Amid preseason basketball we were able to catch a match-up we hope to see again later in the regular season or playoffs. Miller School of Albemarle hosts Paul VI, the #8 ranked basketball program in the nation via ESPN. These…
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Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log inAmid preseason basketball we were able to catch a match-up we hope to see again later in the regular season or playoffs. Miller School of Albemarle hosts Paul VI, the #8 ranked basketball program in the nation via ESPN. These two teams provided an action-packed scrimmage and allowed us to dig up a ton of insight into what we may see from the two programs in the upcoming regular season. When all is said and done and the final whistle is blown, Paul VI put up 87 points to Miller School’s 60 points in the scrimmage.
Paul VI is getting things done on both ends
Paul VI did a great job on the defensive end in this match-up, making it difficult for Miller School to get comfortable throughout the scrimmage. The First thing I noticed on the defensive end from Paul VI was how much they were communicating with each other and truly playing defense on a string. This collective defensive performance created a lot of offensive opportunities for Paul VI, allowing them to get out to a big lead early.
Harris opened this game up with a nice movement 3. comes off the pin-down screen, adjusts his body on the catch, squares up with the rim, rises, and fires over the tough contest. He knocked down a few good-looking 3’s in this contest with a consistent form each time. Harris also made his presence felt on the defensive end with controlled and balanced closeouts as well as playing lockdown defense off-ball, showing an elite program like duke everything they want to see in a prospect.
Hammond really put on a show for Paul VI in this match-up. His speed combined with his quick decision making was a difficult challenge for Miller School’s defense. The high motor point guard absolutely picked Miller School’s zone press apart on more than just 1 occasion by accelerating through the press, getting into the middle of the half court and making a quick decision. Hammond was dropping dimes all over the court, this effort from Hammond created tons of opportunities for his teammates as he also showed good flashes of his ability to score and create from the midrange area and the ability to get to the rim in the half-court setting.
Sundra was a focal point for Paul VI’s defense in this match-up. He provided great post defense and ran the floor with intent early in the game which resulted in a highlight dunk. Sundra took advantage of every transition opportunity that was presented, oftentimes being the first downcourt which is impressive for a 6’10 player.
Harris-Smith made his presence felt here with his ability to get to the paint as he put a ton of pressure on the rim. Throughout his possessions we see Harris-Smith attacking closeouts to get to the basket, essentially eliminating the defender closing out from the play. We also saw Harris-smith moving on the catch, this often threw the entire defense into scramble mode allowing the opportunity to make a quick pass to a shooter or finish the play himself.
Miller School showcased great versatility throughout the offense
Miller School of Albemarle got it done on offense in a variety of ways, using
Eli DeLaurier
Eli
DeLaurier
6'8" | C
Miller School | 2024
State
#173
Nation
VA
as a facilitator generated to good possesions. On the defense end, Miller School ran full court press to slow PVI down. They did a great job of excicuting plays throughout the game and playing unselfish on the offensive end.
Horne provided great energy on both ends of the court in this scrimmage. His high motor on the defensive end made it life a little more difficult for paul VI wings when operating on the perimeter. Horne was diving on the floor, wrestling for loose balls as he consistently made hustle plays for Miller School.
Bonde showed his advanced vision while operating as the primary ball handler in this match-up. Bonde made the right plays when the ball was in his hands, we seen him hit cutters that the defense had no clue about. He played with good patience, never seemed too sped up and showed that he is a threat to knock down contested threes off the catch as well as off the dribble.
Hartman provided much needed shooting for Miller School early in this scrimmage when shots were not falling. Hartman moved great off the ball and knocked down a couple tough shots to keep over the top of defenders. Hartman also provided good energy on the defensive end.
On Ball’s first possession he showed how well he moved and his patience off ball as he knocked down a tough contested corner three pointer. Throughout the scrimmage Ball hustled extremely hard and took no plays off. On the defensive end he does a good job off being a nuisance off ball, on one instance he made a perfect rotation out of help defense to completely erase a shot at the rim. On Offense, Ball constantly got the defense out of position which opened up endless opportunities for Miller School.
DeLaurier really showed his ability to be a two-way player in this match-up by making things difficult in the paint on the defensive end. He showcased great transition defense, hustling down court and meets an opposing player at the rim to stop a fastbreak. DeLaurier was just as valuable on the offensive end as he showed his stretch skillset, taking and making threes. DeLaurier did a good job operating the paint and cleaning up missed shots for the offense.
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