Monthly Archives

January 2024

Texas Crumbles to UCF in the Second Half

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Austin, TX – The University of Texas took on Big 12 newcomers, the UCF Knights, Wednesday night at home. Texas looked as though they were on their way to a solid win with as much as a 15-point lead in the first frame. By halftime, the Longhorns were leading 44-32 thanks to the shooting of both Max Abmas (15 points) and Ithiel Horton (20 points).

The second half opened with two big alley-oop dunks from Dillon Mitchell which seemed to be the nail in the coffin for UCF. Instead, the Knights chipped away at the lead thanks to big time shots from Jaylin Sellers (24 points) and Shemarri Allen (17 points) to help UCF take the lead at with 7:21 remaining. The teams traded leads until the four-minute mark when Abmas hit a 3 to make it 68-67. Unfortunately, UCF took full control and didn’t let the Longhorns score until the game was out of hand and got a 77-71 comeback win.

UCF had five players in double-figures and were led by Sellers, off the bench with his 24 points and five rebounds. Sellers’ shooting provided a major spark. His three-point shooting as well as his mid-range game were crucial to keep the Longhorns from extending their lead. Sellers also hit all eight of his free throw attempts with four in the final minute to keep the lead. Sellers is a creative scorer and shooter, but has been inefficient as of late. The move to the bench allowed him to focus his energy on scoring instead of playmaking and it provided a huge boost to the Knights offense. For the Knights and Sellers sake, hopefully it is a permanent move.

Shemarri Allen had a complete game with 17 points (season high), seven assists, four rebounds and four steals. Especially in the second half, Shemarri seemed to have complete control of this game. Whether that was to hit a clutch shot, or make the right passing read, Allen seemed to always make the right decision. Allen also held his own with taking on the defensive assignment of guarding Abmas. With Sellers coming off the bench it put the ball more in Allen’s hands which led to a lot of good decisions. Hopefully this is a trend that continues.

While not contributing much on the offensive end. Ibrahima Diallo tonight protected the rim like his life depended on it. Diallo ended the night with three blocks (two in the second half) and deterred many shots to make the Longhorns’ lives difficult in the paint. Diallo had a clutch block in the final minute that solidified the win for the Knights. UCF will continue to be dominant in the paint as long as Diallo is there.

For the Longhorns, Horton was the leading scorer tonight with 20 points. This was a kind of homecoming game for him because he transferred from UCF this past season. Ithiel had his best game shooting 8-of-14 from the field and hit 40% of his three pointers. However, it was not enough to beat his former team. The move to the starting lineup does seem to open up the floor for others to operate in the paint. Abmas wasn’t as efficient as he usually is. He finished with 15 points but shot only 5-of-13 (38% FG) and 4-of-11 (36% 3FG). 36% on three isn’t terrible, but both Horton and Abmas couldn’t hit shots when it mattered most in the final four minutes.

Mitchell continues to provide efficient play within the Longhorn offense. Mitchell finished with 15 points, nine rebounds and two steals. Mitchell shot 6-of-9 from the field, mostly due to off ball cuts and drives to the rim. Mitchell is still struggling on his shot but did hit an impressive turnaround midrange in the second half that is encouraging. Though the Longhorns lost, Mitchell continues to provide great minutes.

Overall the UCF Knights have earned some huge wins in the Big 12 conference proving that they belong. The Knights will look to build on this win against #5-ranked on January 20th. Meanwhile Texas has been on a bit of a tail spin and will look to stop the slide against the #9-ranked Baylor Bears, also on the 20th.

This article was written by Matthew Lawyer, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Facebook, or on twitter.

We are looking for those interested in our basketball scout apprenticeship program. For information contact us and forward your resume.

Faried Leads Mexico City Past G-League Ignite

by netscoutstestg
written by netscoutstestg

Henderson, NV – The G League Ignite took on the Mexico City Capitanes Wednesday night at Dollar Loan Center, their sixth straight game at home. The Ignite rested projected lottery pick Matas Buzelis and were without Efe Abogidi, Eric Mika and Isaiah Todd due to injury/illness. The Capitanes were without one of their top scorers in Alexey Borges (12.0 PPG) due to a foot injury. Mexico City would prevail in what was a back-and-forth affair for most of the game, 106-100.

