NHR Scout: Central MN Christian vs TMB
The Camden Conference championship game was on the line this evening when Class AA top ten ranked Tracy-Milroy-Balaton took on Class A top ten ranked Central Minnesota Christian in the TMB Panther home gym. Locals packed the Panther gymnasium filling…
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Continue ReadingThe Camden Conference championship game was on the line this evening when Class AA top ten ranked Tracy-Milroy-Balaton took on Class A top ten ranked Central Minnesota Christian in the TMB Panther home gym.
Locals packed the Panther gymnasium filling the stage up behind the one basket and sitting shoulder to shoulder throughout the facility. It was one of those late season championship atmospheres that teams wait all year for.
The Panthers opened the game knocking down four treys in five minutes and also forcing seven turnovers in ten minutes of play with their 1-2-2 three-quarters court zone press. The quick TMB advantage put them up nine points early and although the Bluejays were able to get within four points, they were never able to put enough energy into a comeback to take the lead.
In the second half TMB quickly pulled away from there opponents and it had everything to do with the patience of each TMB possession and the physical advantages the Panthers had at the forward position
Jays wing Taylor Slagter stands 6-foot-3 and he was the only player on his team that had the talent and physical anility to consistently play with 6-foot-3 Josh Kirk, 6-foot-4 Spencer Smith, and 6-foot-3 Derek Larson of TMB. TMB wore down the Jays and then eventually crushed them 54-37. Larson, Smith, and Kirk all hit double figures in the convincing victory.
Player Notes
TMB
Josh Kirk (6-ft-3, Sr, SG). Kirk is a strong two guard with some of the best lift on a jumper you will see. Love how he moves around screens to either catch and hit or take a dribble to then finish with a pull-up. He’s too physical going at the rim for most teams he plays so he takes contact and completes with a lot of And1 chances.
Derek Larson (6-ft-3, Sr, SF). Larson is one of the better outstate players that many don’t know about. He will play at Ridgewater CC where his dad is an assistant coach. Larson has a beautiful shooting stroke that he can hit with range. Love how he moves without the ball to set up his attempts moving off screens. Active player that defends with effort.
Spencer Smith (6-ft-4, Jr, SF). Quick off his feet Smith was the best rebounder on the floor and it wasn’t close. He was able to quickly bounce to the boards either beating all too the spot because he could react quicker on plays or at other times he simply out leaped everybody to collect possession. Very good moving without the basketball and has a really quick one dribble attack into a finish at the rim or a mid-range pull-up.
Riley Kirk (6-ft-2, SR, PG). With all the talent on the wing and at forward somebody has to be the guy patiently distributing the basketball and that guy is Riley. Over the course of the year he’s shown that you have to get a hand in his face when his feet are set but his biggest value is defending with initial on-ball pressure on the one end and making sure the floor is spread and the ball moving on the other end.
CMC
Ethan Brouwer (6-ft-1, Jr, SF). Ethan is around the ball at all times. There was no other player that you can bring up that seemed to be around the play more than Ethan. He was constantly fouled, mixing it up on the glass, was going at the ball and trying to make plays, and moving without the ball.
Taylor Slagter (6-ft-3, Sr, SG). Taylor scored a quick four baskets in his off the ball ways. First was a backside cut, the second was a transition catch and finish in the middle, the third was an And1 finish at the rim, and the fourth a short jumper. The Panthers did a better job with him later but Slagter’s production was all about aggressive activity with or without the basketball.