Phenom Hoops tuned in Thursday night as teams got their season started down in Alabama. One game that intrigued me was Hazel Green vs. Grissom, as it looked to be a tremendous crowd ready to start the season.
Grissom came out strong, especially behind their two juniors in Israel Miles and RJ Johnson, as they combined for 16 of Grissom’s 25 points in the first quarter, helping their team earn a 25-13 lead at the end of the first quarter. Hazel Green found some success from behind the arc in the first half but still had a tough night in putting the ball in the basket in the first half, as they found themselves down double-digits throughout the first half and at halftime, 41-23.
Second half was much like the first half, but it was the Butta Johnson Jr. show in the second half as he erupted for 19 third-quarter points to really open this game wide open for Grissom. They were able to expand their lead to 40 points and run out the clock, as Grissom took home the 84-46 victory.
Stats:
Grissom: Butta Johnson Jr. 35 points/ RJ Johnson 18 points/ Israel Miles 18 points
Hazel Green: TI Scruggs 10 points/ Rashawn Knox 15 points
Standouts:
2022 Butta Johnson Jr. (Grissom): What a performance this young man put on. His calling card is his scoring ability and that is exactly what he showed tonight. He absolutely went of for 19 of his 35 points in the third quarter and couldn’t miss from behind the arc. Johnson does a terrific job in creating for himself and doesn’t need much space to find ways to score.
2023 Israel Miles (Grissom): Really liked what I saw out of Miles. He just seemed to be everywhere on the court, on both sides, making plays and playing with an outstanding motor. Made several hustle plays, put his body on the line, and showed a nice balance with his offensive jumper as well as getting to the basket.
2023 RJ Johnson (Grissom): Johnson is a 6’3, physical guard that leads the pack for this team, and he really plays well in the open floor. Johnson has a nice feel in pushing the ball in transition and uses his frame to finish through defenders and get to the basket. He did it time and time again on his way to 18 points.
2022 TI Scruggs (Hazel Green): Though it was a tough night, I liked what Scruggs was able to provide and how hard he played. He never gave in, as the 6’6 versatile prospect helped in an array of ways, whether it was on the boards, putting the ball on the deck, or stepping out for his shot.