10 Best: West Oaks vs. Tampa Catholic
West Oaks led by eight points over Tampa Catholic at the half and wound up winning 83-74 on Day 1 of the ARS Rescue Rooter National Hoopfest on Friday night. The Flames (8-2) were led by senior Ray Barnes and…
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Continue ReadingWest Oaks led by eight points over Tampa Catholic at the half and wound up winning 83-74 on Day 1 of the ARS Rescue Rooter National Hoopfest on Friday night.
The Flames (8-2) were led by senior Ray Barnes and his 20 point game while Tampa Catholic (14-4) earned 36 points from senior Kevin Knox.
Here are the 10 best performers from this matchup.
MVP: Ray Barnes (West Oaks)
Ray Barnes rarely missed a shot, recording a team-high 20 points. He hit from outside time and time again and the senior helped West Oaks keep pace with Tampa Catholic’s offense in the middle part of the second quarter. Barnes continued his impressive showing in the second half.
Best offensive performance: Kevin Knox (Tampa Catholic)
Kevin Knox had all 16 Tampa Catholic points in the first quarter. The 6’8″ senior was then held to five points in the second quarter. But over the final 16 minutes, he found his way inside and got to the free throw line, scoring 15 second half points to finish with a game-high 36. Knox played outstanding all night long.
Best defensive performance: Paul Person (West Oaks)
Paul Person is a junior guard who has fun out on the court. When West Oaks needed a big bucket, Person stepped up while making plays on defense as well. Next to Barnes, he really was the next best overall player on both ends of the floor.
Best intangibles: Sylvain Francisco (West Oaks)
Nicknamed “Frenchi”, Sylvain Francisco has superb initial burst. The senior can drive inside or beat you from outside. He did both often while dishing out assists to his teammates. Francisco added 16 points and showed plenty of confidence in himself.
Best under-the-radar performance: Messiah Turner (Tampa Catholic)
Junior guard Messiah Turner quietly had 12 points in this one. Nine of his points came in the second half as he started to get going from beyond the arc. Turner was active on the boards and really hustling off the bench for Tampa Catholic. He always gives you good tough minutes.
Best catch and shoot guy: Ray Barnes (West Oaks)
Barnes caught fire in the second quarter with three 3-pointers. He flashed his range after that point and West Oaks moved fearlessly down the court with him making plays. The senior wing is an all-around player.
Best underclassman: Alijah Harrison (Tampa Catholic)
Every time I see Alijah Harrison, the better he gets. Only a freshman, Harrison has room to grow from his 6’4″, 168-pound frame. He recorded eight points in this game and simply wasn’t afraid to put his body on the line for buckets. Harrison is going to be good if developed further at Tampa Catholic.
Best attacker: Elie Cadet (West Oaks)
Junior wing Elie Cadet is a pure inside guy. The 6’5″ West Oaks starter scored 12 points in this game moving in and out of the paint with ease and throwing down some big time dunks late. Cadet brought so much to his team’s offense and he really gave them fire down the stretch.
Best energy: Tim Carter (Tampa Catholic)
Tim Carter has really improved as a point man with each game for Tampa Catholic. Alongside Tai Strickland and Messiah Turner, the three juniors trade places often. Carter had six points, making his tough attacking shots count.
Best sound performance: Robert Thomas (West Oaks)
West Oaks senior guard plays with so much smoothness in his game. Even at 5’7″, he found a way to score in this one. Robert Thomas finished with 12 points which included a red hot opening quarter with eight points. Thomas is one of many very athletic guards that the Flames rotate in and out.