From the Sideline
Chick-fil-A Day 3 'Overtime Friday'
Part 3
When you have a great tournament with great teams the result is often a day of great games and that's exactly what we had at the third day of competition at the Chick Fil A. Three games went into overtime and the action was fast-paced, intense, and exciting. Now, let's take a closer look at some of the top performances and games of the day.
Gray Collegiate 63
Porter Gaud 61
Overtime
The battle of South Carolina heavyweights was as good as advertised. Gray Collegiate raced out to a 34-24 halftime lead, but Porter Gaud rallied in the second half to send the game into the third overtime game of the day. That being said, when you have two high-level teams like Gray Collegiate and Porter Gaud, giving the fans an extra four minutes was a nice pre-Christmas present.
6'6 '18 Aaron Nesmith (Porter Gaud/Vanderbilt)
Welcome to the big stage! We have been singing the praises of Aaron Nesmith for quite some time. We have been a fan of his game, skill, and ability since he attended our SC Top 80 camp two years ago. For the second straight game at the Chick Fil A, he showcased to the national media what we already knew. Aaron Nesmith is a legit top 75 player nationally. We're talking about a highly skilled, lengthy and superb scorer. In the game vs. Gray Collegiate, he finished with 26 points going 9-18 from the floor with 4-8 being from the 3-point line. In addition, he went 4-7 from the free throw line. He collected six rebounds, dished out three assists, had two steals and even one block.
6'6 '19 Juwan Gary (Gray Collegiate)
Juwan Gary can definitely fill out a stat sheet, but that being said, he does so many other things that don't always show up in the box sheets. He has always been blessed with elite level athleticism, but he does garnish an unlimited set of intangibles. In the game against Porter Gaud, he finished with 16 points going 6-17 from the floor, 4-7 from the free throw line, but collected 11 rebounds. While Gary is not a consistent 3-point shooter, he is consistently being on the winning side. Simply put, Gary knows how to win.
6'7 '19 Josiah James (Porter Gaud)
The physically gifted point guard enjoyed a solid game, however, how a few shots that seemed to be in the rim, somehow find a way out. That being said, James finished with 11 points going 5-14 from the floor. He collected five rebounds, dish out three assists, got two steals and even blocked one shot. James is usually more efficient from the floor, but sometimes the ball just can't find the bottom of the nets. Overall, James has used the two games at the Chick Fil A to showcase that he will be in the conversation as one of the nation's top point guards in the 2019 class.
6'1 '19 Khalil Robinson (Gray Collegiate)
What a breakout game for Khalil Robinson. The ultra-smooth and fluid combo guard showcase a nice overall skill set, not to mention hitting the winning shot with a nifty floater down the lane. Robinson scored an efficient 17 points. He went 6-10 from the floor with 5-8 coming from the 3-point line. He collected three rebounds but dished out five assists. He balanced out a nice scoring attack while getting teammates involved.
6'2 '19 Tommy Bruner (Gray Collegiate)
Tommy Bruner brings poise, maturity and leadership to the team. He plays with a high basketball IQ and has such a tremendous feel for the game. Against Porter Gaud, Bruner finished with 12 points and dishes out five assists. While these stats won't jump off the charts, it's his floor leadership that is most impressive. Bruner has the unique ability to control tempo and is excellent in the half court as well as in transition.