Withrow Scrimmage Notes
Withrow was the place to be Wednesday night as the Tigers hosted a scrimmage session Wednesday night. Shroder, Hamilton and Newport (KY) were in attendance as the four teams played between the equivalent of a full quarter to a half against each other in a rotating fashion. Here are some notes from the action in Hyde Park.
- The Tigers played the session almost as if it was a regular season. Throughout the evening I regularly saw a Tiger going after a loose ball, even if it meant getting on the floor. Players voices were active on defense, they sprinted the court hard and shared the ball well. Coach Cunningham should have been pleased with his team’s effort.
- While talking about the Tigers, they have a pair of juniors ready to make major contributions this season. Let’s first talk about G Niles Whatley, who will take over the point duties this season. This young man was a terror on the defensive end, making ball handlers uncomfortable and showing active hands all evening. He was a true floor general on both ends of the court. Also keep an eye on W/F Ivan Mason for the rest of the summer and this winter as well. He used his size (6’4) and length well throughout the evening, attacking the paint and offensive boards with aggression. Mason also showed a decent stroke from 15ft. in and played with great energy the whole evening.
- For Newport (KY), the duo of 2019 G Donnie Miller and F/C Tahj Harding showed why they will be a problem for the rest of Northern Kentucky this season. Miller played with a great pace the whole evening and knocked down jumper after jumper from the mid-range area. He is also much more athletic than you might first notice. Harding is an absolute killer from 15ft. in, showing the ability to attack off the drive while also knocking down jumpers. Tahj was also a killer on the offensive boards while showing outstanding hands.
- Out of the four teams in attendance, I would say that Withrow has the most potential to do damage in the regular and post season. They have one of the best bigs in Ohio in 2019 C Abba Lawal and a wing shot-maker in 2019 W Mike Hill. They should also be better defensively with before mentioned Whatley in the line-up while also playing at a faster pace.