The Ignite got off to a solid start behind Izan Almansa scoring eight of the first Ignite’s points and holding a 31-24 lead after the first quarter. The Capitanes would never have a lead bigger than three points but would hold a 51-49 lead at halftime. Former Oregon State guard Ethan Thompson had 17 points in the first half (7-11 FG, 1-2 3PT, 2-2 FT) and NBA veteran Kenneth Faried’s 11 rebounds would help the Capitanes build a double-digit point advantage in the paint, 36-24.

The second half went back and forth until the Capitanes built a 65-54 lead in the third quarter to pull away. They would largely keep a double-digit lead late into the fourth quarter until the Ignite got it to single digits. Thompson would cool down only scoring four points in the second half, but former Hofstra guard Justin Wright-Foreman would heat up and finish with 19 points on 9-of-18 shooting along with a team-high five assists.

Kenneth Faried was the story of the game, as the former NBA veteran finished two points shy of a 20-20 game. Faried had nearly half of New Mexico’s 46 rebounds with 21 (including seven offensive) and was a big reason why his team had a massive advantage in points in the paint – 80-48. He was constantly beating Ignite players to positions to rebound and helped Mexico City gain extra possessions or push the ball in transition. The Capitanes needed every one of them, as they shot a ghastly 2-of-18 from beyond the arc. Between their missing players and there not being enough time remaining for the Ignite mount a comeback, Mexico City would hold on to win.

Almansa in particular was impressive and stood out. He set solid screens, freeing himself to roll to the basket for an easy layup or a lob. Almansa also showcased his post game, backing down multiple defenders Mexico City threw at him and going up-and-under, around or through his defender. Almansa would finish with 22 points on a very efficient 8-of-10 shooting (3-3 FT) and six rebounds, but was often beat trying to go for a rebound, a good chunk of which went to Faried.

Almansa had a solid performance, but Ron Holland was the Ignite’s best player. He had a team-high 24 points (8-18 FG, 1-2 3PT, 6-8 FT) to go along with six rebounds, two assists, four steals and two blocks. While he stuffed the stat sheet, Holland easily could have had more in the defensive stat categories, as he was constantly bothering whoever was in front of him, guarding just about every player and position on the floor. Even if he turned the ball over, he did not give up on the play, hustling back to try to force a turnover or block the shot.

These two teams will face off against each other on Friday again at Dollar Loan Center at 7 p.m. local time.

This article was written by Mason McFee, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Facebook, or on twitter.

We are looking for those interested in our basketball scout apprenticeship program. For information contact us and forward your resume.

Maryland Gets Past Michigan with Second Half Surge

by netscoutstestg
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College Park, MD – Maryland came into this game trying to extend Michigan’s losing streak to five games. Both teams had the same 1-3 record in Big 10 conference play as they looked to improve their place in the standings. This game started off slow in the first half with both teams struggling to get much going offensively. Michigan was up 33-21 at halftime led by senior forwards Olivier Nkamhoua and Terrance Williams II who finished the game with a combined 28 points. The Terps missed a whopping ten threes in the first half but made six in the second half which gave them the lead. Maryland’s Donta Scott scored 20 points in the second half including four shots from downtown. Julian Reese finished the game with 14 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks as he made a strong defensive impact on this game. The Terps outscored the Wolverines 43-24 in the second half and held on to win, 64-57.

Maryland’s senior forward Scott finished the game with 22 points and four rebounds. He only made one basket in the first half but knocked down some key threes in the second. Scott is somewhat polarizing because of his inconsistency but his talent is unmistakable. He had a posterizing dunk in the beginning of the game, a precursor to his big night. Scott went quiet until the second half when he knocked down several threes within a few minutes. One of his 3-pointers was scored with 7:56 remaining in the second half to give Maryland its first lead. Scott added another 3-pointer on their next possession for his fourth that put the Terps in the lead. He played with poise getting the defense to commit, making good cuts and screens. Scott cemented himself in the top 10 of 3-point scorers in the school’s history.

Reese had a very good game finishing with his seventh double-double of the year and added five blocks and three steals to his stat line. Two of those blocks came in the final minute, with 23.2 seconds left. Reese, a 58.6% free-throw shooter who had made just two of six from the stripe, sank two free throws for a 62-57 lead. He was an excellent rim protector this game and got easier looks in the paint when the Terps went over the top to feed him in the post. He didn’t play perfectly but did have an overall impact on both sides of the floor.

