3 solid performers in the Memphis East – Whitehaven matchup
The Memphis East Mustangs opened up league play Tuesday night with a 66-51 home win over rival Whitehaven Tigers. Here were the best performers from Tuesday night. Alijah Curry Alijah Curry 6'8" | PF Camden | 2024 State #314 Nation…
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Continue ReadingThe Memphis East Mustangs opened up league play Tuesday night with a 66-51 home win over rival Whitehaven Tigers.
Here were the best performers from Tuesday night.
The 6-foot-8 junior forward had one of his best performances of the season, scoring 23 points and pulling down 16 rebounds. Curry was aggressive early on, as he was scoring on the block, getting putbacks, and knocking down shots from the free throw line.
It should have been refreshing for Memphis East to see Curry have a stat line that was enough for the win. With not much size in 4A this season, Curry should have more quality performances moving forward like he did against a physical Whitehaven team. He was the sole reason Memphis East was able to build an eight-point lead (23-15) early in the second quarter.
LJ Hickman
The senior guard had a quiet 14 points, nine rebounds, and two assists. Hickman didn’t take a lot of shots inside the 3-point line like he has done up to this point of the season. I didn’t see a sense of urgency on offense, especially in the third quarter when Curry cooled off. Whitehaven’s Julius Thedford’s fourth 3 of the game put the Tigers up 42-39.
Hickman didn’t seek to match Thedford’s scoring. But, Hickman did drive and create enough contact throughout the contest to get trips to the free throw line. Hickman went 8 for 11 from the charity stripe. Another thing: Hickman has to take better care of the basketball. He had seven turnovers Tuesday night.
Julius Thedford
The 6-4 guard was the Tigers’ best player on the court. His hot shooting in the 3rd quarter had Whitehaven in position to get a district win on the road inside a hostile environment, but he cooled off the fourth, as the Mustangs – most notably Hickman – did a good job face guarding Thedford and forcing him into taking tough shots. Memphis East went on a 12-0 run early in the final eight minutes to build a double-digit lead and never looked back.
Thedford finished the night with 25 points and is definitely one of the best prospects in the 2024 class.
Closing remarks
For the Mustangs to win the 4A District 16 title this season, Curry, Hickman, and senior guard Jamarion Harvey will have to perform well. Curry needs to be a nightly double-double for the Mustangs. Hickman needs to be more aggressive on the offensive end and take the mid-range when it’s there. Harvey, who had just 11 points on 5 of 14 shooting, will need to score at a higher clip. He’s capable of doing and has been doing so this season.
As for the Tigers, Thedford is a stud, but he needs someone else to come along for the ride with him. Freshman wing Dorion Bowen has potential to be a solid No. 2 scoring option. He showed flashes Tuesday night when he got a handful of stickbacks. Thedford won’t be enough to win the district.