Notre Dame vs Campbell Hall: Underclassman Talent
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On December 6, two out of conference foes squared off to test each others skills in a fun, fast paced game. Notre Dame ended up running away with it with a score of 81-60. Reigning state CIF Champs Notre Dame…
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Continue ReadingOn December 6, two out of conference foes squared off to test each others skills in a fun, fast paced game. Notre Dame ended up running away with it with a score of 81-60. Reigning state CIF Champs Notre Dame were led by Mercy Miller Mercy Miller 6'4" | SG Notre Dame | 2024 State #45 Nation CA-S , dropping 23p 10r 8a. Although the story of this game was the young talent on both sides that will continue to lead these programs to even more success in the future. Below I touch on some of the underclassmen players in this game that stood out to me.
With a jam to start the game over the tall Campbell Hall defender in the 1st quarter, Zach’s skillset was on display from the get-go. He was energized from the beginning, as he was a constant pain for Campbell Hall trying to get back in transition to stop him. He was able to create for himself off the dribble, and drain the occasional jumper when it became available to him (including the full court heave he hit just after the buzzer sounded after the 3rd quarter). White was also a terror defensively, where his high IQ stood out when forced to switch onto the different crafty Campbell Hall guards. Zach White, who is only a sophomore, will continue to be one of the best players on the floor for years to come.
With the first team off the bench, Caleb fit right in with the top players setting great guard screens in the half court, and getting out and running off of misses in the full court. Ogbu has a natural talent when it comes to finishing at the rim. His strong cuts in the half court and in transition led to him getting some easy buckets. He was composed when forced to break Campbell Hall’s zone press. He will continue to get a better feel for the offense and will be a top scorer and playmaker for this team in the future.
Deuce Newt
Deuce Newt
Deuce came out with flames on his shoes from the beginning. Fearless in the open court, he was able to use his speed to be a threat in transition. He showed a strong ability to kick off his drives and continually find the open man. My favorite part to his game was his crafty finishing. He was comfortable attacking the 6’11 big man feeling free to use the studio space around him in the paint, while still being a threat to kick the ball out if needed. There is a bright future for this young guard and I expect his creativity in the open floor to be something to marvel at throughout his career.
Ballard came in the game and made an immediate impact. His effort defensively, stepping up and really understanding his role on the help-side really boosted his team to create turnovers and get out in transition. As the back up to 6’11 big man Bronson Schmidt, he was a spark-plug off the bench and was a big proponent in the teams transition success. On the offensive side of the ball, Jordan was a menace on the offensive glass. He was grabbing rebounds and making the right decision whether to go up or kick back out to his shooters. Ballard is learning from Schmidt and has a bright future as the potential starting big man for this Notre Dame team.
Asher Haloossim
Asher Haloossim
A freshman on Notre Dame’s reigning CIF championship team. Not a bad start to Asher’s high school career. Getting a couple minutes in the first half, Asher showed that he can make smart heads up plays when his coach calls upon him. When I was really impressed came at the end of the 4th quarter. There is no such thing as garbage time! That time showed me the skills Asher has. He came in and was able to make multiple highlight passes to teammates with his knowledgable court vision. He was able to get up some shots for himself, and was creative in the way he was setting up his teammates. The time will come for Asher, but you can tell in the small sample size today that his vision is not something most players have.