Michigan’s Nkamhoua scored 18 points, seven boards and two assists and looked good from opening tip. He has nice size and shooting stroke from the floor. He was very active on the glass and kept the Wolverines afloat along with Terrance Williams who finished with 10 points and two rebounds. He also has a nice shot but often stayed on the wing when he should have been more aggressive. Maryland’s defense did make him uncomfortable going in the lane where he’s going to have to win more of his iso match-ups.

The Terps are now 25-2 at home dating back to last season and look to win against Illinois, while Michigan, still reeling from five straight losses, go up against Ohio State next. Maryland is now 10-6 on the year and Michigan is 6-10.

This article was written by Kenneth Moore, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Facebook, or on twitter.

We are looking for those interested in our basketball scout apprenticeship program. For information contact us and forward your resume.

Austin Spurs Nip G-League Ignite

by netscoutstestg
written by netscoutstestg

Henderson, NV – The G League Ignite took on the Austin Spurs Tuesday night at the Dollar Loan Center. The Ignite were without two of their top players – Izan Almansa was out with an illness and Ron Holland was rested – as the Ignite lost a heartbreaking 105-104 contest. The Spurs were without Dominick Barlow and Mamadi Diakite, who are with Austin’s parent club, the San Antonio Spurs.

The Ignite missed Holland and Almansa’s presence in the paint, as the Spurs nearly doubled the home team in points in the paint (30-16) and were dominant on the boards (28-17 edge, 11 offensive). The Ignite were able to counteract that with some hot shooting from beyond the arc (8-18, 44.4%) and solid shooting from the floor (21-41, 51.2%). The Spurs could not get out of their own way, turning the ball over 10 times and committing 12 fouls compared to the Ignite’s six in each category. Austin would pull down two offensive rebounds and former West Virginia guard Erik Stevenson would hit a three to cut the Ignite’s lead to just five with 3:06 remaining in the first half, but the home team would have a 56-49 lead at half.

The second half was a different story for the Spurs, who would cut the deficit to four points with 6:24 to go in the third quarter. Stevenson would score 10 of his 24 points in the quarter, including multiple three-pointers to keep Austin in it. Austin would never have a lead bigger than four points, but all they needed was one more point at the end.

However, two technical fouls – one on Spurs’ head coach Will Voigt and the other on former Fresno State guard Paul Watson Jr. – would halt the Spurs’ momentum. The Ignite would convert both of the free throws for four points and hold onto their decreasing lead each time.

Stevenson kept Austin in it, but it was former Florida State forward RaiQuan Gray who was consistent all game for the Spurs, including the go-ahead basket with six seconds left. Gray would finish with a team-high 28 points and nine rebounds to go along with five steals and four blocks. Julian Washburn (12 points) and Yauhen Massalski (10 points) were the other Spurs players to finish in double figures.

Gray in particular was very impressive, providing timely bucket after timely bucket and scoring from all over the floor. At 6’7” and 269 lbs., he used every bit of his size to bully his way into the paint, making whoever the Ignite threw at him look small.

For the Ignite, five players finished in double figures – projected first round picks Matas Buzelis and Tyler Smith, former Washington State forward Will Davis, former NBA veteran John Jenkins and former Gonzaga guard Admon Gilder. Jenkins was tied for the team lead in points with 19, but it was Buzelis who really shone. Buzelis would finish with a game-high 15 rebounds to go along with two blocks, constantly rotating to provide help-side defense along with looking to push the ball in transition. Buzelis was also tied for the most made free throws in the game with Austin’s Stevenson with four.

Former NBA champion Norris Cole was a steadying presence for the Ignite, finishing with eight assists when the Ignite needed them most.

The Ignite are right back at it at home tomorrow, same start time – 7 p.m. PST – this time against the Iowa Wolves. The Spurs don’t play again until Friday and will take on the Sioux Falls Skyforce at the Sanford Pentagon at 8 p.m. EST.

This article was written by Mason McFee, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Facebook, or on twitter.

We are looking for those interested in our basketball scout apprenticeship program. For information contact us and forward your resume.

