Beach Ball Classic: Day 2
Day two of the 40th annual Beach Ball Classic brought us four great games in the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. There were buzzer beaters, Top 15 teams, 5-star matchups and even a young freshman who took a hold of the spotlight.
Here is what we saw...
5-Stars Face Off
One of the premier matchups of the tournament was a pair of 5-star guards Robert Dillingham (Lincolnton, NC/Combine Academy) squaring off against Keyonte George (Lewisville, Tx/iSchool) in the first round of the National Division. Both players are highly regarded and both went viral during quarantine. George is the bigger and more explosive of the two, Dillingham is the craftier and better bucket getter. With its anticipation, this matchup never really got off the ground, but that did not mean it was not a good game. Junior AJ Smith grabbed ahold of the opportunity and ran with it. Already claiming offers from the likes of Texas A&M, Elon and Charlotte, Smith was both powerful and skilled in his approach. He finished with 31 points, 7 rebounds and 4 steals while shooting 12-20 from the field and 3-4 from three in the win.
Queen's Time?
Baltimore, MD/St Frances is a nationally ranked top 25 team. Even with them being filled with talent, across the floor it was freshman Derick Queen that everyone left talking about. Flashing back fifteen or so years, Queen may remind some of Derrick Character in that he is a mix of size and finesse, strength and touch. He will push the break, but with control. Rebound the ball, and finish with either hand. There is a lot to like here as he finished the game with 20 points on 10-12 shooting
Winston Salem Christian, Survive and Advance
Down one, junior Quant'e Berry streaked the full length of the court, he put two feet in the paint, rose up and delivered a pin-point pass to junior
Brandon White, who had his heels on the baseline, ready to finish as the buzzer sounded. Winston Salem Christian walked away with a one-point win in the opening round of National Bracket play.
Blue Magic was led by Richmond signee Jason Nelson, who is a noted winner with the heart of a lion, and Caleb Kinney who is a Holy Cross signee. While the game started off sloppy, the story was Winston Salem Christian junior duo of Berry and Christ Essandoko. Essandoko has great footwork and hands on the block. He can score with both hands and stretch out beyond the arc. He came over from France late in the summer and over the last two weeks he seems to have gotten comfortable with the speed of the game and is emerging as one of the top players in North Carolina's 2022 class. Berry is an expert in the middle game, with his vision and ability to score it. He plays on the ball for this team, but projects as a combo or a straight scoring guard. Essandoko finished with 10 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks and Berry had 17 points on 7-12 from the field.
Bewley Twins Live up to Billing
Matt and Ryan, Ryan and Matt, regardless of how you refer to them, they are both problems on the floor. Both are 5-star rated players in the 2023 class and even though neither player started for Top 15 ranked West Oaks Academy, they both made their presence felt immediately after checking in. Matt finished the game with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks, while Ryan had 9 points, 8 boards and 2 steals in the win. Looking across this team, top 100 senior Wesley Cardet showed a slashing game with the ability to knock down shots, en route to 14 points on 5-9 from the field. The guard duo of JJ Harris and AJ Neal played very efficiently, finishing a combine 8-8 from beyond the arc with five combined assists. West Oaks moves on to play Winston Salem Christian in round two.