The Bearcat Classic: Team Phenom vs. Advanced Game DJ/PJ
With the Grassroots season in full swing, Prep Hoops was in Cincinnati Saturday for one of the premier events of the season, the Ohio Basketball Bearcat Classic. With 11 venues being used, The Bearcat Classic was a field with hundreds of good teams which means there was a lot of good talent on the courts. Let’s take a look at some of the action from Saturday at Walnut Hills High School.
Team Phenom (79) vs. Advanced Game, DJ/PJ (52) – This game was a tale of two halves for both teams as Advanced Game kept the game close with solid three point shooting. Advanced Game was also able to capitalize off turnovers and the foul trouble that plagued Team Phenom in the first half. But Phenom was able to stay in the game due to the play of two players in particular, Dominic Brewton and Shawn Hawkins.
Brewton (c/o ’18, Mt. Healthy) showed why he is one of the top guards in Southwest Ohio. Brewton was in attack mode the whole first half, scoring from all three levels on the court while also getting buckets off of crashing the offensive glass. Hawkins (c/o ’18, Cincinnati Shroder) showed no ill effects from a knee injury that forced him to miss the whole 2016-17 high school season. The big man did a good job of running the floor for easy buckets while showing the ability to finish with both hands. On defense Hawkins showed a good understanding of team defense stopping driving lanes and forcing numerous jump balls while also showing the ability to help and recover. Hawkins will be an interesting prospect to watch this upcoming season.
In the second half is where Team Phenom really started to take the game over. Solid all-around team play crisper ball movement in the second half which lead to uncontested shots for the Phenoms. On the defensive end Team Phenom used their length and athleticism to force Advanced Game into tough shots and many forced and unforced turnovers. Brewton and Hawkins also got some help in the scoring category as G Giovanni Santiago (c/o ’18 Cincinnati Hughes) along with W/F AJ Smith got more involved in the offense as well. Look for Team Phenom to make plenty of noise throughout the remainder of the grassroots season.