn't look like a freshmen, scored inside and grabbed rebounds. Has a lot of growing to do, feet will get better with time. Should be a good player in years to come.
O'Dea
#20 - Sean Jones -6-5 SR Was the best player in this game, really played well in the second half. Big athletic wing, another big perimeter guard. Finished inside and had a nice short to mid-range jumper. Made a great spin move on the low block for a reverse layup on Nyeko. He did make a key mistake when he went up for a two handed dunk of both feet in the 4th quarter and launched it off the back rim. That dunk might have kept them in the game, instead it gave Jon Humphrie an easy layup on the other end. Either way this kid was good. He is very quick, very athletic, and can handle the ball and shoot (only 3 he took was out of the corner with a hand in his face and nothing but net). Low DI
#24 - Jordan Suther -6-2 SR (JR?) Solid wing, big arms and shoulders. Knows how to sneak into gaps and get open on the weak side for 3's. Not a really quick release but deadly when open. Had a quiet 16pts. Not really quick put played under control and played within his role. JC/DII/DIII
#23 - Dominic Ballard -6-3 JR Has potential, great physical body but may not get bigger. Lefty but can go right or left. Ok shot but needs work, forced some plays, tried to dribble through too many people. Very strong with the ball, good ball handler. Could be a good sized pg in college if he works on his creating. Plenty of athleticism. Low DI.
After watching this game and two NWAACC tournaments, I really think the NWAACC is down this year as far as talent, they have always been at a disadvantage to the bigger JUCO's that offer scholarships and housing but I think this year is particularly weak. I haven't seen all the teams yet but for now that's how I see it.
Here are some player observations:
Seattle Prep
#25 - Patrick Nyeko -6-6 SR Most potential on the court but wasn't the best player tonight. Struggled a bit offensively, particularly with putting the ball in the hole. He really attacked the basket well but didn't finished strong, he did find his way to the foul line which I liked. This kid is a big wing, and yes he can play on the perimeter. I did not see him shoot but for a 6-6 guy he can really put the ball on the floor and get to the basket - quickly and with both hands! If he has a jump shot he will be a very good college player. Reminds me of Linton Johnson who was at Tulane when I was a manager there, Linton actually didn't start most of his senior year but because of his 6-8 athletic frame and his work ethic ended up in the NBA. I don't think Nyeko is quite that good but he should be a good college player if he works hard. My favorite thing about him was his perimeter defense, he got his long arms in the passing lanes and did not let his man get the ball, lots of deflections and at least one steal. He should be low to mid DI.
#3 - Jon Humphrie -6-1 SR Most aggressive player for Seattle Prep, really wanted to score. Fairly quick and ok leaping ability, not a high-flyer. Strong with the ball and can handle it well. Did not finish well at the basket, forced some shots. JC/DII/DIII
#24 - Sam Howell -6-2 SR Really liked this kid, reminds me Jordan Hayter, a 6-3 guard we had my first year in Alaska who was the Oregon 3A player of the year his senior year. Sam is a smart tough player. Could be stronger but makes up for lack of size with hustle. He dived on the floor for at least two balls and took charges. Can shoot 3's, quick release. Can dribble and pass well. Sets screens and uses them. Plays hard D, good away from the ball. DII
#21 - Mitch Brewe -6-4 FR Could have commented on more players but wanted to at least mention this kid. Didn't look like a freshmen, scored inside and grabbed rebounds. Has a lot of growing to do, feet will get better with time. Should be a good player in years to come.