Seton Hall Upsets Marquette

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Heading Title

Newark, N.J. – The Seton Hall Pirates did it again, this time taking down the #7-ranked Marquette Golden Eagles 78-75, marking their third straight win as an underdog against AP ranked opponents.

Guard Al-Amir Dawes carried the Pirates in the first half despite stud guard Kadary Richmond watching from the sidelines with two early fouls. Dawes caught fire from deep going 4-of-5 on 3s. He’d score 15 first half points and 23 total to lead all scorers. They weathered their turnover woes (22 total) by absolutely dominating on the glass, 43-25, and being highly efficient from the field with splits of 52/40/87 as an entire team. The second half belonged to Richmond, making his presence felt with 14 of his 21 points scoring off relentless paint attacks.

 

Although the scoring responsibility was mostly a 2-man crew, it took an entire team to take down this highly touted Marquette crew. Coach Shaheen Holloway had his team ready on the defensive side. They were locked in on their pick-and-roll coverages, being synchronized on all their rotations. Seton Hall had great length advantages with their perimeter players. Most importantly, they finished a lot of possessions, getting 29 defensive rebounds. That’s more than Marquette had on both sides of the floor.

 

 

Marquette coach Shaka Smart’s emphasis for deflections proved successful early, forcing 12 turnovers for 17 points in the first half. Top prospect center Oso Ighodaro played a part in forcing turnovers with incredible length to disrupt passes, in addition to running the floor for easy slams. The offense was flowing and feeding off the energy their defense created for an early 23-13 lead, then they began to stifle.

 

Marquette had their own turnover woes in the first half. All-American point guard Tyler Kolek carelessly turned it over three times, with backup point guard Sean Jones having three of his own. Marquette didn’t look comfortable on offense unless they played out in transition or got early offense scoring opportunities with Seton Hall’s defense not set. Kolek couldn’t get into much of a rhythm throughout the game going 1-of-6 for a mere five points with three turnovers. Their second leading scorer Kam Jones went ice cold almost the entire second half, shooting 5-of-15 total and at one point missing seven straight. Ighodaro was the only player who found consistent success with 22 points on 9-of-14 shooting.

 

Seton Hall (10-5, 3-1) have now racked up impressive wins against #4 UConn, #7 Marquette, and at #23 Providence in just the last few weeks. Notable aces for both UConn and Providence got injured while playing Seton Hall in Donovan Clingan and Bryce Hopkins, but injury luck played no factor in the Pirates taking this one. They’ve now held ranked opponents in their wins to 43% or less shooting from the field. Coach Holloway is solidifying this squad as a team worthy of consideration to be in the national tournament. They attempt to maintain their position in the Big East table and continue building their reputation on the road against Georgetown Tuesday.

 

Marquette (11-4, 2-2) came into this game off a quality win against a ranked Creighton squad, but now fall to sixth in the Big East having lost to Providence earlier last month. Marquette has national championship ambitions but are having early struggles taking care of business within their own conference. They look to get back into championship mode in a home matchup against Butler Wednesday.

 

This article was written by Justin Maldonado, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Facebook, or on twitter.

 

We are looking for those interested in our basketball scout apprenticeship program. For information contact us and forward your resume

Butler Romps Over Georgetown

by netscoutstestg
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Washington, D.C. – Georgetown came into this game with an 8-10 record, looking to stop a three game schneid. Unfortunately, they were no match for Butler, as they shot 62% FG and 50% from three in the first half. The Bulldogs led the Hoyas by 12 points at halftime, scoring a lowly 32% from the floor and 27% from deep. As the second half was underway, the Hoyas cut the lead to nine several times, but Butler responded, extending the lead back to double digits. Georgetown eventually fell to Butler 90-66. Butler was simply too physical, had all their starters in double figures while the Hoyas couldn’t get consistent offensive production. Butler guard Pierre Brooks led the team with 20 points and 11 rebounds and DJ Davis finished with 17 points, five dimes and four boards. Georgetown’s Jayden Epps led the Hoyas with 16 points and three assists, Supreme Cook added 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Brooks is a junior who is having a good year for Butler. He averages 17 points and four boards on 48% shooting. Brooks is also efficient from beyond the arc averaging 44%. He made 4-of-6 threes in this game and went 8-of-15 from the floor. He is very crafty and plays in control, he has an overall high IQ. When he has the ball in his hands, he does a good job looking for players in the right spots, though he didn’t record a dime. He created angles to give himself space and while undersized he plays big. Brooks used his body to carve out 11 rebounds, which is the most he’s had this year. He just has an excellent feel for the flow of the game and great court vision. Fellow guard DJ Davis had his fingerprints on this game as well, using his quickness to gain separation on the floor. He was aggressive, driving to the basket and having the wherewithal to stop on a whim for pull up jumpers and runners. He succeeded in transition and was not afraid of contact. Davis made good cuts and came off screens. He shot 50% FG with only one made three, though he has a nice shooting touch.

