Trying to score against McCallie has been a difficult task this basketball season.
Attempt to crash the paint, and there stands 7-foot-1 center David Craig. Want to get into a rhythm from 3-point range? That’s tough against long-armed guards Kollin Claridy, Wilson Rankin and Milos Stijepovic. On top of that, tough face-guarding by Will Kwasigroch and Parker Robison leaves little room for opponents to operate.
The Blue Tornado’s defense was dominant again Friday night in a 54-21 win at Chattanooga Christian School, with McCallie improving to 19-1 overall and 2-0 in Division II-AA East Region play.
Offensively, Rankin led with 17 points, including a trio of 3-pointers and an impressive left-handed finish through a foul in the third quarter.
“Guards can get into a bind when they play us, and David is someone you don’t want to mess with,” said Rankin, who scored a dozen points in the second half to help seal the win. “We have held teams almost under 40 points every game, which is crazy – especially from last year, when CCS was battling us into the fourth quarter. This team definitely feels a little bit different than the past three I have been with.”