O'Dea
#20 - Sean Jones -6-5 SR Was the best player in this game, really played well in the second half. Big athletic wing, another big perimeter guard. Finished inside and had a nice short to mid-range jumper. Made a great spin move on the low block for a reverse layup on Nyeko. He did make a key mistake when he went up for a two handed dunk of both feet in the 4th quarter and launched it off the back rim. That dunk might have kept them in the game, instead it gave Jon Humphrie an easy layup on the other end. Either way this kid was good. He is very quick, very athletic, and can handle the ball and shoot (only 3 he took was out of the corner with a hand in his face and nothing but net). Low DI
#24 - Jordan Suther -6-2 SR (JR?) Solid wing, big arms and shoulders. Knows how to sneak into gaps and get open on the weak side for 3's. Not a really quick release but deadly when open. Had a quiet 16pts. Not really quick put played under control and played within his role. JC/DII/DIII
#23 - Dominic Ballard -6-3 JR Has potential, great physical body but may not get bigger. Lefty but can go right or left. Ok shot but needs work, forced some plays, tried to dribble through too many people. Very strong with the ball, good ball handler. Could be a good sized pg in college if he works on his creating. Plenty of athleticism. Low DI.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Pierce Thanksgiving Invitational
Caught the final day of the Thanksgiving Invitational at Pierce College in Lakewood, WA. They have a nice new gym, it was a great place to host a tournament. Here's how they finished:
1st Bellevue
2nd Whatcom
3rd Pierce
4th S. Puget Sound
5th Shoreline
6th Linn-Benton
7th & 8th Lane & Columbia Basin
The first game I watched was the 4th place game. South Puget Sound played Linn-Benton and handled them fairly easily. While the score was close S. Puget Sound seemed to consistently keep an 8-10 pt lead and won by 9. They have a young team that has potential but doesn't have any real game changers. Linn-Benton had some OK bigs but the guards had a tough time getting them the ball. Some player comments:
Linn-Benton
#32 - Trevor Siefken -6-10-SO Tall thin center with good touch. Got into foul trouble and did not play much. Struggled getting open and needs to put on some weight... lots of weight.
#23 - Tyson Christie -6-2-SO Stocky, strong big guard. Fairly athletic and definitely team leader. Very aggressive, played hard.
#14 - Michael Kirkwood -6-5-FR Strong athletic small forward. Good body, has potential but needs work on offense. Led them with 11 rbs.
S.Puget Sound
#3 - Will Sharp -6-1-FR Thin, aggressive pg. Has potential, he's quick, a good ball handler and plays with his head up. Really wants to score, needs to focus more on creating for others. Has good hands, leads the team.
#20 - Michael Hall - 6-5-FR Long thin forward. Can put the ball on the floor and attack. Mobile.
#45 - Trevor Smith -6-6-FR Good body, recruited him at Alaska Fairbanks. Has potential, very athletic, needs to work on his touch.
The 3rd place game was between Shoreline and the hosts Pierce. This was the game of the day. Shoreline has some talented players but they rushed a little bit and struggled to get good shots. The credit goes to Pierce though for playing tough team defense. Pierce held the lead for all the first half. Then Shoreline battled back in the last 8 minutes to take the lead with with couple of minutes left. It was a battle to the end and they went into overtime. I OT Shoreline tried to force some plays and Pierce capitalized. It was basically the story of the game. Pierce finished with the win. I think Shoreline will improve throughout the year and be a tough team to beat. Player Comments:
Shoreline
#20 - Jonothan Lackings -6-0 SO Seemed smaller than 6-0. Lightning quick 2 guard, great defender on the ball. Tough little player that could slash and make open 3's. A bit out of control at times, forced a lot of shots. Led them in scoring with 20 pts but on 6 for 18 shooting and 4 TO's. DII
#10 - Stephen McCall -5-11 SO Solid pg. Good ball-handler, dribbled with his head up. Controlled the team well, definitely a leader. Good passer and creator. Could shoot mid-range and 3's set or off the dribble. Made a clutch 3 pt. shot off the dribble going full speed in the last 30 seconds to tie the game. Solid defender, had some trouble finishing at the basket. 14 pts, 8rbs, 6 asst, and 2 TO's. Good DII maybe low DI
#30 - Evans Ojwang -6-3 SO Athletic, long, strong wing. Nice touch around the basket, really gets out and runs. Did not like to use his left hand, defense was a bit inconsistent. A little out of control. Had 16pts 8rbs (4 on offense) and 2 steals, but 5 TO's. DII
#52 - Theron Laudermill - 6-8 SO Long thin big man. Not a defensive stopper and lacked mobility. Had trouble posting but when he got the ball had surprisingly nice moves and touch. Was 5 for 6 with 10 pts and 7rbs in only 22 min. off the bench.
Pierce
#3 - Brandon Semken -6-3 FR Has potential. Long athletic wing with a good body. Pretty good defensive player. Not a great ball handler and forces shots. Has a nice stroke when he's open.
