Crestwood Prep Lions vs. Royal Crown Lions Game Recap November 27, 2025

Crestwood Prep Lions Style of Play:

Crestwood Prep played at their best in this game when operating in the open court and getting easy baskets. They have guards who can push the pace, get all the way to the rim, and utilize their athleticism. They played more of a half-court style of offense with different variations of dribble handoffs. The player initiating the dribble handoff would either set up their teammate for a catch and shoot three-pointer, run a dribble handoff and then a corner or side pick and roll, or fake the dribble handoff and get to the rim. At times they would set good hard picks and absorb contact with the defender and at other times they would shy away from contact, not understand screening angles, and lack timing rolling to the rim too early or popping too early, which would affect the spacing guards had to operate in. When good pick and roll offense was run, Crestwood Prep's bigs were quick and mobile getting deep into the paint. They struggled to get anything inside with Royal Crown's size, length, athleticism, and physicality. They couldn't generate drives to get them deep in the paint. They struggled to pass through length making tough contested passes forcing turnovers.

They also struggled to rebound. They were running a small ball lineup and were outmatched in size. They didn't have a true center to keep Royal Crown's bigs off the glass. They struggled to match the relentlessness and motor of Royal Crown's guards, who rebound well. As a team there needed to be emphasis on crashing the glass with at least 2 or 3 guys going in hard for the rebound especially when they are playing this small-ball lineup. They gave up too many extra possessions and second-chance opportunities that were converted into putbacks and were limited in getting extra possessions and second-chance opportunities, leading to significantly more shot opportunities for the opposing team.

On the defensive end, Crestwood Prep struggled the most and showed its youth. They struggled to maintain a next play mentality and they let their mistakes affect their ability to get back in transition. This led Royal Crown to get out in the open floor with ease without Crestwood Prep containing their transition game resulting in many easy high-percentage uncontested shots at the rim. Crestwood Prep was very shorthanded due to injuries and depth running only a 7 man rotation making it tough to keep up with Royal Crown's bench and depth which contributed to their fatigue throughout the game. In the half-court, there were too many defensive breakdowns with players struggling to move well laterally, being stiff, and staying in front of their man leading to too many blow-bys and deep dribble penetration into the paint.

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Crestwood Prep Lions Player Analysis:

Isaiah Hamilton

Position: SF

Height: 6 Feet 7 Inches

Team: Crestwood Prep

Class: 2028

Uncommitted

Isaiah Hamilton struggled on the offensive end but still had an impact in other aspects of the game in the first half before leaving with a hand injury. He got scoring opportunities at the rim. He is strong and physical driving to the rim allowing him to keep defenders off him or absorb contact and get to the free-throw line. He lacks speed and burst but makes up for it with his physical tools. He showed flashes of getting to his spot in the mid-range and elevating over smaller defenders when the pace slowed down. He has a high release point, balance, and footwork getting into that shot. The mid-range is something he should have attempted more when matched with physicality. He had a loose handle through traffic and against physicality, so getting to that mid-range shot would have made the game easier for him and reduced his tendency to overdribble. At times, he took tough contested deep pull-up threes in transition and in the half-court to try and get his offense going.

He is a willing passer. He saw a lot of traps and double teams, where he has the size to see over the pressure and make the right passing read executing a crosscourt pass to the open three-point shooter for a high-percentage open look.

He stood out the most on the defensive end. He didn't let his offensive struggles affect or dictate his defensive intensity. He has a strong and physical frame that he uses to cut off driving lanes. He has the length to anticipate and get into passing lanes, allowing him to get out in transition and create offense from his defense.

A significant area that he needs to work on is his poor body language and visible frustration with the refs. It had a snowball effect on his game affecting his offensive rebounding, cutting to the rim, and getting back defensively in transition.

