Brentwood Academy/BGA Preview

[WesVLT]

Friday night the Brentwood Academy Eagles host the Wildcats of Battle Ground Academy at 7:30. Here are some random stats and predictions. Feel free to add any opinions/corrections/predictions. Here goes!

 

RECORD:

BA: 7-6

BGA: 8-2

 

POINTS/GAME:

BA: 55.7

BGA: 55.1

 

POINTS AGAINST/GAME:

BA: 52.3

BGA: 41.9

 

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE:

BA: 79-54 (.594)

BGA: 30-53 (.361)

 

BIGGEST WIN:

BA: 24 (Livingston Academy: 7-5)

BGA: 35 (Ezell-Harding: 0-9)

 

BIGGEST LOSS:

BA: 17 (Harding Academy: 13-3)

BGA: 1 (MBA: 3-9)

 

MARGIN OF VICTORY / WIN:

BA: 11.7

BGA: 15

 

DEFICIT OF DEFEAT / LOSS

BA: 7.5

BGA: 1

 

KEY PLAYERS:

BA:

C King Dunlap

PF Brandon Wright

PG Josh Bone

 

BGA:

G Cole Rose

G Tripp Hibbett

F Ryan Barnes

 

Prediction:

Brentwood Academy 63, BGA 52

 

Final:

Brentwood Academy 48, BGA 46

[Edited by WesVols on 1-10-03 10:24P]

 

[CUFan]

I like your comments, but do not agree.

 

BGA is 8-2; they lost their first game at Lawrence Co.

 

BGA's loss to MBA was largely due to poor shooting after a 10 day holiday lay-off. Also, MBA is much better than their record indicates. Jerry Meyer is a very good coach and his team will get harder to beat as the season goes on.

 

BGA and BA have at least one common opponent - McCallie. BGA beat McCallie in a close game; I believe BA lost to McCallie in a close game.

 

I think this will be a lower scoring game than you are predicting.

 

BA is stronger inside; BGA has better guard play. I think good guard play is more important in high school ball.

 

I pick BGA to win 50 - 46.

[WesVLT]

Thanks for the comments, and the record correction. I was using the schedules here on the website, and apparently no one had entered the Lawrence County game.

 

I agree that guard play is usually more important in high school ball, and the Rose/Hibbett tandem is certainly a strong combination; however, the BA guards are no slouches, and the Eagles' inside game could serve as an exception to your rule. BA holds a significant height advantage on the inside; thus, getting the ball inside to Dunlap and Wright will wear down the Wildcats' inside players and they may @@@@ up fouls. Also, a height advantage creates the need for a double-team, allowing the big guys to kick it out to one of BA's hot-shooting guards and forwards (there are a few). You may be right about this game being low-scoring, but I see BA triumphing. When BA played McCallie, they had just finished playing football. While the same is true for BGA, how many of their b'ballers played football? 17 of BA's 20 players did. The Eagles weren't in basketball shape. Now they are.

 

Best of luck to you, and have a great day.

[mofototo50]

I saw BA play Harding and i think their best player is the sophmore gaurd, he can light it up, Harding shut him down after the 1st qtr. and just took care of buisness, showing why they have a really good team. If Brentwood would use the size advantage they have, they could beat people by double-figures every night, but i dont know anything about BGA so no prediction.

[TheEgoHasLanded]

BA's best player is their freshman post player.

 

He is really good, and a very accomplished player for his age. Against BCS the guards for BA really played horribly...King Dunlap did well too.

 

Wright is their best post player, and the future looks bright for him.

[itzme]

Guess I have to add to the fray here...

 

Wes, in all honesty, BA's guards are not great. A bit undersized, and definitely young. They have also struggled with the outside shot this season. BA has a very good to excellent inside game, but if the guards can't contribute in the scoring, teams pack it in and deny the post players. Brandon Wright is skilled, but also inexperienced and VERY thin. He's not able to body up against a strong post defender. BGA doesn't have that type of player.

 

I think if the Eagle guards can hit some outside shots to keep BGA honest on D, BA will win the game. If the guards are cold, BGA will take it. Either way, I expect it to be a close game. Honestly, I was shocked to see BGA lose to MBA.

 

Most of the BA players were on that team that lost to BGA last year after going out to a, what was it, 18-0 lead to start the game? They want this one, and I know that Coach Pitts REALLY does.

 

My prediction:

BA: 48

BGA : 43

[TheEgoHasLanded]

BA's guards are very weak.

 

A good team will press them and force them to make turnovers...also it will put the guards in a position where they can not give the ball to the big guys in Dunlap and Wright...Also Mustin did not look very comfortable dribbling the basketball so if they are able to get it to their safety valve (I think Holbert is the same way) then it isn't the end of the world. Those two guys are incredibly strong, but when I saw them play they didn't seem to comfortable with the ball.

 

I would probably press BA and then go to a 2-3 zone...really try and help out inside...make those guards shoot threes. None of them are that great to tell you the truth.

 

Only problem with the press is it might put you in foul trouble where BA could easily get some cheap points from the charity stripe. That is why I said go to a 2-3 zone...it would really help out on rebounding, boxing out, and denying the ball to the post guys...