#24 - Chris Grove -6-6 SO Team leader, took over the game in the second half when Shoreline was making their run. If it weren't for him Shoreline wins before it gets to OT. Great touch around the basket, can shoot mid-range and 3's. Did a good job of shooting over the big man. Good handle and mobility, can slash and get to the basket. Gets rebounds, passes, takes charges, always hustling, intense player. He's got a motor. His size and strength limit him. Had 18pts, 5 rbs and 3 steals. High DII, maybe low DI
#43 - Malcholm Love -6-3 FR Has lots of potential. Big, strong, athletic guard. Good jump stop and pull up. Quick first step, can slash and get fouled. Hits 3's when open. Aggressive, hustles. Has a DI body. Only a freshman. High DII, low DI
#42 - Ben Bennest -6-5 FR Solid big man. Didn't make mistakes. Plays hard. Was a key contributor.
Finally, the championship game was between Bellevue and Whatcom. Both teams looked tired and mentally a bit out of it. They were talking a bit to much to each other and getting frustrated. Lots of fouls were called. I thought Whatcom really got the short end of the stick on foul calls, they mentally did not handle the adversity well otherwise I think they had a good chance of beating a tired Bellevue team. Even with the bad calls they only lost by 7. Since I watched Bellevue and commented on their players before I will not write as much about them here, see my first post - Bulldog Classic to read more about Bellevue's guys.
Bellevue
#1 - David Maddock -6-2 FR Did not write about him last time. Quick, athletic, guard. Thin with good handle on the ball and good touch around the basket. Definitely a slasher, not a shooter. Forced a couple of shots.
#40 - Rahiti Marere -6-6 SO Wrote about him last week but wanted to comment on him again. He carried the team. He has a great mid-range jumper, great finishing ability and knocks down 3's. Plays hard and kept them ahead. Does not make many mistakes. Size and strength limit him. Had 21pts 6rbs. Mid-High DII.
Sam Cartmell again was solid, had a quiet 15pts on 4 for 5 shooting and shot 9 foul shots. Pete Harris and Curron Singleton were again solid but both forced some shots.
Whatcom
#34 - Don Perconti -6-4 FR Strong solid guard. Has a nice 3pt shot but forced some. Heavy feet hurt him defensively against the quick Bellevue guards.
#3 - Zac Andrus -5-10 SO Tough strong little pg. Battled with Pete Harris and got him frustrated. Good handle and quick. Strong with the ball, can make 3's if open. Lefty
#44 - Ryan Sweet -6-7 SO Good size, big arms. Played a lot on the perimeter but I thought he was more of a low block guy. Wanted to shoot the 3 and can make it but better inside. Had lots of trouble guarding perimeter bigs, quick runner and first step but not laterally. Good feet, soft touch and rbs. DII/DIII
1st Bellevue
2nd Whatcom
3rd Pierce
4th S. Puget Sound
5th Shoreline
6th Linn-Benton
7th & 8th Lane & Columbia Basin
The first game I watched was the 4th place game. South Puget Sound played Linn-Benton and handled them fairly easily. While the score was close S. Puget Sound seemed to consistently keep an 8-10 pt lead and won by 9. They have a young team that has potential but doesn't have any real game changers. Linn-Benton had some OK bigs but the guards had a tough time getting them the ball. Some player comments:
Linn-Benton
#32 - Trevor Siefken -6-10-SO Tall thin center with good touch. Got into foul trouble and did not play much. Struggled getting open and needs to put on some weight... lots of weight.
#23 - Tyson Christie -6-2-SO Stocky, strong big guard. Fairly athletic and definitely team leader. Very aggressive, played hard.
#14 - Michael Kirkwood -6-5-FR Strong athletic small forward. Good body, has potential but needs work on offense. Led them with 11 rbs.
S.Puget Sound
#3 - Will Sharp -6-1-FR Thin, aggressive pg. Has potential, he's quick, a good ball handler and plays with his head up. Really wants to score, needs to focus more on creating for others. Has good hands, leads the team.
#20 - Michael Hall - 6-5-FR Long thin forward. Can put the ball on the floor and attack. Mobile.
#45 - Trevor Smith -6-6-FR Good body, recruited him at Alaska Fairbanks. Has potential, very athletic, needs to work on his touch.