Isaiah Clarke

Position: F

Height: 6 Feet 7 Inches

Team: Crestwood Prep

Class: 2028

Uncommitted

Isaiah Clarke is a versatile offensive big. He has a good tight handle for his size and protects the ball. He operates in dribble handoffs initiating them for teammates or faking them to get to the rim. After he gets dribble handoffs to his teammates he goes to a side or corner pick and roll. He is inconsistent in setting picks. At times, he sets good hard picks and absorbs contact freeing his teammates and at other times he shies away from contact, doesn't understand screening angles, and needs better timing where he isn't rolling to the rim or popping too early. When scoring in the pick and roll, he uses his mobility and quickness to roll deep in the paint. He has nice finishing touch in the paint. When defenders are aggressively taking away his drives, he can step out and operate from the three-point line. He can also operate in pick and pop from mid-range and three-point range with an effective face-up game. He has a quick release, fluid shooting mechanics, and the size to shoot over smaller defenders. When defenders closeout from the three-point line, he is fluid putting the ball on the floor and getting to the rim. Off the ball, he operates as a cutter finding the open space in the paint where guards can find him with a dump-off pass. He doesn't operate as much in the open court, but when he gets the opportunity to be a rim runner, he is quick to get down the floor and understands spacing getting to open spots for easy shots in the paint.

On the defensive end, he is strong enough to defend the post and not give up deep post positioning. An improvement area for him is having more discipline. He tries to block everything, bites too hard on shot fakes, and jumps into the defender rather than just jumping straight up to contest the shot which gets him into foul trouble throughout the game.

Ariik Pech

Position: G

Height: 6 Feet 5 Inches

Team: Crestwood Prep

Class: 2026

Uncommitted

Ariik Pech is a slashing guard getting to the rim. He can change speeds and directions and use his body and frame to shield off defenders. He thrives in a pace and space type of offense. In transition, he operates a ball-handler and leak-out guy. As a ball-handler, he is quick bringing the ball up the court and has an attack mentality looking to score in the open floor either on a dribble pull-up jumper or getting to the rim. He can spin mid-drive and get into a mid-range jumper showing good poise, balance, and footwork. When leaking out in transition he is quick, fills the lanes well, and runs to the corners allowing him to outrun the opposing team and get easy fast-break points. In the half-court when defenders closeout on him from the three-point line or guard him tightly, he can put the ball on the floor and get to a 2 dribble pull-up jumper. He has more quickness and explosiveness attacking closeouts where he can blow by defenders in contrast to when he is a primary ball-handler. After getting to the rim and operating from mid-range to start the game, he expands out to the three-point line. He has a quick release, fluid shooting mechanics, and the lift and elevation off the ground when shooting allowing him to get his shot over contests. At times, he can go away from his strengths and settle for too many catch and shoot threes rather than getting to drives and pull-up mid-range shots. He gets other teammates involved in guard to guard dribble handoffs setting them up for high-percentage catch and shoot threes.

He has a high motor rebounding the ball, pursuing it, and grabbing rebounds out of his area. He crashes the glass well for a guard and can convert on second-chance points getting putback tip-ins.

On the defensive end, he is in the right place at the right time. He can anticipate where his matchup is going, have his feet set, and draw charges or force them into an offensive foul. He is quick getting back in transition and was the only one on his team who got back defensively in transition trying to contain Royal Crown.

Goran Davidovic

Position: G

Height: 6 Feet 4 Inches

Team: Crestwood Prep

Class: 2028

Uncommitted

Goran Davidovic is the primary ball-handler for Crestwood Prep. He is quick and explosive pushing the pace and getting all the way to the rim in transition as a ball-handler trying to generate quick easy fast-break points for his team. In the half-court, he operates in the pick and roll as a ball-handler. He changes speed and direction until he finds an opening to get downhill and into the paint. Off the ball, he operates as a catch and shoot three-point shooter moving well along the three-point line, relocating, and finding the open space. He is also able to receive dribble handoffs and get into catch and shoot three-pointers. He has a quick release and fluid shooting mechanics. He is shot ready, doesn't hesitate, and shoots the ball confidently. For a guard, he sets good hard off-ball screens freeing up his teammates to get to their spots or initiates dribble handoffs and then sets picks to free them up allowing him to operate in guard to guard actions.

