Smith-Rivera, Johnson lead North Central (Panthers) to win over Ben Davis (Giants)

Highly touted 2012 guard D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera scored 23 points in an 84-54 North Central win over Ben Davis. Smith-Rivera scored 13 points in the first quarter (4-4 from 3 pt. range in the quarter) and 18 in the first half to help lead North Central to the big win. Purdue signee Terone Johnson chipped in 21 points in the victory. North Central trailed after the first quarter 21-22, but used a stout defensive approach to hold Ben Davis to just 6 point in the 2nd quarter, as North Central led 40-28 at half.

In the 2nd half, North Central continued its gameplan, leading 60-46 at the 3rd quarter break. The strong defense continued throughout the half, frustrating Ben Davis and making every Giants' basket a tough one. Ben Davis was led by Sophomore Harry Wills who scored 20 points in the loss. Senior guard Bradley Elam also chipped in 10 points for the Giants.

Scouting:

-(2010) Terone Johnson- Johnson looked good, but not outstanding in this win. Many of his points came on easy layups and he struggled shooting the 3 point ball, going 1-4 in the game. He also struggled from the foul line only shooting 50% (4-8), an area where he is usually strong. Johnson looked strong with the ball, and was aggressive attacking the basket, shown by his 8 free throw attempts. He had several attempts at "3 point plays", absorbing contact and finishing after hard fouls. Johnson looked good rebounding the ball, grabbing 6 boards and showing toughness going for loose balls. Overall, Johnson did not play his best game, but still impressed me and showed he can score even when the jumpers are not falling.

-(2012) D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera- Smith-Rivera looked outstanding in this performance, showing confidence and improvement in his jump shot. Smith-Rivera was 4-5 from the 3 point line, showing nice touch from behind the arc. Smith-Rivera excelled at handling the ball and attacking the rim, doing a great job getting to the foul line, shooting 5-7 from the charity stripe. Smith-Rivera used his strength and toughness to absorb contact and finish plays after the foul. Now listed at 6'4, it is possible Smith-Rivera has grown a slight amount since last season. He also looked great on the defensive end, snagging 4 steals and applying constant pressure to the Ben Davis guards. If he can shoot the ball consistently like he did tonight, Smith-Rivera looks the part of a top 30 recruit.

-(2012) Harry Wills- This Ben Davis guard looked great in the loss to North Central. Even though he was knocked out of the game late in the 3rd quarter with cramps, he looked great, scoring 22 points. He shot the ball well from 3 point range, knocking down 3 from behind the arc. Wills also showed good athleticism and touch, finishing well around the rim. A solid defender, Wills will be a prospect to watch over the next two years. Wills looks to be a good combo guard, with room for improvement in his ball-handling and passing.