Circle City Classic: Lawrence North vs. Bishop Luers

By now, you have no doubt seen the final score of this game in which 4A #4 Lawrence North beat 2A #1 Ft. Wayne Bishop Luers 69-57. This game was really hotly contested throughout, despite the disparity in the final score. In fact, heading into the fourt quarter, it was a two-point contest, with the Wildcats (4-1) leading Luers 44-42. In the end, the size and depth of LN was simply too much for Luers to overcome. They had to play a perfect game, and so did their star Deshaun Thomas, in order to even be in this one, and they did for three-fourths of the matchup. Missed opportunities and LN's solid play in the fourth spelled the end for the Kinights, who dropped to 4-1 on the year. Here are some game notes on this one.

*First and foremost, Deshaun Thomas is the real deal. He carried this team. It was like watching Jordan when he used to have to singlehandedly take on the Celtics or the Pistons before he got Pippen and the crew. He can do it all. He can post. He can handle it. He can drive. He can rebound. He can create. He can shoot. Man, can he shoot. I was most suprised about that. The assumption about his game it that since he was so big as a youngster, he simply overpowered inferior competition down low, and that one day, kids would be bigger and limit his effectiveness. They thought that his gaudy stats would deflate once teams realized they just had to force him out of the paint. Wrong. He can flat out stroke it. He is big, but he has not only a power game, but also great finesse and smoothness in his ability. He had Iverson-esque numbers on the night, shooting 10-29 for 31 points, but that does not mean he hogged it or took poor shots. He had to take over, since the Knights have no other real scoring options. And 35% shooting is understandable when you are constantly having 6'7"-plus defenders being run in and out against you. Many of his misses came in desperation at the end of the fourth. Before that, he had five threes, all of them into a hand. The ONLY criticism you could have of this kid is the lift he has on his vertical. He is not an explosive leaper by any stretch of the imagination. He was blocked down low a few times when he rose up to try a dunk, and other kids simply got higher, faster. Thomas is worthy in every way of his national top-ten ranking.

* LN needs a point guard. They were mishandling the ball all night, making poor decisions, throwing it away at crucial times. Twenty-four turnovers could not make the coaching staff very pleased.

* You can see the potential in 6'7" LN wing player Justin Martin, who is rocking one of the best flat-top fades I've seen since Kid n' Play. He has a ton of ability and versatility. He was able to slash effectively against a man-to-man, but looked a little confused about what to do against a zone. He had two nice deep threes from the wing in the first half. However, he also disappeared at times, and he is not especially stong with the ball or with decision making on the break. He finished with 16 points on the night.

* Stephan Van Treese is big. He fills out his 6'9" frame with some serious bulk, and he is a very bouncy, athletic big man. His offensive game is pretty limited and consists mostly of dunks on fast breaks and put backs. He did not really attempt any jumpers or legitimate post moves. Not sure if he lacks those skills, or if he just doesn't have the chance to use them with so many players vying for touches. He ended up with 12 points, around ten boards, and several nice blocks. Solid game, but nothing spectacular. He will be a nice four-year player at Louisville.

* You can see how 6'9" junior wing Dominique Ferguson (below, with Game MVP trophy) has a five-star ranking nationally. He can be pretty inconsistent, but he has all the tools to be an NBA player. He is tall, long, can shoot it, can defend, and can take it to the rack when needed. He, like Martin, is apt to disappear and get lost on the court, sometimes with an air of indifference about him. He's got all the skills tough. He hit two nice baseline threes in big situations when LN needed a basket. He had a couple big dunks on the break and finished in transition nicely. He is not a very physical player right now, and shies away from contact when driving, preferring to avoid fouls rather than draw them, and in rebounding and loose ball situations. He went for 19 points on the way to game MVP honors. If he plays like he can on a consistent night in, night out basis, LN will be tough to beat, and Kentucky will be getting a star.

* Sophomore forward Ryan Taylor has a serious motor. He is undersized for a four man, and is still pretty skinny, but he has a knack for the game, a nose for the ball, and just seems to get it done on offense and on the glass. If he is able to gain strenght, he could end up being a lot like former IU-target, Duncanville, Texas standout Roger Franklin. If Taylor can grow some more from his current 6'5"-6'6" range, his ceiling could be even higher. He finished with nine points and five boards in limited action. His scoring came mostly off of offensive boards.

* Must be nice to have a team with so much size that a two towering giants never even see the floor. Sophomore 6'10" stud Michael Chandler and 7'0" junior Jan Maehlen rode the pine for the Wildcats. Chandler is a player who just needs a chance. I'll have some specific comments about him later in the interview with LN coach Jack Keefer.

Stay tuned today for my one-on-one interview with Keefer.