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Granville Christian 76, Liberty Christian 52 - Prospect Scouting Report

By Andy Hoben and Jake Spegal, 12/13/19, 8:30AM EST

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Despite Delavontae Jackson’s big scoring night, Granville Christian maintains early lead and runs away with victory on their home floor

NEWARK, Ohio -- Coming off of a 49 point performance against Torah Academy on Tuesday, and having proved himself as one of the premier bucket-getters in the area over the course of the last two seasons, Delavontae Jackson and his Liberty Christian came into their game on Thursday with a simple plan: get Jackson the ball, and let him work.

However, Granville Christian senior Thomas Benvie and his sophomore brother Joe had other ideas, as the two talented guards wreaked havoc on both ends from the opening tip and led the Lions to a decisive 76-52 victory on their home floor. 

Coming out in their three-quarter-court trap, the Lions of Granville Christian were able to completely shut down Jackson and his teammates in the first quarter, taking advantage of errant passes and loose ball handling by Liberty Christian as they attempted to break their tight defensive alignment. Thomas Benvie had 13 points with three made three-pointers in the first quarter and led the Lions to a 23-6 lead after one. 

Jackson continued to struggle to get good looks in the second quarter, and when he was able to get into the lane and draw shooting fouls he wasn’t able to convert at the line, going just 3-11 from the charity stripe in the first half. Granville Christian continued to apply pressure and grew their lead in the second quarter thanks to many open transition looks, taking a 38-15 advantage into the break. 

While Granville Christian continued to maintain control of their big lead in the second half, Delavontae Jackson made it appear for a moment like Liberty Christian would be able to make a comeback. Jackson outscored Granville Christian by himself in the third quarter, using his tight handle and lateral quickness to sift through the Lion defense and rise to the rim repeatedly, scoring 19 points in the third alone and cutting their deficit to just 15 at one point. However, the Lions regained control late in the period, and led 52-36 going into the fourth. 

Granville Christian senior Sam Short hit a three early in the fourth to push the Lions lead again past 20 points, and from then on they never looked back. While Jackson kept on scoring, Granville Christain answered nearly every one of his baskets down the stretch and ultimately came away with a 76-52 win. 

Despite Jackson’s huge individual night, Liberty Christian was never able to make a real threat at Granville Christians lead. Delavontae Jackson finished with 46 points, eight rebounds, five blocks, and eight steals; the rest of his teammates combined for six points. The Eagles fall to 2-4 on the season. 

The Benvie brothers were able to control the game the whole way with smart defensive play and efficient shot making on offense. Thomas Benvie finished with 24 points, which included three three-pointers, and had seven rebounds, two assists, a steal and two blocks. Joe Benvie stuffed the stat sheet with 14 points that included two threes, nine rebounds, seven assists, two blocks, and four steals. Sam Short added 12 points and four rebounds, Aaron Lynd had nine points and four rebounds, and sophomore Brendon Austin had six points and five rebounds.


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Delavontae Jackson (5’10 PG / Liberty Christian / 2020): While it didn’t translate into a victory this time around, Jackson’s scoring dominance has not gone unnoticed. Jackson is now averaging well over 30 points per game on the young season and, after seeing him against a fairly formidable Granville Christian zone defense, it appears as though scoring upwards of 40 points is just another day at the office for the springy senior. The lefty guard has a tight handle and stand out athleticism that allows him to maneuver around whatever defenders stand in his way and rise to the rim for electrifying finishes. Jackson is able to work his way into the lane at will and carries his Liberty Christian team offensively. However, we were also extremely impressed by his defensive play. Jackson was active on every defensive possession, using his quickness, length and jumping ability to contest shots all the way out past the three point line, and even came away with a few blocks on the perimeter. He also used great positioning to get into passing lanes and come away with steals, and consistently brought down contested rebounds on both ends of the court. We have been very impressed with the scoring run that Jackson has been on this season, and will continue to follow his dominant run as the season goes on.

Thomas Benvie (5’11 PG / Granville Christian / 2020): Benvie is the straw that stirs the drink for his Granville Christian team, acting as their on-court leader and most dependable offensive playmaker. The senior rarely left the floor for the Lions, and made sure his team got off to a great start by finding space to get his shot off early on, cashing in on 3/4 three-point attempts in the first quarter alone and setting the tone for the rest of the game. Benvie possesses a great feel for the game, never moving too suddenly or quickly as to draw too much attention, but consistently finds a way to get to spots on the court where he is confident that he will be effective. Benvie has high-level finishing skills and converted on a handful of tough takes to the basket both in transition and in the half court, and was a threat to put the ball in the basket whether working off the ball or taking it himself. Benvie is an intriguing player that garnered honorable mention all-Ohio in Division IV a season ago and is putting together an outstanding senior season as the leading man for Granville Christian.

Joe Benvie (6’0 WG / Granville Christian / 2022): The younger Benvie plays with a similar confidence and effectiveness as his brother, but in a decisively different way. While Thomas handles most of the on-ball duties for Granville Christian, Joe is best off the ball, working from the wing and cutting to the hoop, where he is able to find holes in the opposing defense and finish at a high rate in the lane. The 6-0 wing-guard applied pressure on defense from the opening tip, blocking two shots and coming away with four steals, where he was able to take the ball himself the length of the court and finish in transition. The younger Benvie thrived doing the dirty work on offense, driving and finding his teammates for open looks, racking up seven assists, and pulling down various offensive rebounds as he was always active on the boards. Joe Benvie, though just a sophomore, will be a key piece to the puzzle for this Granville Christian team as an overqualified glue guy and another great offensive option alongside his brother Thomas. 

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