Tennessee Prep came out strong in the first quarter to take an early 13-10 advantage. Adam Saeed came out early to start the game on both ends for Tennessee Prep, as the under the radar wing showed he was one to be reckon with today.
Much of the second quarter, teams went back and forth on both ends but at times, the teams struggled to put the basket in the hole. When they did, much of that was done in the paint. Jordan Giles came alive for Tennessee Prep and showed a nice all-around game that helped lead to the 30-22 halftime lead. St. Louis Christian did much of their work in the paint with their length, but had trouble at times finishing.
Heading into the third quarter, Tennessee Prep showed some strong defense but St. Louis was able to attack the boards, get some loose balls, and get to the free throw line as they cut the lead down to six and well within range to come back heading into the fourth.
These two teams battled it out in the fourth quarter, as St. Louis was able to cut it to 42-40 with under three minutes to go in the game. It was mostly a free throw battle from then on, as Tennessee Prep Academy was able to seal the deal from the free throw line. St. Louis had their chances at the line, but wasn’t able to capitalize and finish. Tennessee Prep took home the win in the first game of the National Showcase 51-45.
Both teams turned the ball over to much, with each team having 19 turnovers in the game. St. Louis did much of the offensive firepower in the paint, scoring 36 of their 45 points down low. They also had 22 second chance points but shot only 28 percent from the floor. Raymond Smith led the team with 13 points and nine rebounds.
Tennessee Prep had 24 less shots but hit some key threes, going 6-for-15 from the floor, including 3-for-3 from Alex Torres.
Tennessee Prep
Senior Adam Saeed
- Showed he was the go-to scorer for this team which wasn’t too much of a surprise coming into the game. However, he struggled much of the day in that category. Even though he might need to bulk up a little, he showed tremendous athleticism and showed the ability to score on several levels of the court. He also uses his length to attack the rim and defend really well with blocked shots. He only scored five points in the game but expect that not to happen often for this young man.
Senior Aaron Anderson
- Nice stature and was one of the forwards that could take his game to the outside. Good size and length and had a good motor down low in the paint. But he also presented matchup problems when he was on the outside. Anderson showed that he was versatile on the floor, scoring eight points, grabbing four rebounds, three steals, and going 2-for-5 from three.
Senior Jordan Giles
- This was the young man that stood out in the game early. 6’7 forward with a football frame. He was strong with the ball down low in the paint but also showed that he had no issue handling the ball up the court and pulling up for a 15 footer. Giles also was quick and versatile on the defensive end. He had to go up against taller players but held his own. Really liked his game to start the day.
- He was by far the most impressive on the floor for both teams in this game, as he scored 16 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and had three steals in the game.
Senior Alex Torres
- He is the young man that makes this team go. Only 5’11 but he controls the tempo of this team and gets this team to where they need on the offensive side of the ball. Showed crisp passes, solid handles, the capability to knock down the perimeter shot, and use his quickness to attack the rim. He went 3-for-3 from three in the first game of the day and was the second leading scorer with 12 points.
St. Louis Christian
Sophomore Steven Rwahwire
- Rwahwire is still a young prospect but the talent can be seen. Sitting at 6’3, Rwahwire showed that he is capable of hitting some shots, but still went 4-for-12 from the floor. But we saw the talent is there for this young man.
Sophomore Daniel Sackey
- Really like this young man in the open court and running point for St. Louis. He can be extremely quick with the ball and uses that to his advantage to get to the rim or inside the defense. At times, played to fast which forced some tough shots or turnovers, but if he can learn to control his speed and make the right decisions, won’t be a bad one. Would like to see more consistency in his shot though as well.
Sophomore Tony Chuckwuemeke
- Saw a lot more action in the second half and this kid already stands out at 6’10. He has a good frame and of course the size to go with it, as this young man stil is developing his offensive game. He played well in rebounding the ball at times, but he could be a lot more dominate with his size and that could come the more he works on it.
Freshman Wheza Panzo
- Listed as a guard but really could see his game at the small forward position, Panzo showed a nice game attacking the rim and getting on the boards. He showed that he is a mismatch in several areas of the court with his size on both ends. He had a good game, almost scoring a double-double with eight points and 12 rebounds (six defensive, six offensive).
Junior Raymond Smith
- Was the most consistent player for St. Louis on Day 1, scoring 13 points and grabbing nine rebounds. This young man played well in a losing effort. He knocked down some tough shots on a day not too many fell for the team overall. Went 6-for-14 from the floor and also chipped in two steals and one block.