Young Guards Battle (Thoughts from the Weekend)

Regardless of the talent level of a player or a team, there is no such thing as "skipping steps" in the pursuit of success.  Two talented young guards (featured in the video above) currently at different phases of this process - Evans' junior Damion Foreman and Harlem's Sophomore Reggie Reid - faced each other Saturday evening at Harlem High School in a match up between two hot area teams.

Although Reid exploded for 43 points and led Harlem to a 41-38 halftime lead, Foreman responded with 22 points, including a third quarter scoring flurry that put the Knights on track to get the victory on the road.

Foreman's ability to lead Evans to meaningful wins has been proven often this season.  After being benched for the first quarter of a game early in the season, the junior has responded by scoring, distributing the ball, defending, and generally doing whatever is needed for Evans to be successful against area powers like Aquinas and North Augusta.  Saturday evening, that meant staying ready to make an impact in the second half after sitting the entire second quarter due to foul trouble.  When he returned, he scored in every way: shooting from deep and attacking the basket.

Evans head coach Kevin Kenny praised his leader after the weekend.  "Damion only scored 6 points in our win Friday over Jefferson County, but he made everybody else better and led us to victory.  And Saturday, when we needed him to score, he kept his composure after spending the second quarter on the bench.  He had a great stretch in the third quarter," Kenny explained.

While Foreman has been able to strike the right balance between scoring, leading, and winning against the area's top teams, it is obvious that Harlem's sophomore scoring dynamo Reggie Reid is close to finding the formula as well.  Reid led his Bulldogs into this contest with a 7-2 record.  In search of the team's first win over one of area's top teams, the athletic point guard scored 24 points in the opening half as he led his team to an early lead.  We are accustomed to seeing Reid attack the basket and create scoring opportunities for himself and others.  And he has been developing an "in between game."  During Saturday's game, he also shot well from behind the three point line.  If Reid adds a consistent three point shot to his arsenal, we will see more 40+ point games from him.  And more importantly, we will see his Bulldogs post the number, and quality, of wins that Foreman and the Knights have been tallying.