The 3rd place game was between Shoreline and the hosts Pierce. This was the game of the day. Shoreline has some talented players but they rushed a little bit and struggled to get good shots. The credit goes to Pierce though for playing tough team defense. Pierce held the lead for all the first half. Then Shoreline battled back in the last 8 minutes to take the lead with with couple of minutes left. It was a battle to the end and they went into overtime. I OT Shoreline tried to force some plays and Pierce capitalized. It was basically the story of the game. Pierce finished with the win. I think Shoreline will improve throughout the year and be a tough team to beat. Player Comments:
Shoreline
#20 - Jonothan Lackings -6-0 SO Seemed smaller than 6-0. Lightning quick 2 guard, great defender on the ball. Tough little player that could slash and make open 3's. A bit out of control at times, forced a lot of shots. Led them in scoring with 20 pts but on 6 for 18 shooting and 4 TO's. DII
#10 - Stephen McCall -5-11 SO Solid pg. Good ball-handler, dribbled with his head up. Controlled the team well, definitely a leader. Good passer and creator. Could shoot mid-range and 3's set or off the dribble. Made a clutch 3 pt. shot off the dribble going full speed in the last 30 seconds to tie the game. Solid defender, had some trouble finishing at the basket. 14 pts, 8rbs, 6 asst, and 2 TO's. Good DII maybe low DI
#30 - Evans Ojwang -6-3 SO Athletic, long, strong wing. Nice touch around the basket, really gets out and runs. Did not like to use his left hand, defense was a bit inconsistent. A little out of control. Had 16pts 8rbs (4 on offense) and 2 steals, but 5 TO's. DII
#52 - Theron Laudermill - 6-8 SO Long thin big man. Not a defensive stopper and lacked mobility. Had trouble posting but when he got the ball had surprisingly nice moves and touch. Was 5 for 6 with 10 pts and 7rbs in only 22 min. off the bench.
Pierce
#3 - Brandon Semken -6-3 FR Has potential. Long athletic wing with a good body. Pretty good defensive player. Not a great ball handler and forces shots. Has a nice stroke when he's open.
#24 - Chris Grove -6-6 SO Team leader, took over the game in the second half when Shoreline was making their run. If it weren't for him Shoreline wins before it gets to OT. Great touch around the basket, can shoot mid-range and 3's. Did a good job of shooting over the big man. Good handle and mobility, can slash and get to the basket. Gets rebounds, passes, takes charges, always hustling, intense player. He's got a motor. His size and strength limit him. Had 18pts, 5 rbs and 3 steals. High DII, maybe low DI
#43 - Malcholm Love -6-3 FR Has lots of potential. Big, strong, athletic guard. Good jump stop and pull up. Quick first step, can slash and get fouled. Hits 3's when open. Aggressive, hustles. Has a DI body. Only a freshman. High DII, low DI
#42 - Ben Bennest -6-5 FR Solid big man. Didn't make mistakes. Plays hard. Was a key contributor.
Finally, the championship game was between Bellevue and Whatcom. Both teams looked tired and mentally a bit out of it. They were talking a bit to much to each other and getting frustrated. Lots of fouls were called. I thought Whatcom really got the short end of the stick on foul calls, they mentally did not handle the adversity well otherwise I think they had a good chance of beating a tired Bellevue team. Even with the bad calls they only lost by 7. Since I watched Bellevue and commented on their players before I will not write as much about them here, see my first post - Bulldog Classic to read more about Bellevue's guys.
Bellevue
#1 - David Maddock -6-2 FR Did not write about him last time. Quick, athletic, guard. Thin with good handle on the ball and good touch around the basket. Definitely a slasher, not a shooter. Forced a couple of shots.
#40 - Rahiti Marere -6-6 SO Wrote about him last week but wanted to comment on him again. He carried the team. He has a great mid-range jumper, great finishing ability and knocks down 3's. Plays hard and kept them ahead. Does not make many mistakes. Size and strength limit him. Had 21pts 6rbs. Mid-High DII.
Sam Cartmell again was solid, had a quiet 15pts on 4 for 5 shooting and shot 9 foul shots. Pete Harris and Curron Singleton were again solid but both forced some shots.
Whatcom
#34 - Don Perconti -6-4 FR Strong solid guard. Has a nice 3pt shot but forced some. Heavy feet hurt him defensively against the quick Bellevue guards.
#3 - Zac Andrus -5-10 SO Tough strong little pg. Battled with Pete Harris and got him frustrated. Good handle and quick. Strong with the ball, can make 3's if open. Lefty
#44 - Ryan Sweet -6-7 SO Good size, big arms. Played a lot on the perimeter but I thought he was more of a low block guy. Wanted to shoot the 3 and can make it but better inside. Had lots of trouble guarding perimeter bigs, quick runner and first step but not laterally. Good feet, soft touch and rbs. DII/DIII
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