Scouting Report: Seton Catholic Prep at Higley (D2 1st Round)
Overview: It was clear from the jump that Seton had nothing to lose and played with that mentality. They jumped out to an 11-2 start, playing efficiently on the offensive end and stingy on the defensive end with a 2-3…
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Continue ReadingOverview: It was clear from the jump that Seton had nothing to lose and played with that mentality. They jumped out to an 11-2 start, playing efficiently on the offensive end and stingy on the defensive end with a 2-3 zone. After an 18-9 first quarter deficit Higley began to get more aggressive looking at their bigger athletic forwards (Bryan Battle and Nate Cundiff) to bring the game within 4 at the half. In the second half the Knights got extremely aggressive on both ends. It startled the backcourt of Seton for a while but senior leader Jake Rueter got his group poise. Late in the second he found John Engelbert for three straight 3-point baskets to give the Sentinels an 11 point cushion going into the final period. Higley had no choice but to pressure hard to try to create some turnovers and easy baskets. However, Seton played with great poise and was able to use the Knights’ anticipation skills and athleticism against them. They had some flawless plays with numerous ball reversals while the ball hit the floor one or two times in a possession. The game saw a 69-52 finish as Seton upset the Knights in the first round.
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Jake Rueter 6’1 2016 PG – The Sentinels senior leader was outstanding last night. He made many of his teammates look likes stars due to his ability to get to the paint, draw defenders, and kick to them in scoring position. His change of pace and ability to attack traps from Higley defenders got SCP a lot of easy baskets. What was most impressive was his ability to defend a bigger Bryan Battle on the block and aggressively grab rebounds through traffic. He’s a Division-II/NAIA D1 prospect who’s stock keeps rising.
John Engelbert 6’2 2016 SF – Engelbert was TOUGH and one of the major factors for the Sentinels. The 6-foot, 2-inch senior played very physical. He pursued rebounds out of his area on both ends of the floor. Offensively he finished at the rim and shot it well from the outside including a stretch where he hit three straight 3’s at the end of the third quarter. He’s got a chance to play at the smaller Division-III/NAIA D2 level if he opts to play collegiately.
Eric Chinchilla 6’0 2018 SG – The sophomore played much bigger than his size. He was very physical at the rim and had a lot of catch and finish opportunities. He also made good decisions with the ball, not turning it over when he was pressured.
Carson Pinter 6’1 2017 SG – Pinter had a solid game for SCP. The junior sharpshooter lit it up from beyond the arch and hit some key baskets down the stretch of the game. A Division-III/NAIA D2 prospect.
Luke Thompson 6’2 2017 SG – Thompson was, both, aggressive and confident. He’s gotten better with each and every game. His ability to knock down shots and slash to the rim helped SCP sustain their lead. A smaller Division-III/NAIA D2 prospect.
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Bryan Battle 6’5 2016 SF – Battle started the game slow but eventually got more comfortable. He played a lot of the game with his back to the basket and passed extremely well to cutters and open shooters. Where Bryan was most impressive was in transition as he’s very shifty for his size and is able to draw contact while attacking the rim. Battle has good instincts and, while he didn’t play as aggressive as we liked, he showed that he has the potential to be a standout at the Division-II/NAIA D1 level at some point.
Chris Wright 6’0 2017 PG – Wright had a solid game on Thursday. He was very aggressive yet poised at the same time. He handled pressure well, got into the paint, and knocked in shots. What was most impressive is that he played in the entire night in a low, defensive stance pressuring numerous Seton ball handlers. He’s a kid that is definitely worth a Division-II/NAIA D1 look and, at worse, is a solid Division-III/NAIA-D2 prospect.
Nate Cundiff 6’5 2017 PF – Cundiff is a player with a lot of potential. He’s lengthy, moves well without the ball, and understands that he’s a catch and finish guy at this point and plays to it. He had a nice right shoulder finish in the second quarter but is still raw offensively. Projecting him at this point is tough but he’s definitely a college level prospect.
Jacian Mercadel 5’11 2017 G – Mercadel came off the bench for a solid performance. He shot it well from the arch but his toughness was most impressive. He also showed good anticipation skills on the defensive end. Worth a Division-III/NAIA D2 look.