As a passer, he telegraphs his passes and struggles to pass through size and length in transition, where they can disrupt his passes and force him into turnovers. He struggles to make the right reads as a passer and find the open man leading to tough contested passes through traffic and tight windows. He can also have a loose handle and overdribble through traffic making him turnover-prone.

On the defensive end, he struggles to stay in front of his matchup and move well laterally making him prone to blow-bys and allowing too much deep dribble penetration into the paint.

Markeese Strawbridge

Position: F

Height: 6 Feet 6 Inches

Team: Crestwood Prep

Class: 2027

Uncommitted

Markeese Strawbridge is a three-point specialist who spaces the floor for his teammates to operate inside. He gets catch and shoot pull-up threes in transition leaking out and catch and shoot standstill three-pointers in the half-court off his teammates' dribble penetration and drive and kick. He has a quick release and fluid shooting mechanics. He is more efficient on threes from the wings than the corners. He also sets good picks for his size and gets pick and pop opportunities.

Isaiah Eniojukan

Position: G

Height: 6 Feet 3 Inches

Team: Crestwood Prep

Class: 2028

Uncommitted

Isaiah Eniojukan is an off the ball playing guard operating as a catch and shoot three-point shooter. He is constantly moving along the three-point line and relocating to find the open space. His teammates get him catch and shoot three-pointers off dribble penetration and drive and kick. He has a quick release and fluid shooting mechanics. When attacking the rim, he looks more to set up his teammates in drive and kick situations from the top of the key rather than trying to score and forcing a tough shot at the rim.

On the defensive end, he gets steals and deflections anticipating and getting into the passing lanes.

Mikahael Bartley

Position: G

Height: 6 Feet 3 Inches

Team: Crestwood Prep

Class: 2028

Uncommitted

Mikahael Bartley is a player who is limited to catch and shoot threes on the offensive end. He has a quick release but awkward shooting mechanics and excessive lift getting off the ground when shooting. He has some moments operating in the pick and roll as a ball-handler but gets more to a floater than going all the way to the rim. On the floater, he doesn't get it high enough and lacks touch resulting in missing it short off the front rim.

On the defensive end, he struggles to defend in space. He is too upright, is stiff, and doesn't move well laterally making it easy for his matchup to blow by him and get deep in the paint attacking the rim.

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Royal Crown Lions Style of Play:

In this game, Royal Crown took advantage of Crestwood Prep's lack of transition defense. Their main source of offense was pushing the pace and getting easy quick fast-break points. They would either have the ball-handlers use their quickness and explosiveness to get all the way to the rim or make a quick outlet pass to a leak-out guy for a shot in the paint or catch and shoot pull-up three-pointer. In the half-court, they would run a good amount of pick and roll. Their bigs set good hard picks and don't shy away from contact freeing up the pick and roll ball-handler. Their picks make the game easier for guards opening a driving lane to the rim. They have an effective drive and kick game out of the pick and roll where guards get deep in the paint, attract multiple defenders, and kick it out to the open three-point shooter for a high-percentage shot. They have effective floor spacing and multiple catch and shoot three-point shooters with a quick release and fluid shooting mechanics. Their shooters are shot ready and don't hesitate. Crestwood Prep didn't have anyone to match up with Royal Crown's bigs. They ran a small ball lineup that Royal Crown took advantage of. They found mismatches in the post and attacked getting deep post positioning and going to a hook shot with good touch over the smaller defender. This was an ideal matchup for the bigs because they only have success with post ups on smaller players, not players of their size. They were able to get deep post positioning, display their touch, show their poise, have good footwork, and use their size to shoot over smaller defenders.

Royal Crown is an aggressive rebounding team and Crestwood Prep struggled to contain them on the glass. They were getting extra possessions and second-chance opportunities by grabbing offensive rebounds and limiting them for the opposing team. Their guards are high motor and relentless crashing the glass and their bigs have a big size advantage.

