The sixth game for day five of Phenom’s Holiday Classic took place between two noteworthy squads in Victory Christian and Combine Regional. Victory Christian came out of the gates, established a strong lead, and never looked back. They shared the ball and completely dominated behind a balanced offensive attack, jumping out to a 12-30 lead through the first eight minutes of play. In the second period, Combine Regional showed a newfound hunger and went toe-to-toe with the Kings—but still trailed 28-47 going into halftime. After the break, the Goats posted eight unanswered points and began to chip away at the deficit. However, Victory Christian gradually reassumed their quality lead at 42-65 to end the third quarter. They never wavered in the final period, securing a 81-54 win over Combine Regional.
Victory Christian:
6’7 ’22 Randi Ovalle
Although he’s 6-foot-7, Ovalle might legitimately be the best perimeter shooter on the entire Victory Christian roster. He possesses a pure stroke from the perimeter, especially from beyond the arc, and is capable of hitting shots off the bounce or catch with relative ease. Ovalle is also quite effective around the basket, both as a finisher and rebounder. He spaces the floor at a very high percentage and should have obvious appeal for next-level coaches.
6’2 ’21 Demar Anderson
With so many noteworthy names on this roster, Anderson can often fly under the radar for this group. However, he offers a smart, steady, well-rounded presence on both ends of the floor. Anderson is able to run the offense as a secondary creator or find scoring opportunities as an off-guard, able to adapt his approach based on team need. He scores the ball in a variety of ways and understands how to operate within the flow of the team.
5’11 ’21 Caleb Coleman
Given the number of guys who shine with this group, Coleman typically doesn’t receive enough credit for his steady, low-maintenance role. He’s capable of adapting to various different roles and consistently plays within the flow of the team on both ends of the floor. Coleman does a little bit of everything but doesn’t force the action. He should have the opportunity to further his playing career at the next level.
Combine Regional:
6’4 ’21 Arki Thornton
It’s easy to see the two-way contributions from Thornton throughout this contest, given the way he defended, attacked the basket, and stepped up when the team needed a leader. He battled on the glass, set the tone on both ends of the floor, and ran hard in transition on every opportunity.