Ten Best: Troy Christian v Bethel
A dominate first quarter was the difference for the Bethel Bees last night, as they topped Troy Christian 56-47 in a non-conference game. Bethel improved their record to 16-2. Troy Christian is now at 11-6. The game featured a matchup…
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Continue ReadingA dominate first quarter was the difference for the Bethel Bees last night, as they topped Troy Christian 56-47 in a non-conference game. Bethel improved their record to 16-2. Troy Christian is now at 11-6.
The game featured a matchup of two premier junior prospects from small towns: Bethel guard, Caleb South, and Troy Christian’s 6’8” James Anderson. While both players had their troubles (South with fouls; Anderson with double teams), they both also showed flashes of greatness. It’s hard to project where both prospects will end up at the next level, but anywhere from low Division I to high Division II seems plausible.
Now, let’s take a deeper look at their individual performances, along with eight others in this game’s Ten Best…
MVP: Tyler Terry (Bethel)
That’s right, Tyler Terry stole the show from the two prospects mentioned above. The 6’4” wing is the tallest guy in Bethel’s rotation, meaning he would have to neutralize James Anderson for Bethel to have success. The senior was able to do so, mainly on the glass — he was masterful at the weak-side offensive board. Terry finished with 8 points, but he was more impactful on the boards and defensively.
Best offensive performance: James Anderson (Troy Christian)
This is the first time I’ve seen Anderson play, and I’m a full on believer after last night’s 18-point performance. Anderson caught an insane amount of poorly thrown lobs, gathered, and finished. He was able to isolate off the dribble from 20+ feet and actually go by guys. Also, the 270-pound junior has agile post moves. The one criticism is that he’s too eager to showcase those post moves; quicker decisions would have helped against the weak-side double teams. But, yeah, this dude is the real deal.
Best defensive performance: Tyler Terry (Bethel)
Although Anderson got the better of Terry on many occasions, Terry was able to frustrate him by forcing a few turnovers. Furthermore, Terry finished a bunch of defensive possessions by getting the rebound.
Best prospect: Caleb South (Bethel)
South was forced to watch from the sidelines most of the first half with foul trouble. Even so, he finished with 13 points, 11 of which came in the third quarter. South is an excellent ball-handler who never forced any passes against Troy Christian’s 2-3 zone. In transition, South zoomed past lesser athletes to set up easy lay-ups for his teammates. South is also a strong kid who changes direction noticeably well.
X-Factor: Seth Wynne (Troy Christian)
Troy Christian needs shooters to surround Anderson, and Seth Wynne fits that profile. The 5’10” senior keyed a small run from the late-third to the mid-fourth quarter by knocking down some shots. If Wynne kept it going, Troy Christian seriously may have completed the comeback. Going forward, Wynne is a key member of this team because of his shooting ability.
Best sixth man: Ben Schenk (Troy Christian)
The junior point guard is another guy who hit some outside shots. Surprised Schenk didn’t play more after closing out the third quarter with a couple rare buckets for Troy Christian, who was desperate for someone other than Anderson to make a play. Schenk appears to be a reliable decision maker.
Best underclassman: Kendal James (Bethel)
We didn’t see much of James, but he’s a solid backup point guard. The undersized sophomore isn’t too aggressive, but he showed some shiftiness that gave defenders trouble.
Under the radar performance: Ryan Rose (Bethel)
When South went out in the late-third with his fourth foul, Bethel appeared vulnerable. Then, Rose took over the ball-handling duties. The junior turned it over just one time in that crucial four-minute period and capped it off with a tough 3-pointer. He also shoots well off-the-dribble.
Best intangibles: Ian Anderson Jr. (Bethel)
The 6’3” senior is super intense. He just looked angry the entire game, but in a good way. You can tell Anderson Jr. never allows his teammates to let their guard down.
Best moment: Just as James Anderson was about to bring the house down with a fast-break dunk, Bethel’s Jacob Evans stripped the ball and knocked it out of bounds. Troy Christian was always one momentum shift away from taking this game, and this was their big chance.