Prep Hoops 10 Best: Comeaux vs. Cecilia, Carencro vs. North Central
10 players that stood out from Comeaux’s win over Cecilia and Carencro over North Central. After Comeaux got out to a very hot start, due in large part because of pressure applied by the Spartans, as well as getting out…
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Continue Reading10 players that stood out from Comeaux’s win over Cecilia and Carencro over North Central.
After Comeaux got out to a very hot start, due in large part because of pressure applied by the Spartans, as well as getting out in transition both after missed and made baskets by Cecilia. However, Cecila did a good job of slowing the game down, and kept the game close. Comeaux only ended up winning by 4, but were missing their two biggest players in the 2nd half due to injuries, in 6’6 Devaughn Thomas and 6’9 Jordan Foster.
I was very high on Carencro coming into this season, and the first 4 minutes for the Bears, it was easy to see why. After knocking down 3 3’s to start the game, the Bear’s went up big on North Central, 15-1, and ending the quarter up 27-13. However, Carencro ended the half with only 34 points, and allowing North Central to go on a run, going into half only up 5. Once again, the Bears got the lead back by forcing turnovers against a very young and inexperienced North Central front court.
- MVP: 2018 6’5 F Braylon Chaisson – Chaisson started out the game pretty strong, scoring 5 in the 1st quarter, and after Carencro went up big, I was expecting to not see very many minutes out of Chaisson. However when North Central made a run, Chaisson came back in in the first 3 minutes of the 2nd quarter, but his return was barely noticable. Despite being a very athletic and skilled 6’5, I thought that Chaisson was drifting too often, and I even made note that I hadn’t noticed he was out there for a quarter and a half. However, when his team needed a run in the 3rd quarter, he took over, scoring 11 in the 3rd, including a three, a midrange fade away and a huge dunk in transition.
- Play of the game- Strip by Comeaux. With only 30 seconds remaining, Comeaux was only up only 3, and was having trouble rebounding the ball, missing their frontcourt duo due to injury. After a poor shot by Ceclia ended up in the hands of their big man, there was no one around with size to affect the shot. However Donald Calais, of Cecilia, brought the ball down, which allowed 2018 G Braxton Stevens to strip the ball, and get fouled in the process, which resulted in a HUGE 4 point swing for the Spartans
- Offensive MVP- 2017 G Michael Smith. Smith came out the game firing, and was a big reason Comeaux went up big to start the game. Smith knocked down 5 3’s in the first half, and when Cecilia’s wings stepped out a step too far in their 2-3, Smith drove around and was able to finish at the rim.
- Defensive MVP- 2019 F/C Nikembe Johnson– The North Central big man was a huge reason they were able to keep things close for so long. The North Central defense would funnel everything his way, and he did a fantastic job of protecting the rim. One of the big reasons that Carencro was able to pull away was that Johnson showed his youth by picking up unnecessary fouls that required him to be benched.
- 6th Man- Braxton Stevens. After the injury to Devaughn Thomas, Comeaux was forced to go small, having four guards on the court around big man Jaelon Lagard. This means that there was bigger minutes than normal for Stevens, and he stepped up, knocking down big shots after Cecilia went to a triangle and 2 around Michael Smith and Ferontay Banks, as well as a big strip and free throws mentioned earlier.
- Best intangibles- Michael Smith. With about a minute to go, Cecilia was either getting a bucket, or getting an offensive rebound and a bucket. After a rebound hit the floor and Freshman guard Tre’ Harris just watched as Jevon Berry of Cecilia chased down the ball and ended up getting fouled in the process, sending him to the line. You could see the frustration on Smith’s face, as he started yelling at the freshman, before literally taking him under his wing, and coaching up the youngster. It was a moment very reminiscent of Kevin Garnett in his later years.
- Spark Plug- Ferontay Banks. Anytime the energy level got low for the Spartans, you could count on electric 2018 guard Ferontay Banks to do something impressive enough to garner “ooohs” from the crowd. Whether it was getting the ball down the court in under 4 seconds after a Cecilia bucket, which lead to a bucket of his own, or hitting a deep 3, or finding a cutter while driving to the lane, Banks made big play after big play.
- Best underclassman- tie between freshman Tre’ Harris and 8th grader Derrick Tezeno. Harris was counted on heavily in the 2nd half for Comeaux, and the kid straight up got buckets. He showed the ability to put the ball on the floor when given a lane, and knocked down a rhythm three that didn’t even touch the net. For Tezeno, being counted on for big minutes is nothing new. As one of the few 8th graders to start varsity in the state, it took me looking up their roster to even know he was so young. He looked right at place on the floor, and honestly played like a Junior or Senior out there. He had one of the best highlights of the night, driving to the goal, absorbing contact from 6’5 Braylon Chaisson, and acrobatically finishing around the outstretched arms of the big man for a huge and-one.
- Best coaching strategy- Coach Marty Lewis of Cecilia, the decision to slow the game down, and play a triangle and 2 around Ferontay Banks and Michael Smith. After starting the game out rough, Coach Lewis made the decision to spread things out, slow the game down, and lull the Spartans to sleep, before attacking the rim. After Thomas went out with a lower leg injury in the 3rd quarter, Coach Lewis decided to go triangle and 2 around the Spartans best two players, and the Spartans looked lost as far as what to do as a result. Even though the Bulldogs didn’t end up with the win, it was much closer because of his coaching.
10. Dunker of the night- Braylon Chaisson- When Carencro was playing without much energy, they didn’t play very well. That all changed with a huge dunk by Chaisson that ended with the uber-athletic Forward legit ending with his forehead at the rim. Carencro proceeded to go on a 12-2 run and put the game away.