Varsity Spotlight- Ben Davis Giants

Ben Davis basketball is a program known for making State Tournament runs. Led by All-State player Jashawn Ladd, this year's team has the firepower to make another push for a title.    Eron is a great ball handler who pushed the pace and made plays all over the court. He excelled at beating defenders off the dribble and attacking the basket. It didn't matter if he got to the rim, scored on floaters or knocked down mid-range shots, Eron was a tough match-up for the opposition. In some instances, he was able to utilize his quickness to get into the lane and make positive plays. Eron is a great passer who often found his teammates in positions where they could be effective. He's a strong guard who showed the ability to play through contact and draw fouls. On defense, he played with a fierceness to force turnovers and make ball handling difficult for opposing players. Eron is a tough minded guard who is capable of leading the Senior dominated Giants to a State Championship.     The first thing I noticed about Sherman's game was his scoring and leadership. He came into the game looking to be aggressive. Sherman is a physically strong player who used his strength to post up smaller defenders, attack the basket and score through contact. He excelled at drawing fouls and converting free-throws whenever there was an opportunity. Sherman showed the ability to score from mid-range. He used a variety of ball handling moves to free himself for high percentage shots. When Ben Davis had the opportunity to run, Sherman proved to be a great finisher in transition. He's an unselfish player who always put the team first. The majority of his assists led to positive outcomes for his teammates. After watching him communicate with others on the court, I believe Sherman is the type of player who leads by example. If Ben Davis goes on another State tourney run, Sherman will play a vital role to the team's success.     The big man played an important role as the team's rim protector and inside scorer. Prince is an outstanding rebounder who did it on both ends of the court. I feel confident in saying, “Prince finished the game with a double-double in points and rebounds.” As I said, he was a dominant presence in the paint. The majority of his points came off hustle plays around the basket when his teammates missed shots. There was a moment in the game where Prince spinned of his defender in the post and finished with a two handed dunk. The big man showed off his athleticism with two more dunks in the fourth quarter. Prince is a team player who did all the little things. He set screens on offense and protected the paint on defense. Those screens led to high percentage shots for other Ben Davis players. Defensively, he excelled at blocking and altering the shots of George Washington players.     Jashawn is an excellent two-way player who is capable of putting up big offensive numbers. He is what I call, “ instant offense.” As soon as Jashawn stepped on the court, he made an immediate impact on the game. I noticed his skills as an all around player once he started playing. Jashawn showed the ability to score from every area of the floor. He attacked opposing defenders off the dribble and took advantage of smaller opponents in the paint. Jashawn also showed the ability to knock down shots from mid or long range. There was a moment in the game where he made three consecutive shots. One was a strong drive to the basket while the others were a mid-range pull-up and a long three-pointer. Jashawn showed his prowess as a great rebounder. He attacked the glass on both ends of the court. Defensively, he applied pressure to his opponents with quick hands that caused them to make mistakes. Jashawn is a very skilled player who is capable of leading Ben Davis on a deep run in the Indiana State Tournament.     Damarcus is a tough hard-nosed player who made all the hustle plays for Ben Davis. He's an excellent rebounder who dominated the glass on both ends of the court.The majority of his points were scored through sheer determination to get the job done. I truly appreciated the way Damarcus fought for every rebound, deflection or loose ball that came his way. If there was an All Effort team, he would be the catalyst for it. Many of his scores were tough and hard fought. He dealt with physical play inside the paint. Damarcus welcomed the challenge and gave the physicality back to the opposition. He showed great athleticism with a two-handed slam in the third quarter of play. Defensively, he was all over the court. Damarcus defended interior post players along with smaller players on the wing of the court. He finished the game with multiple shot blocks and forced turnovers. Damarcus is the type of player every coach would love to have.

Ben Davis basketball is a program known for making State Tournament runs. Led by All-State player Jashawn Ladd, this year's team has the firepower to make another push for a title.