Preview: Baylor vs. Christian Brothers
The Christian Brothers – Baylor matchup is one of the most intriguing games in the quarterfinals round of the Division II-AA Boys State Tournament. And it’s easy to point out why. The Purple Wave (20-8) and the Red Raiders both…
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Continue ReadingThe Christian Brothers – Baylor matchup is one of the most intriguing games in the quarterfinals round of the Division II-AA Boys State Tournament.
And it’s easy to point out why.
The Purple Wave (20-8) and the Red Raiders both have a productive backcourt. Christian Brothers is led by freshman point guard Chandler Jackson and sophomore shooting guard Reese McMullen. In the Purple Wave’s final regular season game of the 2018 season, Jackson finished with 13 points, five assists, and five blocks.
McMullen is one of the best outside shooters for Christian Brothers and has a quick release. The tandem of Jackson and McMullen works perfectly because both players are unselfish. Jackson is an aggressive, patient floor general, and McMullen is a scoring guard who doesn’t force a lot of shots and is willing to give up the basketball to the man who’s open.
This young backcourt has help from guards Sam Spence, Sam Stalnaker, Eli Federman, and Harrison Kelly.
The Purple Wave, who finished the regular season winning four of their last five games, are the No. 2 seed in this season’s state tournament and hasn’t played a game since Feb. 15 when they defeated MUS by the final score of 42-40. It will be interesting to see how Christian Brothers looks after having a week off of not being in a live game.
Jackson, who’s 6-foot-3, has faced some talented point guards this season and will face another one Saturday afternoon in Baylor’s senior point guard Beyuan Hendricks, who was named a finalist for this season’s TSSAA DII-AA Mr. Basketball Award. Hendricks was an All-State selection last season for the Red Raiders (21-5), who finished as state runner-up.
Hendricks is no stranger to being a productive point guard. In the team’s first 22 games, he averaged 18.1 points, 4.5 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game. Hendricks has help from senior shooting guard Blake Pruitt, who’s been the sixth man off the bench after losing his starting job earlier in the season due to an ankle injury.
In Baylor’s last five games, Pruitt has been averaging 13 points a game, with the team going 2-3 in that span. From two summers ago to now, Pruitt has went from being just a spot-up shooter to a guard that can create his own shot off the dribble. Because of that, the Red Raiders have benefited well from Pruitt coming off the bench. It can easily be said that Pruitt is the J.J. Redick of his team.
Baylor just has to hope Pruitt can continue to be a spark off the bench, so his team can get past the Purple Wave and get back to the final four of the state tournament in Nashville, Tennessee.
But, Christian Brothers will not be an easy out.