Georgetown’s guard Epps did not have his best night. He led the team in scoring once again but was very inefficient. He shot 4-for-19 for the night and frankly didn’t play to his strengths. He was very hesitant to drive because there were no lanes for him to get to the basket. When Epps doesn’t get the driving lanes to the hoop, he starts to press and takes bad shots. He was very poor from downtown only making 2-of-13 attempts. Butler overmatched the team with a strong defensive performance and frankly got in his head. He added five turnovers to his stats as well which was a problem since he is the primary ball handler. Epps had a nice night from the charity stripe as he only missed one foul shot. Cook had a double-double in this game and seemed to be the only Georgetown player up to the task. He showed heart and put his arms in the body of the defenders to gain his ground. Cook is very raw but seems to be coming into his role by finishing better and being aggressive.

Butler is now 13-7 on the year and face Villanova next while Georgetown is 8-11 and goes up against Providence on the road. Butler is 8th and the Hoyas are 10th respectively in the Big East.

This article was written by Kenneth Moore, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Facebook, or on twitter.

We are looking for those interested in our basketball scout apprenticeship program. For information contact us and forward your resume.

St. John’s Rolls Past Butler

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Queens, NY – The St John’s Red Storm (10-4) came out on top Tuesday night in a Big East conference match-up against the Butler Bulldogs (10-4) 86-70.

The Red Storm had a balanced offensive attack that saw six players reach double figures on the night. Leading that attack was senior guard Daniss Jenkins who finished with a team high 17 points (6-12 FG), five rebounds and seven assists. Jenkins continues to showcase his ability to effectively run the offense as he’s done all season. He has a good sense as to when to reset broken plays in the half court sets and get the ball moving to the right spaces on the court. He is also great at taking care of the basketball and minimizing his and the team’s turnovers when he’s in the game. His pace with the basketball and his court vision leads to his high assist and low turnover numbers.

Another big contributor to the Red Storm’s victory was RJ Luis Jr., a sophomore guard. Taking a team high 15 field goal attempts, Luis Jr. constantly found himself weaving into the lane and to the rim for tough finishes. He effectively used his strength to keep defenders on his back on his pick & roll drives. From there he either could use that strength and ball handling to get to the rim for a layup or a foul or stop on the dime for a pull up mid-range shot. Freshman forward Brady Dunlap came off the bench for St John’s and provided instant offense. Finishing with 13 points (5-7 FG, 3-5 3PT) Dunlap had his best scoring game of the season, taking season highs in field goal attempts and makes and three pointers made. His role in this offense can still grow if he consistently takes and makes those outside shots.

Rounding out the scoring for the Red Storm was senior Joel Soriano with 14 points, followed by fellow seniors Chris Ledlum (13 points) and Nahiem Alleyne with 10. The Bulldogs offense couldn’t maintain a rhythm against the zone defense of St John’s which led them to shot clock violation turnovers, bad passes or ending possessions taking tough contested shots. Senior guard DJ Davis was the high scorer for Butler finishing with a game high 25 points (10-17 FG). Davis was the only Butler player who seemed to be able to get open looks and find holes in the Red Storm zone defense. Whenever the Red Storm guards would close out or go over the screen in the pick and roll, Davis was also able to get good dribble penetration and get good close shots to go down while moving downhill. However, his effort alone wasn’t enough to carry his team to the win tonight.

Butler looks to rebound from tonight’s loss Friday night at home in another Big East matchup vs No. 4-rated UConn (12-2) while St John’s goes on the road to face Villanova (9-4) on Saturday afternoon as they look to extend their win streak.

This article was written by Frank Amankwah, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Facebook, or on twitter.

We are looking for those interested in our basketball scout apprenticeship program. For information contact us and forward your resume.