Five Takeaways: Eaglecrest versus Northfield

<p>Eaglecrest completed a back-to-back and is now 2-0 to start the season. They are a very fun and entertaining team that plays well together and is a deep team that can match up with anyone. Northfield gave them a really good shot early on and will be a team to watch this year. Eaglecrest won 78-63 but there were a few things that stood out. Here are my five takeaways.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>New names to know</strong></p> <p>One of the best things about covering high school sports is seeing new players emerge as possible standouts throughout the season and getting a player that was not relatively known a bit more recognition as each team has so many hidden gems and players that help them get by. In this game, there were a few names that we will take a deeper look at but three players in particular really caught my eye.</p> <p><strong>Marcus Rogers</strong>– competed all night and is a player that can defend multiple positions. He was a playmaker that the Raptors lost on a few occasions and he hit a couple of 3-pointers late in the game to try and force a comeback. He finished with 13 points on the night and was forceful on offense. I liked what I saw.</p> <p><strong>Bally Diakate</strong>–was the player that caught my eye the most. It was my first time seeing him and he is a forward with a motor. He was a glass cleaner that fought down low, he finished with some big rebounds and he has good size and strength which Northfield will use a ton this year, He had 10 points in the game, boxed out well and as the season progresses I feel like will be one of the Nighthawks go-to players. I am keeping him on my radar.</p> <p><strong>Garrett Reese</strong>– is a sharp-shooter that got the Raptors started early in the game. After a back and forth first few possessions, it was Reese that built on the Raptors lead with back-to-back 3-pointers and Eaglecrest did not look back after that. Reese did not score again in the game and turned down a few shots, but he is a player that I fully expect will have some plays drawn up for him to get a few easy looks early in games. He moved well without the ball and had a few hustle plays as well.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Northfield stock risers</strong></p> <p>Two players that really stood out for Northfield were their two guards. Senior guard <strong>Rasheik Gaddis </strong>is a player that I wrote about a couple of times this summer as a player that not only stood out but has now made our rankings as he is a true point guard with confidence. He is a smart and strong guard that gets others involved but is best attacking the rim and finishing. He had a couple of and-1’s and he has a nice shooting stroke that keeps the defense at bay. He finished with 15 points on the night and the play that stood out most was with his team down big and Ty Robinson going for a highlight dunk he still went up and challenged him at the rim albeit he was called for a foul. He is going to be the emotional leader for this team and they will need him to remain aggressive if they plan on getting a few wins this season.</p> <p><strong>Diego Dominguez </strong>is the second player that stood out for me as a player to take a deeper look at. Although he was not scoring he is able to affect the game in different ways. He got others involved, he played under control despite seeing plenty of traps and he also has a bit of swagger to him. He plays good on-ball defense and stays in front of the defender and I am making it a point of seeing this Northfield team play again as I liked what I saw from both the guards and bigs.</p> <p><strong>Eaglecrest is deep </strong></p> <p>I already spoke on it a bit but this team is truly deep. They have a true point guard in Ruckard, have solid wings and also a few bangers that will compete down low. What I really enjoy about this team is the ability for essentially anybody to get a rebound and be able to go. <strong>Donovan Stilson </strong>is not a player that we have talked too much about but showed that he is a playmaker that makes things happen with the ball in his hands, defends well and has to be accounted for at all times. <strong>Adrian Price </strong>is the Raptors big that plays above his size and will be the man in the middle. He had some great plays as he is active on the boards and kept smaller defenders out of the paint while also getting a couple of put-back lay-ins and although they did not have huge blow out games like I am sure are coming soon, <strong>Ty Robinson </strong>and <strong>Skylar Wilson</strong> are two players you always have to account for at all times as they are two of the state’s best and generate plenty of attention. Look for some explosive plays from this unit that plays for one another and when they lock in I truly feel will be in the top-10 when it is all said and done.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Zion Ruckard Shines</strong></p> <p>Ruckard is the player that surprised me the most as it appears that he has found his groove after a very good summer. He does all of the things that he once did but the biggest difference seems to be confidence. He looks to be in a zone where he feels as if he cannot be guarded, he is using his speed and once his mind is made up he is sticking with the decision instead of improvising. He still has the vision and is trying to get others involved as well but he is finally understanding that he is one of the more difficult players to defend. His game has seemed to have matured in his senior season and all of it was on display as he was easily the best player on the court on Wednesday. He got to the rim with ease and finished, knocked down two 3-pointers and also got to the free-throw line late and sank them all from the charity stripe. The Raptors rode their Senior guard as he finished with a game-high 21 points and proved that he still belongs in the conversation of top-5 guards in the class.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Nahsyah Bolar is pretty good</strong></p> <p>Bolar is a player that has been pegged at pretty good but not yet ranked where he is supposed to be and was a big reason as to why I went to the game in the first place. I wanted to see him against another very talented team where he should have been the focal point of the offense as Northfield’s best player. While he started off very slow after coming off the bench, it is easy to see what makes him special. He is a player that just seems to be at the right spots and he makes things happen. He is not an elite offensive player but has great intangibles, motor, and size and he is going to give full effort on the glass which got him a few easy points. On defense, he cannot be moved as he has a strong base and alters shots. I would like him to demand the ball more on the block as well as get a few more touches on a team that is yearning for a star player to lead them. Bolar is a player that I am sure will surely progress as the season comes together.</p>