5 Takeaways From The Independence vs Ardrey Kell Match!
I had the opportunity to attend the Independence(Mint Hill, NC) Ardrey Kell(Charlotte NC) game last night at Ardrey Kell High School. It was a highly contested well coached contest. Ardrey Kell led early and jumped out to a halftime lead…
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Continue ReadingI had the opportunity to attend the Independence(Mint Hill, NC) Ardrey Kell(Charlotte NC) game last night at Ardrey Kell High School. It was a highly contested well coached contest. Ardrey Kell led early and jumped out to a halftime lead of 27-19. Most of the night AK used precise passing and tremendous execution in their offensive sets to obtain the lead. Indy, offensively had great looks at the basket but were unable to convert. Junior guard Braylyn Milton couldn’t buy a basket as the ball kept rolling off the rim. She managed to get tremendous looks but wasn’t quite able to finish. More about Milton later! Senior guard Trinity Thompson took over in the third with numerous steals and making threes to give Indy a 1 point lead at the end of three. The crowd was really engaged at this point as the teams battled hard in trying to get the win. UNC Wilmington commit Evan Miller of AK kept her team in the mix while Thompson led her Indy troops. It was back and forth to the final end. Miller scored to give AK the lead under a minute but on the following possession Indy scored to take the lead right back! Miller had a chance late to win the game as she drove the right side of the lane but missed a shot I’m sure she would like to have back. Indy won 44-43! It was a great atmosphere and a great game to watch. Here are my 5 Takeaways from the game!
1.Ardrey Kell’s ball movement is awesome. I love the way they share the ball. Junior point guard Trinity Palmer does a great job setting the table for her teammates. She manages the position well as she deals with the hardest decision in the game as a point guard, that is when to pass and when to shoot. She makes sure she has her team in the right play as well as making sure the floor is balanced. She is starting to find her shots in the offense and making smart plays. I predict she will get more comfortable creating her own offense while running the offense. The team does an excellent job of making the extra pass, cutting and making the right play. Every shot may not go in but you can appreciate the discipline on offense in efforts to get the best look. Any team that plays AK must be prepared to talk on defense and stay patient because AK will make you work on defense.
2. Junior guard Braylyn Milton has a great deal of potential. As I mentioned earlier she had a number of good looks but wasn’t able to get much to fall. This was my first time seeing her play and even though she didn’t get into a grove offensively I can see the potential. She is fearless and she can create offense. She is long and able to handle the ball very well while running the offense. She had some point blank shots that she missed but I’m sure she is able to make those normally. What impressed me the most is that she didn’t get down or frustrated and stayed with it. She continued to find other ways to contribute to the win. She will be one to keep and eye on the rest of the season.
3. UNC Wilmington commit Evan Miller is going to be the key to the success of AK. Miller can score and does a great job letting the game come to her. She isn’t selfish or demanding but what I like is that she knows when its time to step up. Late in the game last night Miller stepped up and took the last two shots to try and give her team the win. Yes she fell a little short but she had the heart to take the shots and give her team the best chance to win. Going forward Miller will need to continue to pick her spots and step up when needed. It wouldn’t hurt to possibly assert herself a little more throughout the course of the game and set a tone that way as well. I will continue to watch Miller the rest of the season.
4. Trinity Thompson, senior guard for Independence was very impressive last night. There were moments in the game where Independence needed a lift, specifically coming out of the half and Thompson had an 8 point run late in the third that turned the game around. With multiple steals and a few three pointers she took control of the game in the third which led to a classic fourth. At 5-5 she doesn’t have a lot of height but she is able to get her shot off. She has a nifty handle and is able to fade away a little getting her left handed shot off in the paint. Overall she is a pretty good three point shooter and seems to have the heart to try and make big plays. Defensively she gets her hands on balls and creates conflict for the opponent. I’m looking forward to watching her play again later this season.
5. What we learned from this game is that there is a lot of hidden talent in Charlotte and surrounding areas. As long as these ladies keep working and developing, they can earn a chance to play on the next level. Players like Milton and Palmer need to keep developing and working on their games in efforts to be major difference makers. Both teams have the potential to have solid seasons at worst. Both can make a run for the playoffs. As they both gel, develop and manage sports adversity, they will give their opponents major issues on the court. They are not easy outs! Independence is now 3-1 and AK 3-3. I look forward to watching both teams the rest of the way.