Nike X: Los Altos vs Mater Dei (Standouts)

Joel Francisco

February 4, 2022 @ 09:49 PM

Nike X: Los Altos vs Mater Dei (Standouts) SANTA ANA, Ca—In a game that wasn’t aesthetically pleasing to the eye—both teams shot a miserable 37% from the floor—the effort was evident, however, as Mater Dei came back from a 9-point deficit to pull out a 55-48 victory. The game showcased one of the better centers in the country in 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="992478" first="Jazz" last="Gardner"], but [player_tooltip player_id="748761" first="Jack" last="McCloskey"] and 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="994920" first="Zack" last="Davidson"] caught fire in the 2nd half to catapult the Monarchs to victory. 2nd Half Surge [player_tooltip player_id="748761" first="Jack" last="McCloskey"] (Mater Dei) 2022, G, 6-foot-4, 170 pounds Joel’s Take: After a slow start in the 1st half, McCloskey was the catalyst to get the Monarchs going as they came back from a 9-point deficit. He did a nice job attacking off the dribble and finishing in the paint exhibiting a nice touch. As a result of his attack mode mentality, he got to the line and shot and efficient 6-of-8 from the free throw line. His jump shot wasn’t flowing (1-of-5 from beyond the arc), but his stroke solid with a nice release. “Big” with touch [player_tooltip player_id="992478" first="Jazz" last="Gardner"] (Los Altos) 2023, C, 7-foot-1, 240 pounds Joel’s Take: Gardner has improved steadily through the years and his skill set is noted. He keeps the ball high while releasing his shot, exhibits an impeccable touch from the 3-point line, and his passing acumen is impressive. Despite grabbing 14-rebounds he still needs to improve his strength in his hands as there were a number of times he lost control of the ball in the paint. Overall, he is one of the more intriguing prospects in the country due to his size and touch. Point Guard with Moxie [player_tooltip player_id="748742" first="CJ" last="Bellamy"] (Los Altos) 2022, PG, 5-foot-11, 170 pounds <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/10/IMG_2785.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-1304933 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/10/IMG_2785-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a> Joel’s Take: Bellamy (pictured) spurted out of the gate as he lead Los Altos to a 9-point game, but then foul trouble found its way into his game, and he had to sit. However, throughout the game, his moxie spoke volumes as he drained five deep 3-pointers on seven attempts and attacked the Monarch defense with reckless abandon.   Monarchs next stud Tee Bartlett (Mater Dei) 2025, C, 6-foot-10, 245 pounds Joel’s Take: The Monarch's next future stud could be Bartlett. He is a skilled “big” with good feet, solid hands, and a soft touch. He had a modest stat line (9-points and 6-rebounds), but the frame, length, and skill speak to a promising future. Continuing to work on his conditioning, post moves, and face-up skills will elevate his game considerably. The Next Step Zach Davidson (Mater Dei) 2023, F, 6-foot-7, 230 pounds Joel’s Take: Davidson was yet another Monarch who got off to a slow start as he missed an unusual amount of put-backs in the paint area. However, down the stretch, he finished with some clutch buckets and rebounds. He has a big frame with good length and his hands are solid. His overall game is quite versatile as he showed the ability to knock in a deep jumper beyond the arc. He has a nice feel for the game, especially while operating in the paint and he has a knack for being around the ball as noted by his eleven rebounds.