10 Best: Clearwater Central Catholic vs. Tampa Catholic
13 days ago these two Class 5A-District 9 rivals met at Clearwater Central Catholic. Tampa Catholic won that game by 12 points. On Thursday night, they met again and the Crusaders improved to 9-0 in the district with a 68-54…
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Continue Reading13 days ago these two Class 5A-District 9 rivals met at Clearwater Central Catholic. Tampa Catholic won that game by 12 points. On Thursday night, they met again and the Crusaders improved to 9-0 in the district with a 68-54 home victory.
Senior Kevin Knox led Tampa Catholic (16-5) with 32 points. For Clearwater Central Catholic, Andrew Cavanaugh had a team-best 19 points.
Here are the 10 best performers from this matchup.
MVP: Kevin Knox (Tampa Catholic)
Kevin Knox looked tired throughout but he never gave up on a play whether he missed a bucket or one of his teammates couldn’t connect. Dealing with tough defense from Clearwater Central Catholic, he dropped 32 points and had some highlight reel dunks. Knox needs some rest in my opinion, but it is hard to find any when his teammates aren’t playing consistently for all four quarters.
Best offensive performance: Andrew Cavanaugh (Clearwater Central Catholic)
The Marauders fought all night behind Andrew Cavanaugh’s performance. The senior guard scored 19 points including 11 in the first half. In that first quarter, Cavanaugh hit on three 3-pointers and caught fire. This kid plays with endless confidence.
Best defensive performance: Alijah Harrison (Tampa Catholic)
For a freshman, Alijah Harrison plays wise. He scored 12 points, got involved on the glass and got more comfortable alongside Knox in the second half. Harrison is growing on offense, but his defensive prowess is evident.
Best intangibles: Tai Strickland (Tampa Catholic)
Tai Strickland had only five points at the half and didn’t look too good over the first 16 minutes. However, the junior guard bounced back and made some crafty plays as an attacker. Strickland finished with 14 points on the night.
Best under-the-radar performance: Messiah Turner (Tampa Catholic)
One of many speedy guards for Tampa Catholic, Messiah Turner drew the start in this game. He had only three points and fought through foul trouble, but his effort was undeniable. He had a block on the first play of the night and a couple of really nice passes.
Best catch and shoot guy: Jackson St. Louis (Clearwater Central Catholic)
For Clearwater Central Catholic, Cavanaugh was the best offensive weapon all night, but at times senior Jackson St. Louis looked the part. He had five points coming on a long jumper and a 3-pointer right in front of his own bench.
Best underclassman: Jerjuan Newton (Clearwater Central Catholic)
Only a sophomore, Jerjuan Newton comes from a big family of athletes. He had eight points in this one and played a nice game. Newton is so quick playing off the ball and he made it happen from the mid-range.
Best attacker: Kevin Knox (Tampa Catholic)
Knox battled through a double team throughout this game and for the most part was held in check with 17 first half points and only four in the second quarter. However, Knox never stopped attacking and that helped the Crusaders pull away.
Best energy: Noah Ignacio/Connor Lusnia (Clearwater Central Catholic)
Both seniors finished with six points apiece for the Marauders. Noah Ignacio is an undersized point guard who paces the offense and attacks when he needs to. Connor Lusnia benefited from nice passes inside, but he made his shots count.
Best athlete: Victor Collazo (Clearwater Central Catholic)
Clearwater Central Catholic’s leader down low, Victor Collazo was held to two points over the final 16 minutes. But in the first half, he took advantage of open space with six points. With eight points in this one, Collazo flashed his skills.