-Following an irregularly rocky first half, Karim Coulibaly displayed the wide ranging offensive game and versatility element which makes him such an imposing threat at a powerfully built 6-foot-9, 220 pounds.
Beckley played a competitive first half before whittling under Scotland’s depth in the second, as the Knights stamped a resounding 80-59 win.
With an array of Pittsburgh fans keeping close tabs on his production online and via livestream, Coulibaly hit a pair of deep 3-pointers in the second half as Scotland fattened a 10-point halftime lead into a comfortable 20-point lead on a spirited display of strength in numbers.
Chris Chaney and Scotland’s notable frontline depth was a convincing component, one which powered Scotland past a guard-laden team experiencing a considerable void in the middle.
The 6-foot-9 Blake Owens was workmanlike and exemplified grittiness in battling for boards and scoring hustle points.
His development is visible through his ability to score it ambidextrously and finish hard, refusing to shy away from contact.
Developing strength and transitioning to less of a guard’s game have been areas of focus over Owens’ progression, albeit his motor and toughness have never been issues.
Continuously shredding apart any “raw” label affiliated with his game, 6-foot-10 Class of 2019 prospect Chris Maidoh shined in the second half, punching home an extravagant two-handed fast break dunk and hitting both a short jumper and a 3-pointer.
Jordon Jones, the 6-foot-8 undersized four who has been an unyielding aggressor in producing inside and manufacturing points at the free throw line, scored a team-best 13 points.
-After a tense moment which sent a brief wave of paralyzing worry hovering over his teammates’ heads, Austin Galuppo bounced back from a broken nose he sustained during the Knights’ thorough 113-70 throttling of NTSI Orlando on Wednesday.
After landing awkwardly during a freakish collision, Galuppo was able to weather the pain after fleeing from the gym and tending to it.
He even asked to be re-inserted in the game upon his return, a move that elicited a relieved chorus of laughter from Chaney and teammates. Erring on the side of caution, Chaney had to turn down his off guard’s sudden urge.
Galuppo debunked any hearsay of him being sidelined in the Beckley game, returning in prompt fashion to score 12 points.
With his first 3-point attempt of the game an off balance and flat one, Galuppo registered his return to normalcy with a wild four-point play.
The unrivaled gunslinger, who is headed to Weber State, has consistently provided an impactful jolt off the bench all season. He’s established his niche as an instant offense source with quick spurt-ability scoring.
You can’t deny the presence of fellow Weber State commit Judah Jordan in accelerating Galuppo’s scoring rate.
The 6-foot-2 point guard has been able to find him spotting up from the corner and in various other money spots throughout the season.
Understanding tendencies and spacing and location are essential tenets of the point guard’s mental makeup and responsibility. Jordan has proven that throughout this season.
-Beckley Prep’s guard tandem of Coryon Rice (12 points, five assists) and Ahmad Price (12 points, six boards) were impressive throughout.
Rice, who torched Scotland for 25 points and reeled off a personal 8-2 run during the Knights’ 87-78 win over this same Beckley team during the Fork Union Military Academy tournament last month, possesses a blend of deep 3-point range and a scorer’s mentality. He averaged a robust 24 PPG and 4.5 assists during that tournament, enhancing his stock in the process.
Price, adept at getting to the rim, is a bouncy combination guard with a scoring skill set who has ratcheted up his mid major attention.
-After scoring 15 points, grabbing nine boards, and doling out five assists against NTSI, Clarence “Frenchy” Nadolny brought early energy his teammates ate off. The high-wired 6-foot-3 guard has been extremely active on the defensive glass and reliable in causing disruption on the defensive end. UMBC is now expressing interest in 6-foot-5 wing Akrum Ahemed and 6-foot-2 guard Dequarius Nicholas.
Both players have rattled off multiple 20+ performances and snared double doubles this season, even while being flanked and pitted against higher profile, more highly regarded prospects.
The most compelling trait of their games is how well they rebound the ball at their respective positions. The interest has been ratcheted up for both prospects this season.
West Virginia, Cal Poly, and Jacksonville State have been intrigued with Nicholas. Southeast Missouri State and Marshall have recently shown serious interest in Ahemed.
It’s no secret, we reside in a bit of a microwave society in 2019. Every kid worthy of Division-I offers is led to believe it will happen in a matter of minutes, at the simple press of a button.
Part of the mental maturity of the recruitment process is understanding the nuances and nature of it all. Patience has never been as much as a life requirement as it is throughout the unprecise, inaccurate science and process of recruiting.
Nicholas, Maidoh, Jones, Owens, Ahemed are all prime examples of guys who will float under the radar before undergoing a late rise in stock. While the whole concept of earning “interest” without a follow up offer can be frustrating, the wait tends to be worth it through the long haul.
