Five Takeaways: Potomac School vs. St. Andrew’s

<p><em>MCLEAN, VA</em> -- The Potomac School and St. Andrew's squared off on Tuesday night in a much-anticipated MAC contest. The Lions took an early lead and did not look back as they led wire-to-wire in an impressive overall performance. Here we recap this matchup with five takeaways. </p> <h5>SMALLS SETS THE TONE</h5> <p>From the opening tip, American University commit <strong>Colin Smalls</strong> picked up his man full court and set the tone with consistent ball pressure on defense. He was active defensively and recorded deflections but also came up with a handful of steals. Smalls also showed that he was not afraid to dive on the floor to win a 50/50 ball. </p> <h5>GADSDEN'S CONFIDENCE IS GROWING</h5> <p>What a difference a month can make. When we saw <strong>TJ Gadsden</strong> last month in a scrimmage at Paul VI, he was solid defensively but seemed hesitant to shoot when he had open looks. He had no such issues last night. Gadsden got himself going early by attacking the boards and catching a putback dunk. Gadsden made a standstill three and shot it with confidence. He also scored with his back to the basket. He was probably the best communicator on the floor and showed that he can effectively hedge or switch ball screens. We expect Gadsden's recruitment to continue to trend up moving forward if he can sustain this level of play. </p> <h5>WILLIAMS CONTINUES TO IMPROVE</h5> <p>The 2021 rankings update will be dropping soon, and Benny Williams is making a strong case for that number one spot. It seems like he's finally getting used to his 6-foot-8 frame after that growth spurt and is really starting to assert himself. Williams has an intriguing blend of size and skill but is starting to develop that killer instinct. He is still scratching the surface of his potential and it's going to be fun to watch him try to reach it. </p> <p>https://twitter.com/AyalewAdam/status/1207090933487034368</p> <h5>COMMUNICATION MATTERS</h5> <p>The main takeaway from this game was how much St. Andrew's communicated, especially on defense. All the players were on the same page as far as their gameplan and were able to execute. Unfortunately, we can't say the same for Potomac School. Some players communicated, but not consistently enough to make a difference. At the next level, it will be important for all of their players to understand the importance of being vocal on the court. </p> <h5>QUICK TAKES</h5> <p><strong>Chace Davis </strong>was the game's leading scorer last night. The manner in which he scored was impressive. Davis scored within the flow of the game. He looked to get downhill aggressively, embraced contact around the rim, and moved well without the ball. Davis also showed that he can score in the post against smaller guards. </p> <p><strong>Spencer Hayes </strong>quietly pulled down 9 rebounds and gave his team a boost with his overall effort. The unsigned 6-foot-5 wing made smart cuts off the ball and utilized shot fakes effectively in the paint to keep the defense off-balance. </p> <p><strong>Khalil Williams </strong>is going to be a good one. The left-handed frosh knocked down a couple of threes and showcased his range. He also demonstrated a nice in-between game. Williams will only improve as he grows into his body and learns how to deal with physicality a little bit better. </p> <p><strong>Austin Smith </strong>provided a nice spark off the bench for the Panthers. The sophomore guard took a charge and rebounded well in his area. He moved well without the ball, knocked down a spot-up three and had a nice finish in the paint.</p>