Thanksgiving Classic Notes: Laney Wildcats

Game 4:  Laney defeats Richmond Academy
It is difficult to briefly explain Laney's attack in a few short sentences.  To be sure, their style is not complex.  The team plays extremely hard, the players play unselfishly, and the appropriate players take the appropriate shots.  But the number of players who can do damage is dizzying.  Take tonight, for example.

After a slow start, senior Quentin Hall entered the game and provided two difficult, much needed baskets in traffic.  Then junior Curtis Hightower, the only returning starter from last season's state championship squad, checked in and soon after ran off 9 points in a matter of minutes.  About that same time, 6'4" sophomore Jashawn Brooks went from being scoreless to finishing the first half with 13 points on 5 for 9 shooting.  In the blink of an eye, the 15-14 Musketeer lead gave way to a 34-22 Laney advantage at intermission.

And I have not mentioned the sophomore forward duo of 6'5" athletes who play with great energy: Javonn Walker and Jaylen Taylor.  These two do not need the ball to be effective.  But they know what to do with it when they get it.  Both impacted the game in a number of ways, including rebounding, shot blocking, and finishing in transition.

We look forward to tomorrow's showdown with Butler.  The video above features the top players from today's event, including Laney's Jashawn Brooks.  Enjoy the video.  And visit @AugBball (twitter) for live updates from the Thanksgiving Classic tomorrow!