2019-20 Baltimore Classic: St. Frances vs Oak Hill (2021-2023 Evaluations)
Due to the current pandemic, we are without the spring stage of evaluating live basketball action. Until that time comes, we’ll be taking a look at some of the classic games from this past season and breaking down non-senior players…
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Continue ReadingDue to the current pandemic, we are without the spring stage of evaluating live basketball action. Until that time comes, we’ll be taking a look at some of the classic games from this past season and breaking down non-senior players and their performances.
I start with St. Frances’ statement win over Oak Hill in the East Coast Bump event from February. Coming into this game, both teams were considered top 25 nationally and given the history of Oak Hill, it was a great opportunity for St. Frances to measure themselves against one of the known powerhouses in the country. St. Frances didn’t seem to get the memo that Oak Hill was regarded as a top 10 and in some national rankings, top 5 at this time. They proceeded by welcoming Oak Hill to Baltimore and blowing them out by a final score of 80-61.
The following are the 2021-2023 prospects that stood out in this game.
Khyrie Staten Khyrie Staten 6'2" | CG St. Frances | 2021 State MD | 6’2 | St. Frances ’21
Game by game, Staten began to prove his worth in the Baltimore area. He emerged as a consisting scoring threat for St. Frances and was inserted into the starting lineup early in the season. Staten is’t a player that passes the eye test, but that didn’t stop him from being an absolute force against some of the best guards in the country throughout this game. Staten finished with 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting. He converted just two of his seven three-points attempts, an area where he usually shines, but showcased his game off the bounce and finishing by the rim by converting six of his eight shots inside the arc. His defensive assignment was Arkansas commit K.K. Robinson. Staten held the future Razorback to just six points and forced him into a bevy of challenging shots. Robinson is a shifty, left-handed guard who made his living off getting into the paint and forcing the defense to collapse, but Staten’s tremendous anticipation and lateral quickness allowed him to stay in front for the majority of his drives. Staten also did a great job of funneling Robinson to his 6-foot-9 teammate Julian Reese Julian Reese 6'8" | C St. Frances | 2021 State #109 Nation MD around the rim where Reese was hosting his own block party.
Julian Reese Julian Reese 6'8" | C St. Frances | 2021 State #109 Nation MD | 6’9 | St. Frances ’21
As mentioned in Staten’s write-up, Reese was hosting his own block party at the rim and everyone on Oak Hill was invited. He ended this game with six total blocks, but forced at least five more shots taken in the painted area as players distorted their release to avoid his wingspan. The 6-foot-9 lefty made his presence early in this game on both ends. Offensively he showed his versatility by knocking down a couple of 16-to-18 footers off the catch. He even converted a three early on, which forced his defender to account for him out on the perimeter, which ultimately took a big body presence away from the rim for Oak Hill.
In the second half Reese was utilizing himself by the baseline as he would sneak behind the back line of the Oak Hill zone defense and finish easy looks from penetrating guards. In my opinion, this was one of Reese’s best games of the year. There were multiple cases where he’d block a shot or force a turnover on the defensive end and follow it up with a basket from running the floor. Another area Reese was effective was in ball-screens. In these situations, Reese blitzed the ball-handler and made it tough for the guards to turn the corner or get a clear passing window with his length.
His final stat line in the win was 11 points, six blocks and five rebounds.
Jahnathan Lamothe Jahnathan Lamothe 6'3" | CG St. Frances | 2023 State #204 Nation MD | 6’2 | St. Frances ’23
It’s always interesting to see how freshmen handle playing on a big stage against elite competition. Many times the bright lights can cause them to be hesitant with just about every move they make. Lamothe only scored one basket in this game, but stood out in other ways to help contribute to St. Frances’ win. The 6-foot-2 guard collected five rebounds and all of them were followed by Lamothe instantly being aware of his streaking guards flying down the court. He delivered multiple crisp outlet passes that resulted in transition points for the Panthers and helped scouts like myself see his IQ and instincts kick in during high-pressure situations. He also held his own on the defensive end. Lamothe wasn’t the slightest of foot when it came to moving laterally, but he kept the Oak Hill guards at bay and didn’t allow for easy paint touches on drives.
Byron Ireland | 6’2 | St. Frances ’21
Ireland’s junior season at St. Frances was all about development and learning how to play basketball with other high-level players. It showed in his outing against Oak Hill where he took smart shots and converted on his opportunities. He finished 3-of-4 from the field and knocking down his one attempted three as he contributed with seven points. His quick passes and decision making off the dribble came to light when Oak Hill switched to a 2-3 zone defense. Ireland consistently found open lanes off quick swings and force the defense to collapse. Defensively, Ireland has a strong frame and was physical fighting over ball screens so the Panthers could successfully secure traps of the ball handler. He showed good timing on his weakside rotations and made life difficult for his man to get catches where he wanted.
Elijah Davis Elijah Davis 6'0" | PG St. Frances | 2022 MD | 5’11 | St. Frances ’21
If you’ve seen Davis play before you know that his calling card is the impact he can have defensively. He’s one of the few guys that will pressure the ball handler on every single possession. He’s not doing it for steals, although when the opportunity presents itself he goes for it, rather he applies that pressure to wear down his match up. Time and time again when the point guard catches the ball after an opponent’s shot, knows that you have to deal with immediate pressure can take a toll both mentally and physically. That is just one area where Davis makes his presence known that doesn’t show up on the box score. On the offensive end Davis was used as a game manager. He was dependable as a ball handler, which allowed VCU commit Ace Baldwin to slide off the ball for stints and be more of a scorer. In that position, Davis plays efficient. He doesn’t make careless passes or force drives that don’t go anywhere.
A good example of how three of these players (Reese, Staten and Davis) was laid out in this defensive possession that turned to a back-breaking three from their leader, Baldwin.
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