5 Takeaways: Prosper vs Hebron
I was treated to an excellent matchup between the Prosper Eagles and the Hebron Hawks Tuesday night. Hebron maintained a small lead through the first three quarters, but every time it felt like they were beginning to pull away, Prosper…
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Continue ReadingI was treated to an excellent matchup between the Prosper Eagles and the Hebron Hawks Tuesday night. Hebron maintained a small lead through the first three quarters, but every time it felt like they were beginning to pull away, Prosper managed to string together a few stops and get back into the game. However, every run that the Eagles went on was answered by the Hawks, and they finally took control of the game in the fourth quarter. Hebron ultimately came out on top and won the contest 54-41.
Here are five takeaways from the game:
Sierra Dickson is the Real Deal
Hebron’s senior point guard was selected to play in the 2020 McDonald’s All-American Game the day after this matchup took place, and that makes all the sense in the world after seeing her play. Dickson has a tremendous all-around game. She has elite level handles and excels at getting defenders off-balance so that she can blow by them. She showed that she can hit the three ball, but she is at her best when she is in attack mode. The Texas State commit was able to get inside at will vs. Prosper, and she also displayed her excellent passing ability during several offensive possessions. Furthermore, she is a two-way player with great defensive instincts. Dickson finished the game with 27 points. She is going to be a problem at the next level.
Hebron is a Very Good Defensive Team
The Hawks got a ton of breakaway layups as a result of their efforts on the defensive end. They thrive off getting steals and turning them into easy points. Their backcourt duo of Dickson and Demauria Miles are stingy on-ball defenders, and forward Camille Thomas moves very well and uses her length to come away with a ton of steals. They made Prosper work extremely hard just to get the ball into the paint, forcing them to instead settle for threes. Hebron has plenty of weapons on offense, but they will be a true threat in class 6A so long as they play like this defensively on a consistent basis.
Prosper’s Starting Backcourt is the Strength of Their Team
Prosper may have lost this game, but they competed hard and impressed me in a number of areas. Their backcourt’s offensive production really caught my eye. Junior point guard Chandler Browning might be one of the shortest players on the Eagle’s roster, but she also might be the toughest. When her team was trailing, she took it upon herself to get into the paint and was rewarded with high percentage shots and/or free throws. Senior shooting guard Madison Cleary is a knockdown three-point shooter who is also a very accurate passer. She is scary talented offensively. These two are the heart of this Eagles team.
Madison Cleary Can Light it Up Offensively
Cleary isn’t going to blow you away with her speed and athleticism, but she is a threat to score from just about anywhere. She lets the game come to her and never forces shots. It’s clear that she has a high basketball IQ. She has deep range and can shoot the three from the catch or off the dribble. The Senior guard can also do some damage with her pull-up game from mid-range. Additionally, the North Texas commit is a taller guard at the high school level which allows her to see over the defense and make some really difficult passes look easy. I also like the way Cleary attacks the glass at both ends. There is a lot to like about her game.
Hebron’s Ability to Get High-Percentage Shots Was the Difference in This Game
I mentioned this in my second takeaway, but Hebron was so good when it came to preventing Prosper from getting good looks inside the three-point line. In addition to that, the Hawks got a ton of good looks in transition and made most of their offensive possessions count in the half court. They refused to settle for threes. Both teams made their fair share of three pointers, but Hebron took way more high percentage shots, and that proved to be the difference in this contest. Dickson and Courtlyn Loudermill were particularly effective at getting into the teeth of the defense for close-range looks. I know it sounds simple, but winning basketball games isn’t rocket science. The team that takes better shots is usually going to score more points, and Hebron did exactly that Tuesday night.