Game Recap: Bonner-Prendie 71, Roman Catholic 59

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In a key Catholic League matchup that could be the difference between hosting a playoff game and not, Bonner-Prendergast defended its home court with a wire-to-wire win over Roman Catholic. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2398422' first='Korey' last='Francis'] made a statement with a game-high 28 points, outdueling Roman swingman and VCU pledge [player_tooltip player_id='1406768' first='Sammy' last='Jackson'] with 17. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2398422"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":3465978,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","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-69818b4540452"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">On a night that started with a celebration of his 1,000th career point, Francis put together a dominant 28-point effort to secure the win and put Bonner in the driver's seat for the league's second seed. From start to finish, Francis was unstoppable getting to the rim, with each of his buckets coming by way of a self-generated layup or dunk. He played tough-nosed defense, moved the ball when appropriate, and was efficient with his scoring output despite not connecting from the perimeter. It was a statement performance on a night that start and a significant step toward securing PCL MVP honors.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2419608"],"_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-69818b45404b1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">One of the bigger stock-risers of the PCL season thus far, Jackson started out uncharacteristically quietly while going scoreless in the first half. He came alive when it mattered most, scoring all 12 of his points after halftime while controlling the game near-flawlessly from the point guard spot. Jackson put together a clinic in handling pressure off the dribble, keeping the ball on a string while weaving through Roman defenders. He knew exactly when to push tempo and when to slow things down in order to drain clock. While mostly a facilitator, he mixed in a few momentum-swinging driving layups to keep the defense honest. He continues to trend as a clear scholarship-level talent with D1 potential if he can be a more consistently dangerous shooter from the perimeter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1406768"],"_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-69818b45404f7"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Jackson has had some explosive scoring performances so far this season, but more so picked his spots in this one while still finishing with a team-high 17 points. The highly-touted swingman came out looking to facilitate, using his size to see over the defense playing off of ball screens and make reads over the top. He showed renewed aggressiveness as a scorer in the second half, reeling off 11 third quarter points highlighted by a pair of dunks in the open floor and tough shots from beyond the arc, respectively. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["2838352"],"_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-69818b4540536"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Continuing a breakout junior season, Carroll stepped up as a key secondary scorer while delivering 16 points toward the win. Second in the league in 3-point makes, he knocked down three more from beyond the arc, each of them either thwarting a Roman run or spoiling a tough defensive possession. He also showed he could step up when needed as a ballhandler against pressure and mixed in a driving layup to keep things honest. Carroll also knocked down 5-of-6 at the line in the fourth quarter to help ice the game. He continues to emerge as a potential scholarship-level option by this time next year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1406763"],"_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-69818b4540572"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Having gotten his footing after a slow start to the year and settling in as a consistent double-figure scorer, Presley continued his strong PCL season with a workmanlike 16-point effort. The Germantown Academy (PA) transfer took advantage of an undersized Bonner lineup, punishing smaller defenders as a scorer around the rim. Presley was effective as a cutter, roller, and faceup scorer off the dribble. He also knocked down a catch-and-shoot 3 after filling up to the wing in the flow of the offense. It was the type of efficient, hard-nosed performance that has Presley on the radar of scholarship-radar coaches down the stretch of his senior year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->