On the defensive end, Royal Crown was very physical, had length, and had the type of athletes that Crestwood Prep struggled with. They move well laterally and limit drives to the rim. They have a true center that can protect the rim blocking and altering shots in the paint. A big part of their defense is getting steals and deflections by playing the passing lanes or by having their guards use their quick, strong, and active hands to poke the ball away. This allows them to create offense from their defense and play at the fast pace they thrive playing at. Crestwood Prep struggled to execute passes through the length of the Royal Crown defenders.

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Royal Crown Lions Player Analysis:

Kymani Walters

Position: G

Height: 6 Feet 1 Inch

Team: Royal Crown

Class: 2027

Uncommitted

Kymani Walters is a guard who is at his best attacking the rim. He thrives in transition as a leak-out guy and ball-handler. As a leak-out man, he is quick getting down the floor and fills the lanes well allowing him to outrun and beat other teams down the floor. With the ball in his hands as a driver he is quick, explosive, has big strides, and is low on his drives making it harder for bigger defenders to stay in front of him. He also changes speeds and directions to complement his athleticism. He feels contact and gets to the free-throw line. He has the strength and frame to finish through contact and traffic. He is a combination of an athletic above the rim finisher and a crafty finisher with good footwork. Off the ball in the half-court, he operates as a catch and shoot three-point shooter. He has a quick release and fluid shooting mechanics. He is shot ready and shoots the ball confidently without hesitating. When defenders closeout from the three-point line on him, he puts the ball on the floor and is a straight-line driver using his quick and explosive first step to blow by the defender and get to the rim. As a passer, he creates looks for his teammates off dribble penetration and drive and kick after collapsing the defense.

As a guard, he rebounds well on both the offensive and defensive end. He has a high motor crashing the glass and grabbing rebounds out of his zone. His ability to grab defensive rebounds allows Royal Crown to play fast and get easy fast-break opportunities. When grabbing offensive rebounds, he can convert putbacks either using his athleticism or touch.

On the defensive end, he has defensive lateral quickness and moves well laterally allowing him to take away driving lanes to the rim. He is physical and has the strength to defend bigger guards.

Andy Gemao

Position: PG

Height: 6 Feet 0 Inches

Team: Royal Crown

Class: 2026

Uncommitted

Andy Gemao is an aggressive driving guard in transition as a ball-handler. He is quick and explosive pushing the pace in transition and getting all the way to the rim. In the half-court, he gets his offense as a pick and roll ball-handler and in one on one isolation situations. He either uses his quick and explosive first step to blow by defenders and get to the rim or gets to his spot for a pull-up mid-range shot. He can be both a straight-line driver and a crafty finisher with good footwork. He showed the ability to finish with both hands and attack from both sides in this game. He doesn't shy away from contact in the paint. He can absorb contact and finish through it. When getting to his spot for a pull-up mid-range he is very balanced and has good footwork getting into that shot. He isn't a known three-point shooter but isn't afraid to take catch and shoot threes when Crestwood Prep gave him space to shoot. He has a quick release and fluid shooting mechanics. He got his threes off either dribble penetration from his teammates or in scramble situations after his teammates get offensive rebounds.

As a passer, he operates on drive and kick and off dribble penetration and in transition finding the leak-out player rim running with an outlet pass. On drive and kick and off dribble penetration he gets deep in the paint, collapses the defense, and finds the open three-point shooter for a catch and shoot three-pointer.

On the defensive end, he can anticipate and get into passing lanes forcing turnovers. He is more of a team defender. He makes the right reads helping and double teaming the post or trapping.

Caleb Zhu

Position: C

Height: 6 Feet 10 Inches

Team: Royal Crown

Class: 2026

Uncommitted

Caleb Zhu operates in the pick and roll as the roll man. He sets good hard picks and absorbs contact freeing up the pick and roll ball-handler for high-percentage shots. His picks open up driving lanes for guards to be relentless attacking the rim. When rolling to the rim he is quick, mobile, and gets deep in the paint. He can operate in the post against smaller defenders. He uses his strength and size to get deep post positioning and back down smaller defenders. In the post, it is mostly hook shots with good touch. He can get scoring opportunities in the paint as a cutter moving fluidly at his size and finding open space for high-percentage shots.

