East using depth to surge in D-I North

By Jacob Marrocco
Posted 1/18/17

The Cranston East boys' basketball team entered last Monday's game against Classical with just a 1-3 record despite having improved depth and one of the state's top scorers, sophomore Aireus Raspberry. The 'Bolts

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East using depth to surge in D-I North

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The Cranston East boys’ basketball team entered last Monday’s game against Classical with just a 1-3 record despite having improved depth and one of the state’s top scorers, sophomore Aireus Raspberry.

The ’Bolts had struggled to play “two complete halves,” according to head coach Isaiah McDaniel, dropping three games by a combined nine points to fall a few spots out of first place.

Since then, East has established a 3-game winning streak behind another overtime win over Classical and blowouts against Central and Hope. The ’Bolts are starting to gel as a unit, and they could evolve into one of D-I’s most dangerous squads if the rhythm keeps going.

“The things we’re doing in practice are translating to games,” McDaniel said. “I said at the beginning that we were bringing back that hard-working mentality. They’re starting to realize how hard they have to work in practice.”

East has featured a unique leading scorer in each of those past three victories. Senior leader Sam Hanley buried the Purple on Jan. 9, recording 21 points and the game-clinching free throws during the extra period.

Sophomore Nelvin Blanco took up the mantle against Central, a matchup which saw at least three ’Bolts hit double figures. Blanco poured in 23 as East breezed past Central, 82-41. The Knights won their earlier meeting, 76-72, in Providence.

Despite his impressive output in the scoring column, McDaniel said it’s Blanco’s defense that helps create offense.

“I think it’s his defensive ability that really drives his game,” McDaniel said. “He’s a phenomenal defender. He creates turnovers. He really gets into the open court and he’s very creative with the basketball. He gets to the free throw line a lot. He is crazy with the basketball, but when he gets hot he can shoot the ball from anywhere on the court.”

The bane of Hope’s existence on Friday the 13th was Raspberry. He notched a game-high 27 points and helped East race out to a 41-24 advantage by the intermission. The two sides would play a more balanced second half as the ’Bolts cruised to a 71-53 win.

“His jump shot has definitely taken a level up,” McDaniel said. “That’s helping him be able to score some more points throughout the game. It helps when you have other scorers on the floor with you. Everyone’s starting to understand their role. He’s starting to see the floor a lot better.”

Raspberry was one of East’s top threats on the court last season as well, but having additional options has helped make him more lethal. For example, he dropped 38 points during that 76-72 loss to Central earlier in the season. In their rematch, he only needed 13 since Hanley and Blanco also entered double-digit territory.

There have been games where his innate ability to get the basket has carried East, like his 34 points in the season opener against Classical. It’s undeniable, though, that having Hanley and Blanco on the outside and Donovan Ranglin and Anthony Wilcox in the interior has made the defense play guessing games with how Raspberry will facilitate the ball.

“It’s great,” Raspberry said of his bevy of scoring avenues. “It takes some stress off me and I help them get their better shots.”

He used the offseason to get into better shape, and it’s paying dividends as he and the ’Bolts seem to have found their stride.

“I started to eat right, doing more conditioning, lifting,” Raspberry said of his summer regiment. “A lot of people put it in my head that I had to get in better shape.”

Up next for East is it’s toughest test of the season thus far, a road rematch with first-place East Providence (4-2) on Thursday at 7 p.m. East came out flat in their first meeting on Jan. 6, falling behind, 28-17, at the break. It would outscore the Townies, 37-30, during the second half, but East Providence held on for the 58-54 triumph.

The “two complete halves” mentality has benefitted the ’Bolts during their winning streak, and it could propel them to the top of the subdivision come Friday.

“We’re going to keep doing the things we were doing in practice,” McDaniel said of preparation for Friday’s contest. “We have to play 32 minutes of basketball. EP is a very good team. We have to rebound the ball a lot better and we did have some turnovers in that first half [of the first game].”

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