Las Vegas Classic Takeaways: Team Melo 16U vs. Fundamental
LAS VEGAS, NV — Team Melo 16U remained undefeated in pool play at the Bigfoot Hoops Las Vegas Classic with a 68-53 win vs. Fundamental. Maryland, NC State, Dayton, UCF, LSU, and Penn State were among the schools on hand for the action. Below are three things that stood out from the contest.
Locke & Tabbs Come Out Hot
Wynston Tabbs connected on his first two shots from long range, and Noah Locke complimented him well by hitting three of his own. Locke was absolutely on fire Friday morning. The rising junior for McDonogh High School shot the ball efficiently from the catch and off the bounce, where he was very crafty. Tabbs, a rising junior at St. Mary’s Ryken, was equally adept at breaking down his man off the dribble and creating easy looks for others as well as himself. The two combined for 43 points, 10 assists, and 5 steals.
The Battle of the Boards
A big reason why Team Melo came out on top in this contest was due to their ability to control the boards. Eyabi Anoma, a 6-foot-5 rising junior forward out of Randallstown, was an absolute workhorse on the glass. Anoma collected 10 boards. Another major contributor on the glass was Georgetown Prep rising junior Ike Nweke. Nweke did an excellent job, especially on the defensive glass where he often located and boxed his man out before securing the ball at it’s high point. Nweke added 7 boards to the cause.
Ball Pressure is King
The guards for Team Melo did an outstanding job applying pressure on the ball. Montrell Horsey, a rising junior guard out of Joppatowne, consistently picked up 94 feet and created several turnovers. Horsey swiped two steals, and dished out three assists. Demetrius Mims, who scored 14 points, did a great job being active and using his length to create turnovers. Mims recorded two steals.