MIAA Game Recap: Franklin vs. Bridgewater-Raynham

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Top overall seed <em>Franklin</em> will be making a return trip to the <em>Final Four</em> after knocking off <em>Bridgewater-Raynham</em> in a state quarterfinal match-up.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A tightly contested game after one quarter looked as if it would turn into a rout as <em>Franklin (24-1)</em> took a 25-13 lead into the half.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Bridgewater-Raynham (18-5)</em> adjusted the tempo and came out firing in the second half, narrowing the lead to single digits on multiple occasions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While <em>Bridgewater-Raynham</em> was able to cut the deficit to as little as six in the fourth quarter, <em>Franklin</em> had an answer every time they needed one and closed out the win by a margin of 63-50.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Below are five standouts from last night's game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1532454"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67cb09cba4880"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The game's top scorer, Sullivan proved why he's regarded as one of the top guards in the <em>MIAA</em>. He competes at such a high level that it's hard for those around him not to try to match it. He's a bigger, stronger guard that did a really nice job of attacking the basket off the bounce, particularly going to his non-dominant left hand. Late in the game he made a couple of timely shots from behind the arc, seeming to have the answer whenever his team needed a big basket. His effort on the defensive end of the floor and on the glass was a big piece of why <em>Franklin</em> was able to neutralize <em>Bridgewater-Raynham's</em> offensive attack in the first half.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2569351"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67cb09cba48e2"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Arguably the biggest standout performer on this night, Olmstead proved to be a match-up nightmare for <em>Bridgewater-Raynham</em> as he attacked forwards in space and scored over guards in the paint. Listed here at 6'2", I'd argue that he's closer to 6'4", and on top of that, has really long arms that allowed him to make big time plays in passing lanes. His versatility on the defensive end of the floor allowed him to guard a variety of positions while also initiating the break. Offensively, he was seemingly in attack mode all night long, getting to the basket at will off the bounce and proving to be a really good finisher around the rim.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2465134"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67cb09cba4928"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A high motor forward, Samuels does the little things that allow his teammates to thrive at the things they do best. He anchors <em>Franklin's</em> defense on the back line, doing a great job of cleaning up the glass and contesting shots around the rim without fouling. His athleticism and quickness allows him to guard in space, switch ball screens, and make plays in passing lanes. On the other end of the floor, he was able to draw fouls as a finisher around the rim and showed the ability to anticipate where rebounds would end up, leading to some easy baskets in the paint. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='2811666' first='Deshawn' last='Faulk Jr.']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'3u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77248","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Bridgewater-Raynham","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67cb09cba49bb"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">It took a while for <em>Bridgewater-Raynham</em> to get things going offensively, but once they did, you could see what had gotten them to this point in the season and it was a whole lot of <em>Deshawn Faulk</em>. The big guard impressed with his physicality, ability to make plays in space, and feel for the game. He was at his best in the open floor, putting pressure on the defense as he got downhill and elevated to finish plays with athleticism at the rim. He also impressed defensively as he moved well laterally and had a major presence on the glass.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Cason Faulk","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'3u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"77244","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Bridgewater-Raynham","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67cb09cba4a3c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">While the theme for most of the night seemed to be that there was a lid on both rims when shots went up from behind the arc, Faulk was able to change that narrative a bit in the second half of the game. Like his brother, he's a bigger guard that plays with both athleticism and physicality. He was plagued by foul trouble in the first half, but showed his ability to make good decisions in transition as well as to knock down tough shots in the second half. He impressed with his ability to operate as a grab-and-go rebounder that was a threat to score any time he got out in space.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->