McDonald’s Texas Invitational – Crosby vs Lake Creek

<p>The McDonald’s Texas Invitational Basketball Tournament kicked off on Thursday, November 18. It was an impressive show with 48 different men’s games played on Day 1 throughout eight different gyms in the southeast Houston area. The second game of the day at Pasadena High School featured the Crosby Cougars versus the Montgomery Lake Creek Lions.</p> <p>The Crosby Cougars came into this game as the favorites led by two of the top players in the state in [player_tooltip player_id="781886" first="P.J." last="Haggerty"] and [player_tooltip player_id="958615" first="Sean" last="Elkinton"]. Lake Creek did not go down without a fight though. The Lions came in firing on all cylinders, shooting the lights out with five different players hitting at least two 3-pointers each throughout the game. Anytime Crosby looked like they were making a run, Lake Creek would come right back with a string of tough shots either from the perimeter or midrange. This back and forth lasted all 3 quarters where the Cougars entered the 4th quarter with a 4 point lead. That was where it all seemed to fall apart though and the better team simply took over. Lake Creek stopped hitting the contested shots they were making all game and Crosby outscored them by 12 points in the 4th, finishing the game with a convincing 63-47 win.</p> <p><strong>#4 - [player_tooltip player_id="781886" first="P.J." last="Haggerty"] - 6’3" - PG - Senior - Crosby</strong></p> <p>Haggerty put on one of his typical impressive performances in this one, showing everyone why he deserves to be in the discussion of top 5 seniors in the state. He had an aggressive mindset from the tip, constantly attacking the paint with his quick and decisive ball handling, slicing through Lake Creek’s defense and getting to the rim at will. Lake Creek did everything they could to stop him, but only ended up sending him to the free throw line multiple times where Haggerty went 16/16 finishing with 26 points. He set his teammates up beautifully, as well, connecting with [player_tooltip player_id="958615" first="Sean" last="Elkinton"] multiple times down low for easy finishes. It wasn’t just the offensive side of the ball that Haggerty dominated either, he stayed active on the defensive end, constantly staying in the action, tipping passes and knocking the ball loose from the opposing ball handler. His relentless pressure on the paint kept Crosby in the game throughout and played a huge part in them pulling away in the 4th.</p> <p><strong>#20 - Anthony Baldwin - 6’3" - G/SF - Senior - Crosby</strong></p> <p>Baldwin played a fantastic game even though he didn’t put up the stats his star teammates did. He provided energy and toughness throughout the game that gave the Cougars extra life whenever Lake Creek started to make a run. He moved the ball well and stayed active with his feet on the offensive end. He put pressure on the paint, along with Haggerty, finishing off some nice drives to the basket. Most of all, though, it was his aggressive and active hustle on rebounds that provided a much needed spark to his team. Crosby outrebounded Lake Creek 30-17 in large part to Baldwin’s hustle and determination to box out and chase down every rebound, especially on the offensive end, giving the Cougars multiple second chance opportunities.</p> <p><strong>#33 - [player_tooltip player_id="958615" first="Sean" last="Elkinton"] - 6’7" - C - Senior - Crosby</strong></p> <p>Just like his star teammate, Elkinton showed why he is considered such a strong talent in Texas. He did it all for Crosby and then some. He stretched the floor extremely well for his fellow teammates to drive the lanes, hitting multiple long range shots from 3-point range and midrange. He attacked the paint well, pulling off a nice spin move at one point and finishing strong multiple other times. His height advantage and his aggressiveness on the boards paid off in this one, as well, dominating the offensive boards along with his teammate, Anthony Baldwin. He also put his versatility on the defensive end on full display, picking up smaller and quicker guards on the perimeter and playing hardnose, tough defense in the post, seemingly shutting down anyone who dared to try and score against him.</p> <p><strong>#2 - Braedon Bigott - 6’2" - PG - Junior - Lake Creek</strong></p> <p>Bigott was the focal point of the offense for Lake Creek in this game finishing with 16 points. He was one of several players hitting 3-pointers in the 1st to get the team going and then hit another one in the 4th to try and get them back in it. He consistently attacked the paint with his explosive first step and quick ball handling, coming away with several tough layups and hitting a nice floater in the 3rd. He also set his teammates up beautifully, getting them open shots off his drives and doing everything he could to keep his team in the game.</p> <p><strong>#22 - Seth Cantu - 6’1" - SG - Junior - Lake Creek</strong></p> <p>Cantu put his 3-and-D skillset on full display. He hit multiple long range shots in the game but it was his active and relentless defense that really stood out. He was a disciplined on-ball defender, making several quick and strong closeouts on the perimeter, and he stayed active and aware off the ball. He kept his head up and made sure he knew where his man was and where the ball was at all times. He hustled on the defensive boards, as well, boxing out very well for his size and securing defensive possessions.</p> <p><strong>#55 - Caleb Malik - 6’4" - PF/C - Senior - Lake Creek</strong></p> <p>Malik may have had a size disadvantage on his hands, matching up with guys like [player_tooltip player_id="958615" first="Sean" last="Elkinton"] at times, but he held his own and used his own strengths effectively to still make a positive impact on the game. He took part in the 3-point barrage of Lake Creek, hitting several long range shots throughout the game, doing his best to keep Crosby’s bigs out of the paint and open up more opportunities for his guards to penetrate. He also did very well on the offensive boards, boxing out extremely well and grabbing a few rebounds of his own to get his team second chances. He did come away with a strong block in the 4th but Crosby had already started pulling away and unfortunately it was not enough to spark a comeback in time.</p>