Augmented bench depth was the underlying factor in Scotland Campus’ thorough 144-75 mauling of Bristol Prep (TN) on Thursday. The emergence of 6-foot-2 guard Terell Strickland, who scored a team-best 19 points to lead the Knights during the second half, was a major sign of this guard-rich prep team’s depth.
Scotland came at Bristol in waves and waves and waves, finishing early and often throughout the second half and utilizing an 11-man rotation to fatten the lead.
Strickland, just four games back from a debilitating injury which had his leg encased in a boot for several weeks, scored 16 points during the second half. The Class of 2020 guard set a loud tone defensively and helped apply the swarming pressure that splintered the ball movement for Bristol Prep, which was saddled with foul trouble throughout the second half. He was able to instigate multiple turnovers and his on-ball pressure sparked the Knights, which tightened up tremendously in the game’s final 20 minutes.
The noteworthy change helped stretch a seven-point lead into a 21-point halftime bulge and ultimately build an insurmountable 35+ point lead. Bristol’s offense–despite 13 first half points from Mark Vance and hard surges to the rim from Corey Gurtin (who was once an AAU teammate of Strickland’s in Kentucky)–stagnated during the second half as the lead ballooned and the game was well out of hand.
Class of 2020 guard Jaeden Zackery was able to catalyze the Knights throughout, adding 19 points and turning in timely buckets on hard finishes at the rim. Nasyean Baisy popped off the bench to hand out a game-best eight assists. David Coit was also a major spark off the bench, scoring 14 points, With Toledo on hand to watch him and in heavy pursuit of the wiry and athletic 6-foot-3 guard, Norrance Tres Berry had 14 points.
Abou Ousmane, the 6-foot-9, 225-pound behemoth who recently garnered an offer from Saint Louis and now has St.Joe’s in hot pursuit of him, took advantage of Bristol’s dearth of rim protectors in the middle while scoring 14 points.
It didn’t take Strickland long to adapt to the souped-up style that head coach Chris Chaney employs. He handed out a team-best five assists during the team’s previous win (a blowout against GAC conference foe West Nottingham). On Thursday, Strickland pushed the tempo in the first half and then took scoring matters into his own hands in the second. He displayed a deft outside shooting touch while also finishing in traffic and completing hard surges to the rim.
Class of 2021 guard Johannes Kirsipuu looked fluid in running the offense and added 11 points, including 3-for-5 shooting from beyond the arc.
Double-Double
In Prep White’s 113-87 trouncing in the second game of a double-header, Angelo Santiago scored 15 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. The strong, well-built lefty got out on the break and flushed a pulsating one handed dunk-one complete with hang time–during the second half.
Santiago has been a revelation with his knack for knifing to the rim and ability to hit the outside shot as a multi-positional 6-foot-5 guard/forward. Stanley Poliniere added a double double of his own with 15 points and 10 assists.
