Three Thoughts: Beckman vs. University
IRVINE, Ca. — Tuesday night’s Pacific Coast League matchup between Beckman and University featured not only two of the top scoring teams in the county, but also two of the top scoring individuals in O.C.
Uni’s Alex Bray leads the county in scoring at 27.9 points per game, while Beckman’s Dylan Thoerner ranks eighth at 20.8 per contest.
Bray may have won Tuesday’s individual scoring match-up with a game-high 31 points, but Thoerner and Beckman took home the victory, 85-70, with the 6-foot-4 wing leading the Patriots with 29 points and nine rebounds.
Here are a few things we took away from that game:
Three Thoughts
Beckman’s Dylan Thoerner is one of the top scorers in Orange County at 20.8 points per game.Thoerner is a prospect to keep an eye on
The 6-foot-4 junior may not have as much publicity surrounding him as some of his junior classmates, but Thoerner will surely see an uptick in his recruitment if he continues his scoring tear into the spring and summer. Thoerner has an old-school type of game where he operates out of the mid-post with good feel with his back to the basket. He’s a crafty scorer at that level of the floor, knocking in a handful of feathery fadeaway jumpers. Thoerner may not look the part athletically, but he did show some bounce with a steal at half-court that led to a breakaway two-handed dunk that showed some pop in his legs. The most intriguing aspect of Thoerner as a prospect is his 4.56 grade point average.
Bray has the game to play somewhere at the next level
While the Division I ranks may not be in the cards for Alex Bray, the rangy 6-foot-5 wing can score in bunches from the 3-point and paint levels, which could help a Division III or NAIA program. The senior is a crafty attacker of the basket, nullifying his slight frame with change of direction and simple ball fakes to get where he needs to go. Bray can also stroke the 3-point shot with deep range. One of the downfalls for Bray has been the run-and-gun style Uni plays and his poor shot selection, at times, that follows.
Beckman is a potential playoff threat
The Patriots were not ranked among the 16 teams in the most recent CIF-SS Division 3AA poll released last week, but with their talent and style of play, they could win a couple games that few expected them to win if they do make their way into the postseason. Thoerner isn’t the only scorer on that team as senior guards Ryan Sprosty and Charlie Lee have a lot of bounce game and shooting ability from deep. Beckman plays an uptempo, free-flowing style that, if it gets hot from deep, could shock some people.