Hawkins Scores 27, Vikings Outpace T-Bolts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Monday Night PHI took in a game from Tinley Park with the 3-5 Andrew Thunderbolts taking on an undefeated 7-0 Homewood-Flossmoor team. Let's look at 3 take-a-ways we gained from checking out tonight's action.<br><br>Scores By Quarter<br>Andrew: 12, 26, 31, 37<br>HF: 29, 42, 64, 70</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Vikings Defense Sets the Tone<br><br></strong>After a close first few minutes off the opening tip where Andrew knocked down 3 early 3's to keep the game close, Homewood Flossmoor showcased what it can do with it's heavy full court pressure defense. Led by guards 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2399224' first='Ethan' last='Jackson'], 2028 [player_tooltip player_id='2467517' first='Darrius' last='Hawkins'] Jr, and 2027 Samuel Carter, HF got into the front court with their trapping methods. They were able to speed the offensive side of the ball up which caused turnovers or quick shots that then turned into efficient offense. Laterally all 5 showed quickness getting to the ball or being one pass away anticipating passes. Samuel Carter continued to approach the defensive side of the ball with a lot of positive action in quarters 2, 3, and 4 to keep Andrew second guessing.<br><br><strong>The Difference Maker</strong><br><br>Darius Hawkins Jr. was a step ahead the rest tonight as he usually is. After scoring 17 in the first quarter alone from all 3 levels, he continued to pour it on leaving the game with 27 total while there was a minute left to go in the third quarter. I watched the 2028 starting point guard this past spring and he continues to add a versatile skill set to his game. He really caught rhythm getting into his shot fakes and spin moves while simultaneously finding guys open underneath or spraying it for kick out assists. His long first step stride continues to be tough for defenders to handle. He knows how to go into multiple speeds with the ball which really makes him effective and a challenge to stay in front of. Tonight he got on the glass as well and collected at least 5 boards in which a few were on the offensive end to continue to give the team a spark. The x factor in his game is his continued special recognition whether it's coming off screens with or without the ball or squaring guys up in 1 on 1 circumstances. If he gets space he will keep you guessing.<br><br><strong>Execution Deciding the Game<br><br></strong>HF may be fast and quick with some natural abilities but their execution to run efficient offense is why they haven't lost yet. 6'7 2028 man in the middle [player_tooltip player_id='2540205' first='John' last='Brown IV'] knows his spots on the floor to screen effectively in BLOB and ½ court offense situations. He used his length in positive ways tonight to clean up the glass and hit a smooth mid range jay from 8 feet on the baseline. He takes some attention away from the guards so that opens things up for them to go to work. 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2399224' first='Ethan' last='Jackson'] is listed as a PG but he fits more likely in a 2 man role with this team. Another sharp looking lefty that had a quick 8 points in the first quarter to keep the defense on their heals. Came up with a couple take-a-ways in the front court that led to scores. He screens well and gets to open spaces of the floor around the arc to knock shots down. Last but certainly not least, 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2829613' first='Danny' last='Ruffin'] bought a lot of energy and effort to keep the peddle on the metal for the Vikings. He showed some grit collecting multiple defensive rebounds while staying in the heat of the action majority of the time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->