He has a big size advantage allowing him to rebound at a high level and control the glass. He gets extra possessions and second-chance opportunities with his ability to grab offensive rebounds and limit extra possessions and second-chance opportunities for the opposing team with his ability to grab defensive rebounds. He converts his second-chance opportunities into points displaying poise, finding angles on putbacks, and having a nice finishing touch in the paint. Crestwood had no one to match his size and no true center, so the game came easy to him operating in the post and rebounding the ball.

On the defensive end, he is more of an interior presence and rim protector. He has the size and discipline to jump straight up vertically to alter or block shots. When it comes to defending the perimeter, he is slow on rotations and closing out to three-point shooters. He struggled to defend Crestwood's small ball lineup with many catch and shoot three-point threats.

Jacob McGregor

Position: G

Height: 6 Feet 3 Inches

Team: Royal Crown

Class: 2026

Uncommitted

Jacob McGregor's main skillset is operating as an off-ball guard getting catch and shoot threes. He is constantly moving along the three-point line and finding the open space. He is fluid coming around off-ball screens and getting to his spots. He has a quick release, fluid shooting mechanics, and deep range. He is shot ready and doesn't hesitate. When getting threes off the dribble, he takes them as a pick and roll ball-handler getting to his spot along the three-point line. He isn't as comfortable getting threes off the dribble and isn't as much in a rhythm with a wider base and less balance. When guarded tight along the three-point line, he can get to the rim using his quickness and explosiveness on straight-line drives. When he isn't making three-pointers, he should look to get to the rim more to get easy offense and into a rhythm and then go back to operating as a shooter. He is the type of player who needs to see a shot go in to make more shots. He is a streaky shooter and shot maker, either scoring in bunches or missing in bunches.

When he is the primary ball-handler and the other guards are on the bench, he can facilitate the offense and create looks for his teammates on drive and kick and off dribble penetration after attracting multiple defenders.

On the defensive end, he is too upright and struggles to move well laterally making him prone to blow-bys. He needs to play with more of a competitive level defensively and with an edge to have an impact when his shots aren't falling.

Maxandre Calixte

Position: F

Height: 6 Feet 6 Inches

Team: Royal Crown

Class: 2026

Uncommitted

Maxandre Calixte main offensive skillset is getting into his spot for a dribble pull-up jumper. He has the size, balance, and lift to elevate and shoot over smaller players. In transition, the ball-handling guards got more of the scoring opportunities but he showed flashes of being quick getting down the floor and beating the opposing team down for high-percentage layups and dunks in the paint. He showed moments in the open court where he was an athletic above the rim finisher. He can operate in the post taking advantages of mismatches shooting hook shots over smaller defenders. He is quick to get his shot in the post before help comes or a switch happens and he elevates over smaller defenders making it a tough shot they can't contest.

He is aggressive crashing the glass with a high motor. He gets extra possessions and second-chance opportunities for his team and limits extra possessions and second-chance opportunities for the opposing team. At times, he lacks poise and rushes putback attempts which lead to tough off-balance low-percentage shots with no finishing touch in the paint. He shows more poise and is best finishing putbacks when he goes to his back to the basket game after grabbing an offensive rebound rather than just going back up for the shot.

On the defensive end, he is quick rotating from the weak side and contesting shots to protect the rim. He is quick on rotations and closing out to three-point shooters. He uses his size and length to force tough contested off-balance three-point shots.

Mateo N'Koumngock

Position: F

Height: 6 Feet 7 Inches

Team: Royal Crown

Class: 2028

Uncommitted

Mateo N'Koumngock is a player who creates opportunities for himself by being active cutting to the rim. He is fluid and can get to the open space for high-percentage shots in the paint as an off-ball role player. He initiates dribble handoffs for his teammates getting them quality catch and shoot three-pointers. He rebounds the ball well using his long arms and motor to grab long rebounds out of his zone.

