Eastern vs. Donovan Catholic: 5 Takeaways
Eastern came out hot in game one of the Coaches vs. Cancer Shootout. They scored the first nine points again Donovan Catholic and rode that momentum into halftime. Eastern led 29-16 at the break and was able to weather a…
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Continue ReadingEastern came out hot in game one of the Coaches vs. Cancer Shootout. They scored the first nine points again Donovan Catholic and rode that momentum into halftime. Eastern led 29-16 at the break and was able to weather a surge from the Griffins.
It was more of the same in the second half. Eastern outscored Donovan Catholic 33-17 and rolled to a 62-33 victory. Here are five key takeaways from the game.
Zubair Lee was big down low
Lee established himself early in this one and that proved to be key. He scored 10 of his 20 points in the second quarter. Lee also grabbed 15 rebounds in this one, eight on the offensive end. Donovan Catholic could not match the size of the junior and that was costly for them. Lee did most of his work on putbacks from inside the paint.
Eastern did more with turnovers
The first half was sloppy on both sides. Neither team could avoid turnovers but Eastern gained an edge on scoring off them. They were able to get out in transition after a turnover and turn them into points. Donovan Catholic struggles to do this and often turned it back over after a steal. The excellent guard play of Eastern kept the team under control in the open floor after a turnover.
Donovan Catholic showed youth
Donovan Catholic is a young team and that showed in this one. They are set up well for the future but this season will be a transition. Amari Petty is a sophomore point guard with incredible skill but he has to be more consistent. Petty scored six early points but was shut down for most of the game following. He is a player that will grow every time he steps on the floor.
Noah Klinewski took over second half
The first half was dominated by Lee but Eastern’s top gun got it going in the second half. Klinewski was named MVP for Eastern as he finished with 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists. He knocked down 9-10 free throws in the contest. The impressive part of Klinewski’s game was his patience and ability to play under control. This is where his experience as a senior led him over the youth of his opponent. Klinewski has been Eastern’s top scorer all season long and that will be the theme of the year.
Griffins applies pressure in second half
Matt Weeden was the best player on the floor for Donovan Catholic in this game. He finished with 10 points and seven rebounds. He led the press in the second half. Already in a big hole, the Griffins added some full-court pressure and it was effective. This is something that you will see them do a lot over the course of the season.