Fantastic Five: Marion @ Fort Wayne Bishop Luers
Marion @ Fort Wayne Bishop Luers Final Score: Marion 69 – Bishop Luers 67 Recap This game was a tough matchup for Bishop Luers but they stuck it out and ended up making a run at the Giants late in…
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Continue ReadingMarion @ Fort Wayne Bishop Luers
Final Score: Marion 69 – Bishop Luers 67
Recap
This game was a tough matchup for Bishop Luers but they stuck it out and ended up making a run at the Giants late in the game. Jalen Blackmon was in complete control during the first half, single-handedly outscoring the Knights in the first quarter. Marion lead 20-10 after the first.
The second quarter was much of the same. Blackmon, along with Howard-Clement lead the way for the Giants as they continued their dominant play. The backcourt of Causey and Thompson kept the Knights within striking distance. They closed the gap heading into the break only down five, 38-33.
Bishop Luers switched up their defense in the second half and started running two bigger defenders at Blackmon to get the ball out of his hands. The remainder of the Giants struggled to make plays and Bishop Luers rode the wave of Jalen Causey and Naylon Thompson to bring the game within one basket, 50-47 heading into the fourth quarter.
Thompson fouled out mid-way through the fourth quarter and that spelled the end of the run that the Knights were making. They took the lead briefly but Blackmon was automatic from the line and Howard-Clement defended the rim extremely well. Coach Blackmon and son lead the Marion Giants to a 69-67 win in a return to his alma mater, Bishop Luers.
Most Valuable Player: Jalen Blackmon (Marion)
Jalen Blackmon was by the far the most dominant player on the court last night as he showed off his offensive arsenal early and often. Bishop Luers didn’t have an answer for him in the first half as he dropped 21 of his game-high 34. Blackmon finished with 34 points (3-8 2FG, 4-6 3FG, and 16-16 FT), 5 assists, 4 rebounds (3 defensive and 1 offensive), and 1 steal. Blackmon is the catalyst for this young Marion team and is going to be the focal point of their offense all year long. Look for teams to devise defensive schemes to slow him down throughout the year.
Best Offensive Player: Jalen Causey (Bishop Luers)
Jalen Causey exploded in the second and third quarter of this game to keep the Knights close. His ability to create his own shot off the bounce, knock down the long ball, and get out in transition were on display as he scored a team-high 28 points (5-11 2FG, 4-7 3FG, and 6-7 FT), 3 defensive rebounds, and 2 steals. He was one of two bright spots for Bishop Luers in a tough home matchup with Marion. His low center of gravity and strength around the basket allowed him to finish against length by attacking the body and getting the ball up on the glass.
Best Defensive Player: Quran Howard-Clement (Marion)
Quran Howard-Clement worked his way into the game coming off the bench mid-way through the first quarter. He was dominant from that point forward. Howard-Clement owned both backboards and was a shot deterer around the rim. Quran finished with 19 points (8-10 2FG and 3-7 FT), a game-high 15 rebounds (14 defensive and 3 offensive), a game-high 9 blocks, and 2 steals. His dominance on the defensive end stems from his length and quick leaping ability. He showed good timing rotating from the back- line defense to block shots at the rim. Quran is an intriguing prospect at 6’7” and may be someone to keep on the radar for years to come.
Best Under-the-Radar Performance: Naylon Thompson (Bishop Luers)
Naylon Thompson battled foul trouble all last night but when he was in the game, he was extremely effective. The sophomore guard has proven his ability to score on a high volume of shots but is starting to show his ability to impact the game in different ways. His biggest improvement has come on the defensive end of the floor. He anticipates very well and uses his quick hands and length at the guard position to swipe opposing guards and get in the passing lanes. Thompson finished with 12 points (4-9 2FG, 1-3 3FG, and 1-1 FT), 7 rebounds (4 defensive and 3 offensive), a game-high 4 steals, 3 assists, and 1 block.
Biggest Takeaways: Marion’s Playmaking Ability
Marion has arguably one of the best guards in the entire state in their backcourt with Jalen Blackmon but they will need to have someone step up as a secondary playmaker if they have hopes of returning to Regionals this year. Blackmon was great at getting to his spots, beating the primary defender, and making the defense pay for it when he had the ball in his hands. When Bishop Luers was able to get the ball out of his hands, the Giants offense stalled. Without the breakout performance from Quran Howard-Clement last night, Bishop Luers may have been able to complete the comeback. Bishop Luers relies heavily on their backcourt of Thompson and Causey to make plays but they have proven that they can do that with the best in the city of Fort Wayne.
Starting Lineup Stats
MARION GIANTS
Josh Balfour #0 |
||||
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
Steals |
Blocks |
3 (1-4 2FG, 1-2 FT) |
4 (1 defensive, 3 offensive) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Jalen Blackmon #1 |
||||
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
Steals |
Blocks |
34 (3-8 2FG, 4-6 3FG, 16-16 FT) |
4 (2 defensive, 2 offensive) |
5 |
1 |
0 |
Louis Guerrero #5 |
||||
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
Steals |
Blocks |
0 |
2 (2 defensive) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
D’angelo Jones #23 |
||||
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
Steals |
Blocks |
2 (1-1 2FG) |
1 (1 defensive) |
2 |
3 |
0 |
Mathew Goolsby #32 |
||||
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
Steals |
Blocks |
4 (2-7 2FG, 0-1 FT) |
4 (3 defensive, 1 offensive) |
2 |
0 |
0 |
BISHOP LUERS KNIGHTS
Norman Knapke #15 |
||||
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
Steals |
Blocks |
6 (1-3 2FG, 1-2 3FG, 1-1 FT) |
2 (2 offensive) |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Jalen Causey #22 |
||||
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
Steals |
Blocks |
28 (5-11 2FG, 4-7 3FG, 6-7 FT) |
3 (3 defensive) |
0 |
2 |
0 |
Naylon Thompson #23 |
||||
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
Steals |
Blocks |
12 (4-9 2FG, 1-3 3FG, 1-1 FT) |
7 (4 defensive, 3 offensive) |
3 |
4 |
1 |
Michael Murphy #25 |
||||
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
Steals |
Blocks |
8 (3-6 2FG, 0-2 3FG, 2-3 FT) |
5 (1 defensive, 4 offensive) |
1 |
1 |
0 |
John Peterson #35 |
||||
Points |
Rebounds |
Assists |
Steals |
Blocks |
4 (2-4 2FG, 0-1 3FG) |
6 (5 defensive, 1 offensive) |
5 |
1 |
3 |