Francisco’s Finest: Mater Dei vs St. John Bosco (Part 2)

Joel Francisco

May 8, 2021 @ 05:58 PM

Francisco’s Finest: Mater Dei vs St. John Bosco (Part 2) SANTA ANA, Ca—In one of the more anticipated match-ups in this shortened CIFSS season, Mater Dei, who at one time trailed by 10-points, clawed their way back with an impeccable defensive effort to pull out a 57-54 victory. The Monarchs received a feathery shooting performance from USC-bound [player_tooltip player_id="680209" first="Harrison" last="Hornery"] as he dropped in 24-points. Meanwhile the Braves of St. John Bosco after a strong 1st half performance struggled to find any offensive rhythm in the 2nd half. The Best is yet to come [player_tooltip player_id="748764" first="Jeremiah" last="Nyarko"] (St. John Bosco) 2022, PF/WF, 6-foot-9, 190 pounds Joel’s Take: Each and every time out, Nyarko continues to impress. The rangy 4-man is developing a nice shooting touch from the perimeter as he dropped a couple of 3-pointers. However, his most impressive finishes were a pair of turn-around jumpers in the mid-post where he got great lift. His touch is soft in the paint and he is a quick jumper—as exhibited by his eye-popping tip late in the 2nd quarter. Blue-Collar Madness Christian Estrada (St. John Bosco) 2022, PF, 6-foot-7, 215 pounds Joel’s Take: Estrada put together a nice solid all-around effort in this one. He played hard at both ends of the floor as he contributed in the areas of post defense, rebounding, and finishing. He showed some nimble feet on his post ups as he converted some nice finishes. Overall, the broad-shouldered and long-armed 4/5 has a nose for the ball and should be a definite standout for the Braves next season. Mr. Dependable [player_tooltip player_id="680195" first="Wilhelm" last="Breidenbach"] (Mater Dei) 2021, PF, 6-foot-8, 220 pounds Joel’s Take: The last couple of games Bridenbach hasn’t found his normal offensive rhythm. His usual assortment of jump hooks usually fall with consistency, however that hasn’t been the case recently. However, he brings so much more to the table. He did swish a 3-point jump shot, rebounded in traffic, dropped off some nifty assists, and played some outstanding defense. These are the number of reasons why Nebraska signed this skilled 4-man. Coming out party [player_tooltip player_id="748771" first="Gabriel" last="Quiette"] (Mater Dei) 2022, CG, 6-foot-4, 180 pounds Joel’s Take: Quiette has been on the recruiting radar since his freshman season and he has slowly improved his game each and every season. Going up against one of the best defensive teams in So-Cal, Quiette put together a solid performance. He nailed a 3-point shot off the catch, grabbed some impressive rebounds in traffic, and nailed a nice pull-up jump shot in the paint during the Monarchs clutch 4th quarter. As he continues to improve his overall offensive game and becomes more assertive at that end, he should catch the eye of scouts and coaches this summer. Quick on Quick [player_tooltip player_id="994942" first="Ray" last="King"] (St. John Bosco) 2023, PG, 5-foot-10, 165 pounds Joel’s Take: In each and every game against a quality opponent, coaches rely on their bench to provide a much-needed spart. For Head Coach Matt Dunn, King provides that element—especially on the defensive end. The well-built point guard is a pest on the defensive end with his lateral quickness, active hands, and a heavy dose of moxie. He gave the Mater Dei guards fits and did a nice job putting their guards on their heels with his ability to push the ball.