Scotland Campus two guard Austin Galuppo was incensed with a questionable no-call on a corner 3-point attempt, one in which the hard contact was excessive during Friday night’s 87-78 win over Beckley Prep at the Fork Union Military Academy tournament in Virginia.
Rather than give the ref a puzzling look or a cold hard stare down, however, Galuppo continued to hunt for his deep and deadly 3-point shot.
Several plays latter, Galuppo spotted up from the identical corner and buried a 3-pointer while drawing the foul, submitting a wild four-point play with 13:15 remaining in the second half. Akrum Ahemed then pickpocketed the inbounds pass, quickly locating Galuppo drifting along the perimeter for an uncontested 3-pointer.
And so in bolt-quick fashion, Scotland’s 3-point flamethrower racked up seven consecutive points during a game-altering nine second sequence. The scoring spurt continued for Scotland, as Clarence Nadolny drilled a straight-away 3-pointer on a pull-up, capping off a 10-0 run as Scotland seized a 70-59 lead.
Beckley could have withered under the weight of this run. They kept firing, however, behind guards Conroy Rice (25 points) and 3-point ace Drew Williamson. The hot-shooting Rice was the source on which Beckley leaned throughout the first half, as 6-foot-3 guard Ahmad Price was saddled with early foul trouble. Rice reeled off a personal 8-2 run during the first half.
Williamson’s 3-pointer with 4:19 remaining sliced Beckley’s deficit to 76-72. Scotland answered as Akrum Ahemed tore down an offensive rebound and provided a putback for a 78-72 lead with 3:52 remaining. Scotland eventually closed the door as Karim Coulibaly willed his way in for a putback and Ahemed broke out in the open court for a left-handed dunk.
Here is an update on Scotland’s current unsigned core:
Clarence Nadolny: Furious high major athleticism was the initial attraction to the French guard, who holds offers from Georgetown, Dayton, Rutgers, Robert Morris, Iowa State, and a bevy of others. By opening up a steady mid-range and beyond the arc game and subscribing to the killer instinct mentality as head coach Chris Chaney has implored him to, Nadolny has now become recruited more on capability and less on upside and potential.
He turned in a season best 26 points as Scotland staved off a balanced Fork Union Military Academy team, 92-86, on Saturday afternoon.
Nadolny looked tremendously more composed, controlled, and displayed an ability to play at multiple speeds. More noteworthy, however, was his poise in scoring meaningful buckets down the stretch of a dizzying contest. He hit 3-pointers, initiated offense, and delivered on the valuable trips he earned to the free throw line. If Nadolny continues to impose his will and leave a massive stamp on games, as he did this weekend, he’ll up his chances of being a special player at the ensuing level. Developing consistency and playing in a composed attack mode are essential ingredients of his day to day progression.
Akrum Ahemed: The underrated 6-foot-5 guard/wing showed the valuable qualities of his game in a pair of wins at the Fork Union Military Academy tournament this weekend. Ahemed scored 12 first half points as Scotland clawed back from a 10-point deficit after initially appearing stagnant offensively. Ahemed hit a deep corner jumper, a 3-pointer, and bulled his way to the rim for a traditional 3-point play.
He was an active and dependable presence on the glass in Friday night’s win over Beckley, scoring on putbacks and showing an adeptness for snaring rebounds and kick-starting the break accordingly.
The New Jersey native has been shooting the ball with confidence since the very beginning, popping off the bench to hit big shots against Our Savior Lutheran (90-72 win) and others. He’s become a more consistent high-impact presence since a 38-point performance last month. Consistency is the central category in which he needed to improve, after an up-and-down junior year he spent flanked by first rate talent at the tradition-rich basketball factory that is Oak Hill Academy.
With Ahemed’s ability to finish with his left hand and attack, he registers as one of the more underknown and underappreciated pieces in Chaney’s core. He’s got a calming demeanor to his game, one which reared itself during those pressure-loaded moments in which he produced this weekend. On most other teams in the country he would be a primary scorer and go-to threat.
Dequarious Nicholas: The heady 6-foot-1 guard was able to kick start the offense with his shooting, displaying significant elevation on his shot.
Again, his ability to yank in rebounds and quickly snare 50-50 balls has been one of the more unique factors associated with his game this season. Nicholas was dependable during the game’s most vital stages, scoring and crashing on the offensive glass throughout. Nicholas drew fouls and converted at the free throw line. The elevation on his jumper and his ability to knock down shots has been noticeable, as he’s evolved as a key piece in a guard-heavy system.
Karim Coulibaly: With his 20 points in the win against Beckley Prep, Coulibaly was able to utilize every facet of his game. He hit shots from deep. He knocked back 15-20 footers. He took advantage of one on one matches around the rim and finished effortlessly.
