Varsity Basketball- Lutheran vs Covenant Christian

Watching small school basketball is an experience all on it's own. When watching these small programs, I have learned they play with the same passion as bigger programs. These were the standouts from Friday night's game.    Jarrett is a big-time athlete who runs the court, rebounds and jumps out the gym. He has a nice fade-away shot he displayed throughout the game. Jarrett also showed the ability to score in the post with a variety of moves. Whenever he had an opportunity to extend his range beyond the three-point line, he did so with no hesitation. Jarrett is an excellent rebounder on both ends of the court. On a number of occasions, he was able to grab offensive boards and make positive plays with his scoring around the basket. A number of those scores led to three-point plays from the foul-line. Jarrett had a quiet first half but picked it up in the second. He often attacked opponents and showed a knack for getting to the rim and drawing fouls. Defensively, he blocked shots and guarded opposing players all over the court. Jarrett is a young talent who has a chance to become elite in the near future.      JT is a shifty guard who's a constant ball of energy. In the beginning of the game, I saw him as just a facilitator of the basketball. As the game continued, I quickly realized he's a legit scorer. In Friday night's match-up against Covenant Christian, he knocked down multiple threes and attacked the paint. JT is a tough player who competes with maximum effort on both sides of the floor. Whether it's chasing down loose balls, taking charges, grabbing rebounds or being a solid defender, JT was always around to make a play. Offensively, he handled the ball well and showed off his play-making ability with great passes. Defensively, he applied great pressure on opposing guards who attempted to handle the ball. JT is the ultimate team player! With his growth as a player, transitioning into college basketball will be easy.     Jevon is a hard working player who showed he's capable of being a good addition to a college team next season. He's a hardworking player who makes all the “hustle plays” for Lutheran. Jevon showed the ability to knock down mid-range shots from the perimeter. He also used his size to score on smaller defenders in the paint. The majority of his points came from grabbing offensive rebounds or scoring off the misses of his teammates. Jevon capitalized on numerous opportunities to score in transition. He's tenacious on the boards and defends at an elite status. Jevon was all over the floor defensively. Whether it was blocking shots, forcing turnovers or using his physicality to defend the paint, Jevon always found himself around the basketball. He's a tough player who has a bright future in the game of basketball.     TJ is a tough minded combo guard who stayed in "attack mode" throughout the game. He's an excellent scorer who's capable of passing and defending at a high level. TJ was a hard cover for the opposition. He often beat defenders off the dribble and scored through contact. Some of those drives showcased his skills as a play-maker. He was great at driving and kicking out assists to his teammates.These were effective on the perimeter or near the basket. TJ is also capable of knocking down mid-range jump-shots. He's a hard-nosed defender who excelled at forcing opposing guards into mistakes. His great on-ball pressure caused multiple turnovers that led to fast-break points. TJ is a gritty player who gives his all for the Lutheran team.     I enjoyed watching this young man play Friday night. Weston is an aggressive shooting guard who looked to attack opposing defenders at all times. He's an excellent ball handler who easily beat the Lutheran defenders off the dribble. This led to numerous scores in his one-on-one match-ups. Weston was great at getting into the paint and scoring. Whether it was driving to the basket, scoring on floaters or converting mid-range shots, Weston was an effective shot-maker. Whenever he had the opportunity to knock down threes, he did so with extreme confidence. Some of his scores came in transition with great finishes at the rim. Defensively, he forced multiple turnovers with quick hands and great on-ball pressure. Weston is a great player with an excellent all around game. With continued growth and maturity, I believe he's capable of becoming an elite player in the near future.      Isaac was the most dominant player on the court in Friday night's game. He easily scored in the paint using various post moves to be effective around the basket. Isaac showed a knack for making tough shots despite being contacted by the opposition. This led to numerous trips to the foul-line. On each occasion, Isaac calmly stepped to the line and converted the three-point play. I was surprised to see how great he was from mid-range. Isaac excelled at knocking down shots all around the perimeter. He made a couple of highlight plays in the game that involved spin moves in the paint. The one that really stood out was the moment he received a pass in transition and spinned down the lane. This led to a great finish that drew loud reactions from the crowd. Defensively, he protected the paint and guarded on the perimeter. Isaac is a great scorer! He's very capable of succeeding at the college level next season.     Parker is a shifty point guard who played fearlessly against Lutheran. He's a great ball handler who easily won his one-on-one match-ups. Parker was able to easily get around his defender and make plays. Whether it was scoring in the lane or hitting teammates with pin-point passing, Parker's decisions always created positive outcomes. He showed a great shooting touch by scoring on multiple pull-ups from the perimeter. If Parker had an open look from beyond the arc, he didn't shy away from taking it. One of his biggest strengths was his leadership. Parker always communicated with his teammates on both ends of the court. Calling out plays, switches on defense and overall encouraging words were a major part of his game. Parker is a great floor leader who has all the traits of being a successful college player.     Judah showed his prowess as a great shooter! He was one of the best shooters in Friday night's game. It didn't matter if he shot the ball from mid or long range. Judah found ways of being an effective scorer. He was great at finding ways to free himself for good looks at the basket. Whether it was using the screens of his teammates or beating defenders off the dribble, Judah made plays. During the game, I watched him knock down three shots from beyond the arc. He also scored on pull-up jumpers from the perimeter. Whenever there were opportunities to score in transition, Judah made it happen. On defense, he was tough on the opposition by staying attached to his opponent. He forced multiple turnovers and pressured the Lutheran guards into mistakes. Judah's a great shooter and defender. Both are valuable traits to have in the game of basketball. I expect him to have a great Senior season next winter.

Watching small school basketball is an experience all on it's own. When watching these small programs, I have learned they play with the same passion as bigger programs. These were the standouts from Friday night's game.