Standouts: Impact Academy vs. Oldsmar Christian
The Florida high school basketball season kicked off at Oldsmar Christian on Tuesday night with the new look Eagles hosting Impact Academy.
Here are the standouts from both sides in Oldsmar Christian’s 80-58 victory.
2019 guard Braxton Bartlett (Oldsmar Christian)
No MVP on this list, but Bartlett was hands down the best player on the floor. He dropped 13 points at the half before finishing up with a game-high 26. Bartlett, a former Palm Harbor University guard had five 3-pointers in total. His top moment came in the fourth quarter when he had a decent look from outside, instead, he jolted inside the 3-point line and buried a wide-open mid-range jumper. Simply a smart play from the bright junior.
2018 forward Tyrese Williams (Oldsmar Christian)
Dunks are what Williams loves. He had three slams that made the crowd get off their feet, compiling 19 points. The senior forward looks natural with his new group after transferring over from Tampa Bay Tech. Williams is a really fun player to watch and if he can continue to develop that mid-range jumper then he’ll be really solid all-around.
2018 guard Harry Young (Impact)
Young, a New Zealand native led Impact with 14 points. He showed off his range and fell in love with the corner 3 early. He had 10 points through two quarters but was contained by Oldsmar Christian in the second half. Young has to find ways to score more if Impact wants to succeed, but I liked his potential, especially as a spot-up shooter.
2018 guard Ricardo Clouden (Oldsmar Christian)
Athleticism is in Clouden’s blood. The former Lennard star forms a nice trio with Bartlett and Williams. The three players are developing a nice chemistry already. Clouden had eight points and eight assists. His passes are crisp and he is strong to the lane. Clouden had back-to-back blocks in the fourth quarter. His best moment came in the second quarter when he switched hands on a layup and literally punched in a basket.
2018 forward Kirill Kiselev (Impact)
The tallest player for Impact at 6’4″, Kiselev had a very nice stroke from outside. He had six points at the break and added two 3-pointers in the second half. He wasn’t able to consistently get open with the swarming Oldsmar Christian defense, but Kiselev is talented. He made plays to help his squad.
2018 guard Cameron Lee (Oldsmar Christian)
Prior to the fourth quarter, Lee had only five points. He took advantage of a combination of a tired Impact defense and a large lead to produce 11 points in the final quarter of the game. He had a powerful slam and a few very nice drives to the rack. Lee is best used as a feeder inside.
2020 guard Kutluhan Celayir (Impact)
Celayir is an Istanbul native who has a good knack for the tight areas on the court. He had nine points. Perhaps the best attribute was the fact that he isn’t afraid to get inside despite his 5’10” frame. Celayir added a three-point play late in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 13. He should be a solid offensive piece all year long for Impact.
2021 guard Anthony Bittar (Oldsmar Christian)
Bittar was by far the most impressive freshman on the night. He scored six points, both on 3’s in the second half. The fact that he played an entire JV game prior the varsity matchup and still looked like he had full energy was nice to see. He leads the offense well and has a chance to be a solid playmaker.