St. George's School vs. Tabor Academy

St George's traveled to Marion, MA on Monday, February 1st for a matchup against Tabor Academy. Tabor handed St George's its fourth loss of the season and its first loss in the Independent School League (ISL), and they did so in dominating fashion, 77-61. What an unbelievably impressive performance from Tabor.   Here are my standouts from the game.    Baptiste was dominant in the first half against St George's. Despite being undersized for the big-man position, he overpowered his defender on numerous possessions and pretty easily carved out space for himself in the paint. He also showcased some very nice touch on a number of floaters and turn around shots in the lane. More importantly, Baptiste showed the ability to attack closeouts and get to the rim with the dribble, something he'll most certainly have to do at the D1 level if he gets there. This was probably the most controlled and powerful I've seen him play. Big time performance from Baptiste who continues to show new parts of his game.     Don't blink, because you'll miss Rezendes flying down the floor. At only 5-foot-11, he has fantastic quickness and speed that allows him to beat his defenders and push the pace aggressively. He also made a couple very deep threes and a couple pull-up jumpers that showcased how consistent his shot can be. Defensively, he's a pest who doesn't get screened easily and is constantly swiping at the ball. Rezendes will be playing college football at Union next year, but he almost definitely could've played D3 basketball if he wanted to. Who knows, maybe he'll walk on to Union's team if he misses the itch to play hoops.     Smith is only 6-feet tall, but it feels like he plays bigger than that. He holds his own on the defensive end and is so active with his hands that he gets a lot of steals and blocks (he somehow managed 3 blocks against St. George's). Offensively, Smith can shoot it from three but also has a super compact handle and a variety of crafty finishes at the rim with great touch. Smith is a two sport athlete who can definitely play D3 hoops if he wants to – he'll be able to fit into any system and play the right brand of basketball.     It just feels like Quinn is playing at a different level than everybody else on the floor. He's so much stronger than everyone and is completely unfazed when driving to the rim and getting hand checked or met in the air. He also strokes it from three and has confidence once he steps in the gym. Defensively, Quinn completely shut down Chess, a key player for St. George's; he showcased a solid ability to slide his feet and absolutely stymied one of the stronger players in New England with his toughness. He's just a phenomenal athlete who will continue to turn heads at the D1 level next year. Future Pat Connaughton?     Wright is a blur in the open floor. His quickness and twitchy handle jumps off the screen. Against Tabor, he was essentially the only guy who could penetrate the paint and create any kind of offense for St. George's – he did so with his tight ball handling and change of direction moves. He also showed off a better outside shot than I saw from him the other time I watched St. George's play. Wright will be playing at Keene State next year where I anticipate he'll step right into meaningful minutes. He's a heck of a player.     I continue to be ridiculously intrigued by Benedict as a long-term, late blooming prospect – he already looked a little more in-control and confident since the last time I saw him. He has great size and length – he's 6-foot-6 with very long arms – and he's only a sophomore. On Monday, he had an insanely crafty lefty finish on the right side that made me audibly exclaim. I can't believe someone at his size and lankiness has the coordination to make plays like that, and he also showcases a solid-looking shooting stroke. I'll be watching closely to see how Benedict continues to grow physically and skill-wise moving forward.

St George's traveled to Marion, MA on Monday, February 1st for a matchup against Tabor Academy. Tabor handed St George's its fourth loss of the season and its first loss in the Independent School League (ISL), and they did so in dominating fashion, 77-61. What an unbelievably impressive performance from Tabor.