On the defensive end he is effective walling up in the post, being physical, and using his length to block shots. He can also rotate weak side quickly and use his length to block shots. He has timing and instincts as a shot blocker. He can jump straight up without fouling and is a quick jumper. He is more athletic on the defensive end than the Crestwood players driving to the rim, so he was able to use his athleticism to his advantage in that situation.

Bieva Cabant

Position: G

Height: 5 Feet 11 Inches

Team: Royal Crown

Class: 2027

Uncommitted

Bieva Cabant is an off-ball playing guard in the half-court. He moves well without the ball and is constantly moving along the three-point line finding the open space. He has a quick release but has awkward shooting mechanics. He is stiff in his hips when shooting and his shot is a little bit of a push shot. He doesn't get enough lift and elevation off the ground when shooting which makes it easy for defenders to closeout and contest his shot. In the pick and roll when he has the ball in his hands, he is quick to get to the rim and get downhill into the paint. He can change speeds as a driver going fast to slow or slow to fast. In the open court is when he is at his best as a ball-handler. He is quick and explosive pushing the pace after grabbing a defensive rebound. At times with the speed and explosiveness he plays at, he gets out of control attacking the rim and loses body control, resulting in tough off-balance shots at the rim.

On the defensive end, he is a disruptive defender. He gets into passing lanes and generates steals or deflections.

Ivan Marasovic

Position: F

Height: 6 Feet 8 Inches

Team: Royal Crown

Class: 2028

Uncommitted

Ivan Marasovic is a threat in transition as a leak-out player. He is quick getting down the floor and fills the lanes well allowing him to beat opposing teams down the court and get easy fast-break dunks and layups. In the half-court, he is constantly moving without the ball, not getting stagnant, and finding the open space creating opportunities for himself as a backdoor cutter.

Gloire Malala

Position: G

Height: 6 Feet 4 Inches

Team: Royal Crown

Class: 2027

Uncommitted

Gloire Malala operates as an off-ball guard either as a catch and shoot three-point shooter and floor spacer or cutting to the rim backdoor. He has a quick release and fluid shooting mechanics. He is shot ready and shoots the ball confidently without hesitating. As a cutter, he finds holes in the defense and gets to the open spots where teammates can find him with a dump-off pass in the paint for high-percentage shots after attracting multiple defenders. In transition after grabbing a rebound, he is more of a driver looking to get to the rim. He is quick getting down the floor and pushing the pace while also changing speeds and direction as he is advancing the ball.

Isaiah Headley-Smith

Position: SG/SF

Height: 6 Feet 5 Inches

Team: Royal Crown

Class: 2026

Uncommitted

Isaiah Headley-Smith settled too much for three-point shots rather than playing to his strengths getting to the rim. Usually, he is at his best as an inside-out player getting to the rim first and then expanding his range to the three-point line as the game moves on. Crestwood was sagging off him, giving him space to shoot, and dared him to shoot. He wasn't afraid to shoot those shots, but he wasn't making them and should have looked to either use his athleticism to get to the rim or initiate more ball movement. He got his catch and shoot threes off drive and kicks and dribble penetration and off dribble handoffs.

Cordell Dias

Position: G

Height: 6 Feet 3 Inches

Team: Royal Crown

Class: 2027

Uncommitted

Cordell Dias had a defensive impact in this game picking up the ball-handler full court and applying resistance.

Luka Boras

Position: F

Height: 6 Feet 8 Inches

Team: Royal Crown

Class: 2027

Uncommitted

Luka Boras is a player who is too out of control putting the ball on the floor and attacking closeouts. He is stiff and lacks body control when getting to the rim resulting in tough off-balance shots in the paint. When matched up with defenders who have size, length, and physicality he shies away from contact and struggles to play through it. He is more of a three-point specialist settling for catch and shoot threes rather than trying to get into the paint. He has a quick release but low release point making it easy for defenders to contest his shot from three-point range. As a cutter, he can find the open space in the paint but his lack of physicality and ability to absorb and play through contact make it tough for him to finish through size, length, and athleticism in the paint.

On the defensive end, he is undisciplined closing out and fouling shooters getting them easy free-throw opportunities where they can find their offense.