Andrew Force:
Future150 National Analyst. Covering High and Middle School basketball.
CLINTON, MS (Future150) -- With angst permeating throughout A.E. Wood Coliseum, the Brandon Bulldogs (18-2) edged a skilled Madison Ridgeland Academy, 60-58.
Last minute lead changes generated a grand game for impartial observers, but a infuriating contest for the invested.
Brandon's frontline features two 6'5" seniors. MRA leans on outside shooting and perimeter play. There young starlet, Devin Gilmore can go inside-out.
Monday afternoon, Gilmore and his MRA (18-8) team played tough against a veteran, aggressive public school power.
“We had our shot, we just didn’t get it done,” said MRA coach Richard Duease.
Down the stretch
Gilmore hit a fluid 14-foot jumper with less than three minutes to play. Unfortunately, he missed a chippy a minute later. As Brandon's star forward Tray Lawson anchored down low, Gilmore helped from the weakside. He blocked it back.
The Bulldog big replied with a block of his own in what became a literal back and forth contest. The basketball was slapped like a tetherball around the court.
With 1:40 to play, Gilmore buried an elbow jumpshot to give MRA a 52-51 lead.
Calvin Williams (Brandon) quickly retorted off a screen play. Bucket good. Gilmore tried once more, but missed a baseline jumper from 15'.
BHS forward Lawson converted a hunk of coal of a shot into a diamond putback seconds later. With just 55 seconds in the game BHS lead 55-52.
A clutch Calvin poked the basketball free before MRA could even get into a play. The MRA fouls allowed Calvin to claim two free throws. They both fell true, 57-52.
No more than 20 seconds remained and it appeared the lead would be too much for MRA. Senior Ben Milan scored a quick layup and somehow discouraged Lawson from inbounding the ball. Lawson awkwardly stepped across the baseline.
Inbounding violation! The five point lead was now three for Brandon. Worse they no longer had possession.
MRA attempted to run a play, but a justifiably fuming Lawson stole it back. Clint Moses ran him down. The Moses foul yielded a pair for Lawson. This time he was steady for Brandon, opening the lead back up to two possessions.
Despite a buzzer beating dunk by Milan, Brandon High School prevailed.
Scouting looks
Gilmore played well in defeat. He scored 13 points, almost all of them in the second half. The 6'6" combo forward showed nice footwork on the block. His mid-range game is coming along. MRA even let him handle out high a touch.
With 2.5 years left in high school Gilmore can grow into a SF. Leaping, shot-blocking, rebounding, and energy are all plusses. He did commit a couple turnovers.
"He is a sophomore so mistakes will happen," said Coach Duease.
The handle needs to get tightened up if he is going to expand his game to include the 2/3 spot. The encouraging aspect is that Gilmore loves to rebound. He blocks and jumps at a high level, reminding of a young Branden Dawson (Michigan State).
Shooting is a strength and he can add more consistency scoring off the dribble.
MRA also starts a Class of 2016 guard in Clint Moses. Moses likes to use his strength to overpower guards. MRA ran an iso for him on the low block right away. As the double arrived Moses pumped hard, then ducked under for an easy two.
Moses needs to get more explosive with his first step. As soon as Brandon figured out Moses could drive they locked a point guard on him. It really curtailed his scoring.
When Moses does get a defender on his hip they stay there. He keeps them on his shoulder and guides them wherever he wants. The guard is a strong 195-pound player.
MRA's high scorer was Ben Milan. An effortless shooter with above average lift, Milan contributed 20 points. Milan followed his misses and even earned his team a couple extra possessions.
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