The 6-foot-9 lefty was able to get into the lane and five footers with regularity. The leadership component that he provides was visible, especially throughout the second half of the FUMA win. He stepped out and hit a 3-pointer and turned a transition leak out and pass from Nadolny into a dunk.
Coulibaly is noticeably skilled and proficient at attacking defenders in one on one style, utilizing an array of moves to get the opponent to bite on.
He still needs to make consistency a livelihood, as he’s capable of overpowering frontline defenders with his man-child frame and the relative ease with which he scores hustle points.
Blake Owens: Eastern Washington, and Utah Valley are the latest programs to express high interest in Owens, who has transformed his game into that of a true big man this season. He’s been able to quickly convert passes into high efficiency points at the rim, an aspect that revealed itself against Beckley Prep in the first half.
Owens has a mental fortitude about himself with his ability to get second chance points and stay engaged on the glass. These traits are of course transferable to the Division-I level, where he’s got the potential to be a workmanlike post presence at the low-mid major tiers. He’s quickly shed the guard-like tendencies and subscribed the workload required in the trenches.
Jordon Jones: No player has been more consistent and impressive during the second half of the season than the 6-foot-6 Jones, who has been able to bulldoze his way to the rim and score it. He scored a team-best 20 points during the win over Perkiomen at Chambersburg High last week. He was again a handful during the FUMA tournament. Jones charged his way into the paint, corralled a rebound and provided the putback bucket that gave Scotland an 87-81 advantage over Fork Union Military Academy in the waning moments. He later drew a foul and hit one of two free throws as Scotland sealed it to extend its win streak to 21.
After an ACL injury sidelined him during the pre-season, Jones has been a viable supplementary scorer and presence on the glass. He’s got the type of physical, imposing scoring and has done so at an efficient clip. Jones’ skill set best aligns with that prioritized at the MEAC or NEC level, where he could be a quintessential undersized forward who employs a workmanlike, gritty game. He’s used this post graduate experience to prove he can produce against elite level competition.
It’s no secret, guard play has profoundly impacted this team’s ability to overcome an offensive rut or a prolonged lull. With Austin Galuppo coming off the bench, or in Saturday’s case, Akrum Ahemed, Scotland possesses the sources capable of rattling off points and circumventing a drought. Rebounding and second chance opportunities, however, have been just as pivotal.
Jones’ ability to seal off defenders and finish and also provide putbacks has paralleled the team’s recent string of wins. Division-II power Virginia Union was at Fork Union to see Jones on Saturday, albeit the Class of 2019 prospect has made it clear the Division-I level is where his sights are set.
Chris Maidoh: The 6-foot-10 forward/center had his best half of basketball all season against Beckley Prep, as he proved he can provide adequate rim protection, change shots and get blocks in the low post. Beyond that, Maidoh sank a pair of free throws, stepped out and hit a 3-pointer and played within the confines of the system.
With a 7-foot-3 wingspan, the potential is jarringly enticing. Maidoh is just a dainty 175 pounds, albeit he’s improved at becoming more of an athletic finisher and has shown flashes of superior leaping ability. Very few can move like him at his size.
Arion Lewis: The transfer from South Kent has a smooth, cerebral all around game and scores it ambidextrously. His craftiness is translatable to his ability to get to the rim and freestyle over bigger defenders in traffic.
He scored 25 points during a recent game against Our Savior Lutheran, pioneering the offense with his penetration and ability to get into the defense. He’s developed a fluid stepback and an outside shot, though he’s more of a drive first guard. One element of his game that’s really progressed is his floater. He still needs to pack muscle onto a 160-pound frame.
Ben Curtain: The 6-foot guard has been a deadeye shooter all season, circumventing those phases and cold fronts which tend to derail other shooters.
Many 3-point shooters of Curtain’s type tend to be streaky or feast or famine at times, though Curtain has maximized his potential during minutes on both the elite team and Prep White. He’s had games of 25+ points and 7+ 3-pointers, second only to Galuppo in spurt-ability and the knack for getting hot in a frenzied hurry. Curtain recently scored 17 points during Prep White’s loss to Rocktop Academy last week.
German Kasanzi: The bullish 6-foot-4 guard has an evolving one on one game and a physical style, one which makes him a significant rebounding presence for a guard. He’s been able to knock down perimeter shots and play in multiple flow offenses while proving to be a reliable presence defensively. A member of the Angolan national team, the left handed Kasanzi possesses the skill set to be a high impact player at the Division-II level immediately. His shooting and ability to draw fouls by using his size to his advantage over smaller defenders have been noteworthy this past week.
