A Fanatic Summation of the Plainfield vs St. Anthony’s Game

Where did the Cardinals loose this game?

–        Field Goals Made – Amazingly the shooting difference in field goals was nearly the same from the floor.  Plainfield actually shot a higher percentage below the arc.  Plainfield shot 39% below the arc while St. Anthony’s shot 35%.  The accuracy from deep went to St. Anthony’s as they shot 43% from the three while the Cardinals shot a dismal 17%.  Although the shots from deep were not falling, the Cardinals converted 2 shots from deep while St. Anthony’s converted 3.  Total point advantage from the field went to St. Anthony.  St. Anthony’s scored 7 more points from the field.

–        Free Throws – St. Anthony’s gained the advantage in this category.  The Friars converted 10 free throws compared to the Cardinals 5.  Thus the final score difference of 12 points.

–        Rebounding – When the Cardinals have the advantage in this category, they win 99% of their games.  St. Anthony’s interior physical box outs and length helped the Friars control the glass.  St. Anthony’s out rebounded the Cardinals 31-24.  Looking at the glass half full, the Plainfield guards out rebounded the Friars guards.  This effort from Sekou Harris and Jahmal Lane (11 rebounds combined) will be needed against the bruising Knights of Gill St. Bernard’s.   

–        Defensive Effort – Let’s face it, Coach Hurley is in the Hall of Fame for a reason.  He knows how to work the ref’s, he knows his team strengths, and most importantly he knows his opponents strengths.  It also helps to be able to pick some of the best Bball talents in a 4 state vicinity and beyond if necessary.  St. Anthony’s strategy was to slow the game down and play a half court game.  The Friars did just that for 24 of 32 minutes.  Kyle Anderson was the admiral of this ship that kept the pace to the Friar’s liking.  But this could not have been done without the rebounding advantage, the 9 steals, and the 5 rejections.  This effort actually turned away 14 possessions or at the most 28 points!  If the Cardinals converted half of those possessions, yes you guessed it; Plainfield would have had the advantage of the game by 2 points.  But that’s why some ratings have St. Anthony’s as high as #1 in the Nation.  They make teams play their game.  Again, looking at the glass half full, the Cardinals played exceptional in the 3^rd period.  Holding St. Anthony’s to 1 of 12 shooting from the floor with their only field goal at the buzzer on an offensive rebound put back.  The Cardinals were able to get the deficit down to 2 points during this session.

Cardinal Fanatic Efficient 5

1) St. Anthony’s – Senior Jerome Frink 6’6” {ER-19}

Kyle may be the star on this team but the heart of the Friars is Jerome Frink.  The 6’6” bruiser does all the dirty work that is not publish in the glamour magazines.  His bruising picks and box outs are of professional athletes.  His strength is above most college players, and most importantly he leads by example.  Frink scored 7 points but it was his non-statistical efforts that earned him Cardinal Fanatic Efficient Player of the Game.  Frink grabbed a game high 11 rebounds, picked up a game high 2 steals (Plainfield’s Taylor Plummer and St. Anthony’s Kyle Anderson, Halice Cooke and Josh Brown also with 2 steals), team high tying 2 assists (St. Anthony’s Tariq Carey also with 2 assists) and 1 rejection.  But what separated Frink from the rest is the immeasurable defensive effort.  Frink forced multiple missed attempts, influenced many turnovers, denied several sets by disrupting pick plays, and took multiple charges.  Frink is a JC WARRIOR!

2) St. Anthony’s – Senior Kyle Anderson 6’9” {ER-16}

Foots, you have schooled your son well!  The Hollywood bound Anderson will be an immediate star at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).  Anderson is showing glimpses of another 6’9” guard that played in Los Angeles but we will hold of on stamping those praises.  Anderson controls the entire floor and has an extremely high basketball IQ.  The 6’9” frame and the ability to handle the ball like a guard are rare in the State of NJ.  OK, enough of praising arch enemy #1. Kyle scored a game high 14 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, picked up a game high tying 2 steals, and rejected a game high 2 shots.  Anderson also controlled the Friar’s possessions very well by only committing 2 turnovers.  His floor generalship is another immeasurable characteristic that guided the Friars to victory.

3) St. Anthony’s – Junior Halice Cooke 6’2” {ER-15}

Halice was “Cooking” from deep.  Halice converted a game high 3 3-pointers.  Each 3-pointer made was like a samurai sword piercing the heart of a Cardinal. Btw, would not have been open if it was not for those bruising picks by Mr. Frink and company. Cook took advantage of his open looks by shooting 50% from below the arc and 43% from beyond the arc to score 13 points for the game.  Cooke also grabbed 3 rebounds and picked up a game high tying 2 steals.

4) Plainfield – Senior Justin Sears 6’8” {ER-15}

Justin prevented an opponent’s sweep in the Cardinal Fanatic Efficiency Ratings (ER).  Playing at a maximum 70% (sprained ankle 24 hours earlier) would take away one of the highest leapers in the state ability to control the glass.  But the injury report did not slow down Sears.  Justin shot 71% from the field to score a team high 10 points.  Sears also grabbed a team high 8 rebounds, picked up 1 steal, and rejected 1 shot.

5) St. Anthony’s – Junior Josh Brown 6’4” {ER-9}

The floor guidance of the Friar’s point guard alleviated the defensive effort on Kyle Anderson.  Brown grabbed 5 rebounds, picked up a game high tying 2 steals, and rejected 1 shot.  The point guard only committed 2 turnovers for the entire game.

 

The efficiency rating is base on points scored, shooting accuracy, foul shooting accuracy, rebounds, assists, steals, defensive intensity, and assist – turnover ratio.