What We Learned from Marlboro vs. CBA
Christian Brothers Academy hosted Marlboro in some opening season action on Friday night. Fans from both sides packed into the gym and kept the energy going throughout the contest. In the end, Marlboro avenged an opening game loss last season…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingChristian Brothers Academy hosted Marlboro in some opening season action on Friday night. Fans from both sides packed into the gym and kept the energy going throughout the contest. In the end, Marlboro avenged an opening game loss last season with a 85-70 road victory.
Marlboro and CBA exchanged blows throughout the first half but it was a seven point game in favor of the Mustangs. They got it to 10 with an early three pointer in the third quarter but CBA would answer with a 10-0 run to tie the game. Marlboro halted their momentum with a run of their own to take a 64-55 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
The first two minutes of the final quarter saw Marlboro put the game away. They scored the first 10 points to take a 19 point lead and put the game on ice. Here are five things we learned from the opening season game.
Marlboro’s Has a Dynamic Duo
Every team needs to have a leader guide them through their regular season. Marlboro has two. This is a team that was picked as one of the teams that could win their division in the Shore Conference. The Mustangs have a good chance led by Jack Seidler and Alex Ratner.
The two combined for 51 points in the win. Seidler, a sophomore, led the team with 26 points while Ratner was right behind him with 25. Seidler and Ratner displayed a nice blend of inside and outside presence. Seidler showed a wide range of offensive ability that varied from scoring on offensive rebounds to knocking down pull up jumpers from mid range.
CBA Feasted on the Press in First Half
It was a necessary move for Marlboro head coach Michael Nausedas to call off the press at halftime. CBA was getting layup after layup in the first half. Marlboro was set up in a 2-2-1 full court press but CBA countered by having two men deep.
The guard play of CBA was strong enough to get past a defender and open up a passing lane for a wide open player to make a layup. They will be a hard team to contain given the strength of their ballhandlers. Marlboro did not press in the second half and they outscored CBA by eight in the final two quarters.
Deep Ball Propelled Marlboro
This could be a trend for the Mustangs all season long. Led by Ratner, Marlboro won the three point battle by a large margin which was the difference in this game. They built their fourth quarter lead by knocking down three shots from beyond the arc.
Ratner showcased his in the gym range. He has a quick release that he is not afraid to pull from anywhere once he crosses half court. Marlboro plays fast but they are not afraid to shot the ball from deep and they are extremely efficient when they do.
CBA Struggled in the Half Court
CBA is a team with a lot of talent led by sophomore Ryan Mabrey but they were knocked off their course and could not find a new game plan. When the Colts fell behind, they began to speed up their already fast paced style of play and this caused them to lose control.
It was previously mentioned that CBA feasted on the press and got a ton of open layups. Once Marlboro called off their pressure, CBA had a hard time scoring. They were not knocking down shots from three point range and were not penetrating to their usual ability. The credit goes to Marlboro because of the way they made CBA uncomfortable.