[Opperman]

Wright is their most gifted player, ego, but I really wasn't as impressed with him now as I thought I would be. He gets shoved around too easily, and he never even showed flashes of dominance in the two games I saw from him.

 

And I don't even remember a good sophomore guard on the team, mofototo. 4 (Bone) was a freshman. Their guards overall aren't good now, but will be as they mature...they're really young.

 

And ego, I disagree about a 2-3 zone. Joshua Bone is a zonebuster. Maybe a box and one on him, but not a straight 2-3 zone.

[TheEgoHasLanded]

I guess Bone did not play well in the game that I saw and Wright did...

 

I just think if you are undersized and the guards are weak, that a zone is sometimes better...but a man to man is the most popular defense, and those basketball coaches know a lot more about the game then I ever will.

[WesVLT]

Final score: BA 48, BGA 46

 

In an outstanding game, Brentwood Academy (8-6, 2-0) pulled out the victory after Josh Bone's layup with 5 seconds remaining. The Eagles led throughout, only falling behind once (19-18). The halftime score was 28-23 Eagles, and at the end of the 3rd, BA led 43-34. From there, Brentwood just hung on for the win. Cole Rose led BGA (8-3, 0-2), hitting several clutch 3's and free throws. Tripp Hibbett provided the 'Cats with another good scoring threat, but Rose ran things for BGA, scoring 20-something points. BA was led by Josh Bone's multiple 3-pointers (4 or 5) and Brandon Wright's inside exploits. King (David) Dunlap scored a handful, as did David Holbert. The Eagles shot better than BGA, fed the inside better, and did not get into foul trouble, whereas BGA hung in there, never trailing by more than 11 points. Gomab, if you are reading this, Cole Rose is the REAL thing. The BGA point guard is a crisp shooter, tremendous ballhandler (you should see his crossover) and runs the Wildcat offense with precision and good passing. They just simply didn't bury their shots tonight. Both teams meet again in February (I believe) at BGA, and it should be an outstanding matchup. But for now, the Eagles reign.

[CUFan]

WesVols...

My original prediction, 50-48 BGA, was off as BGA could not pull out the win. Congradulations to BA. I was sitting across from the BGA bench and video taped the game.

 

After watching the tape, some comments:

 

1) The other post is correct, BA called 6 timeouts. This should have resulted in a technical foul; it certainly would have resulted in a different ending. When BGA complained to the officials, they did nothing.

 

2) BGA should have pressed sooner. They did not press until the 4th quarter - the press resulted in turnovers and BGA was quickly back in the game. The score at the end of the 3rd quarter was 43 - 31 BA leading. Final was 48 - 46.

 

3) The officials were consistantly bad - both ways.

 

4) The score keeper had trouble all night. The game was delayed a couple of times for the score keeper.

 

5) BA guard Bone is going to be a good player (actually, he already is). He made some big shots. King Dunlap has improved from last year - although he did not put up big numbers, he was a factor. The best player for BA is Wright. He had some good rebounds, blocked shots, and made some free throws.

 

WesVols .. can you explain why BA refused to unlock the basketball bin at halftime to allow BGA to warm-up? BGA stood on the court without a basketball for 3 - 4 minutes. BA came out of the lockers with 2 - 3 minutes left, but still would not unlock the ball bin.

 

I hope no one misunderstands my post. I do not mean it to be "sour grapes". I do not think the scorekeeper error was intentional, and I do not think BA cheats (as is suggested in the other post). This was a really fun high school bball game to watch; I hope the next one is as good (but with a BGA win).

 

Again, my congradulations to BA.

 

 

[wildcatfan]

CUFan, what you said doesn't suprise me.

 

There is NO EXCUSE FOR AN EXTRA TIMEOUT BEING ALLOWED. NONE WHAT SO EVER. The book keeper at BA should be relieved of his duties immediately for allowing the omission of a previously called timeout to occur in his book. That is the most retarded thing I have ever heard of. 6 Timeouts?? Hasn't the five timout rule been in effect for many years? Even though I do not think the outcome should/can be changed, I think that BA's official book keeper should be replaced ASAP, and I think that TSSAA should look into the situation and review the tape so that the appropriate actions can be taken against the official for allowing the sixth timeout to be called. No offense to WesVols, but I have NEVER been satisfied with the way the scorers table has been handled in the past at BA. I have done many games from behind their table and have had an upclose view of how it operates.

Of course, my favorite aspect of a game afternoon at BA is getting to see a JV game refereed by the same two referees everytime. What are they- on the middle staff over there? Might as well wear red and blue striped jerseys when they call the JV games.

Congrats, though to the BA players wjho got a good lead on BGA. It seems like we always have to fight from behind against BA. We were slightly more successful in that last season. But anyway, congrats to BA, again on the win.

It looks like BGA will just have to beat BA and MBA on the second go around this season. BGA will finish second to Ryan or third Behind ryan and BA when its all said and done this season in the Middle Region.

Nice preview Wes. BGA is a much improved team. This is the best BGA team that I have seen, and in my opinion since 1994 (the year we beat ron mercer and goodpasture in the final game in the Murphy Center). In my opinion, the 'Cats will make a run deep into the state tournament this year.