Saturday “Dagger” Sheet: Frontcourt Superlatives From The Week

Keith Agran November 28, 2020 @ 06:10 PM

And now some frontcourt players who had solid debuts during Georgia’s opening week: Paul Languana, 6-5<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/20201121_175703-rotated.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1091748 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/20201121_175703-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a>, Senior, F, Lambert Having played a supporting role to the now-graduated quartet of [player_tooltip player_id="868085" first="Collin" last="Granger"], [player_tooltip player_id="868099" first="Luke" last="Champion"], [player_tooltip player_id="806578" first="Braxton" last="Beaty"] and Will Baker a year ago, Languana embraced his new freedom with the ball last Saturday and worked his way through the paint for 19 tough points, he showed good lift and explosiveness off the floor near the basket and excellent work at both ends of the glass going at it most of the day with the Knights’ Duncan in a tight defeat, with a 3-headed backcourt of seniors [player_tooltip player_id="869616" first="Mason" last="Barnes"] and Marcel Mauge and rising sophomore James Tyre, the Longhorns can definitely make some hay in 7A Region 6 if Languana keeps up the production. [player_tooltip player_id="1047094" first="Cameron" last="Baldwin"] (above), 6-6, Senior, F, Allatoona Few players I’ve seen over the last year simply go about their business and effect games in<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/20201123_131228-rotated.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1091750 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/20201123_131228-rotated-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a> unspectacular yet effective fashion quite like Baldwin, often overshadowed on NME this summer as well as with his Buccaneer teammates, Baldwin nonetheless went out in a win over Cass and did all the things that will make him a steal on the next level in my opinion, he plays exceptional defense both out on the perimeter as well as guarding the rim (and taking charges), he’s got a soft set of hands that makes him really solid in the 10-15 foot range, and of course he can run the floor at a rangy 6-6 and finish with authority at the cup, always been enamored with his game and effort-level and he will continue to be an unsung key for the Bucs moving forward. [player_tooltip player_id="1047099" first="Umar" last="Rashid"], 6-6, Senior, F, Creekview [caption id="attachment_1091749" align="alignleft" width="225"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/20201123_164449-rotated.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1091749 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/20201123_164449-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="1047099" first="Umar" last="Rashid"] (white)[/caption] Much like Baldwin, Rashid often played fourth or even fifth fiddle for a deep group of GA Canes this summer, but with the Grizzlies he’s a key part of a three-headed production monster (guards [player_tooltip player_id="1049042" first="Trent" last="Jackson"] and [player_tooltip player_id="869634" first="Jayden" last="Cox-Young"] the others) that will make or break any postseason success, his versatility is notable in that he’s a terrific long-range shooter but has the size and foot speed to get catch and buckets in close and be a presence at the rim on the defensive end as well, in a tough loss to Heritage he faced good size both at the 4 and 5 as well as from the backcourt, and had the Grizz an additional big in his size range Rashid could really open up his arsenal across the floor, but playing as a pseudo-5 instead of a more natural stretch 4 means he has to do more for his team. [player_tooltip player_id="754266" first="Ryan" last="Mutombo"], 6-11, Senior, C, Lovett Much like his famous father, the younger Mutombo is so long and rangy that at the HS level he can overcome double and triple teams by length alone, but having elite size doesn’t take away from some of the things he’s improved on from last year - much craftier and space-creating footwork, better shot mechanics both from 4 feet and out to 15, and the maturity to play strongly through contact that comes with another year of physical development, against a disciplined and well-schooled St. Pius frontline be it smaller he came alive in the 2nd half of their close loss to get the visiting bigs in foul trouble and collect 12 of his 26 points from the FT stripe, with HOFer Patrick Ewing doing the teaching next year at Georgetown the upside is fascinating.