Thoughts on Alex Sarr, Ron Holland, and Matas Buzelis in the Second Perth-G-League Ignite Exhibition Game
September 9th, 2023
By Alan Lu
Yesterday, I took the time to watch the second exhibition game that took place between Perth and the G-League Ignite. Alex Sarr and Ron Holland were once again, two of the standout performers in this game, and other prospects also played well. In this game, Perth was able to take the lead early, and they went on to cruise to a double-digit win over the G-League Ignite, as they were bolstered by Alex Sarr’s strong all-around play, as well as a dominant showing from veteran guard, Bryce Cotton, whose tremendous 40-point, 8 threes made performance helped Perth get the victory. For those of you that are interested in the box score of this game, here is the link, courtesy of X (formerly Twitter), via Krysten Peek’s twitter account.
Alex Sarr was terrific in both of the games against the G-League Ignite, and his strong all-around play helped lead Perth to a win against them on September 8th.
(Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images, via The West Australian)
Alex Sarr had a tremendous showing to help lead Perth to a win over the G-League Ignite. He is a very athletic, energetic big man that did a great job of making shots and defending in this game, and he played really well on both ends of the floor.
Sarr did a great job of scoring on hustle plays. He would frequently score in transition, off rolls, cuts, and put backs, and his ability to run the floor and make plays on the move would allow him to score on thunderous jams. He also was able to catch a lob pass off of a cut to score on an alley-oop dunk.
He also did a good job of scoring out of the post. Sarr was able to utilize a spin move to score on a fadeaway jumper. He also shot the ball well, and was able to make an open, spot-up three smoothly off of a pick-and-pop play. Sarr also was able to drive towards the hoop to score on a strong drive while getting an extra free throw.
He also showcased above average playmaking skills. He is a good passer that showed that knack for throwing crisp interior passes to find teammates on the move, which allowed him to notch several assists due to possessing solid court vision. He also showed more ball-handling skills than in the previous game. However, he still was turnover prone in this game. He had trouble handling the ball when pressured, as he would get the ball stolen away from him when handling it, and he was called for a couple of traveling violations when trying to create off the dribble. He also was called for setting a hard, moving screen that led him to commit an offensive foul and a turnover.
Also, Sarr did a good job of rebounding the basketball. He was active at crashing the glass, and he was able to haul in a handful of boards on both ends of the floor. He also was able to score on a couple of strong put back slams to help provide his team with second chance points.
Plus, he also defended very well. Sarr did a terrific job of blocking shots, as he was able to swat numerous shots off the dribble to help his team protect the paint, and sometimes he would swat those shots to teammates. He also was able to deflect a pass once, and he would use his length, activity, and athleticism to frequently contest shots and get his hands on balls to get stops for his team.
(Source: Twitter/nbagleague)
In general, Alex Sarr was terrific in his team’s win over the G-League Ignite. He was terrific as a shot-maker, rebounder, and defender, and he looks to be a bonafide top 5 pick for the 2024 draft, and could be a solid contender to be the top pick. While it’s still early in the season, Sarr is a tremendously talented big man that could end up being a star in the NBA.
Ron Holland also had a strong showing in his team’s loss to Perth. He did a great job of making shots, made a slew of highlight reel-worthy plays and showed a solid outside shot, and he also played very well on both ends of the floor.
Holland did a very good job of scoring off the dribble. He has a quick, explosive first step, and his combination of speed, strength, and acceleration would allow him to get to the free throw line frequently. He was able to drive to throw down a thunderous dunk. Plus, he also generally excelled at scoring in transition, and his ability to get to the hoop quickly combined with his dribble moves and shooting touch would enable him to finish plays around the basket. Sometimes though, he would try to rush his moves, which led to some misses.
He also shot the ball very well from the outside. Holland showed a knack for making quick, spot-up threes off the catch. He also was able to make a smooth step-back, mid-range jumper. Plus, he also showcased satisfactory playmaking skills. Holland did a good job of making quick, drive and kick passes, and he also was able to throw a long pass ahead to set up a score for a teammate on the break. On the downside, he would sometimes play too fast and out of control. On one drive, he ended up colliding into an opponent, which led him to be called for committing an offensive foul and a turnover. On another play, he threw a pass that ended up getting intercepted.
He also did a decent job of rebounding the basketball. Plus, he also played satisfactory defense. Holland did a great job of intercepting passes and poking balls away to get steals, and he also was able to contest a corner three to force a miss. Sometimes though, he wouldn’t move his feet very well as he would struggle to defend opponents off the dribble, and he also would sometimes be too aggressive in trying to reach in and make defensive plays, which would lead him to commit fouls.
(Source: Twitter/@gleagueignite)
In summary, Ron Holland played very well, and he is a very athletic, skilled swingman that looks to be a strong contender to be the top pick of the 2024 draft. He showed off strong all-around skills, and he could end up being a star in the NBA.
Matas Buzelis also played well in his team’s loss to Perth. He showed off versatile scoring skills, played unselfishly, and he was able to make some solid defensive plays in this game.
Buzelis did a good job of scoring off the dribble. He has a solid first step, and he is a crafty ball handler that showed good finishing touch around the basket. He also was able to drive through a throng of defenders to score on a dunk once. Plus, he also excelled at scoring on hustle plays. He was able to use a Euro-step move to score on a quick drive in transition. He also managed to get the ball on a quick backdoor cut, which allowed him to score on a thunderous dunk in traffic. Every once in a while, he would miss shots due to rushing, but generally he did a good job of finishing plays at the rim.
He also shot the ball fairly well from the outside. Buzelis showed a knack for making corner threes off the catch. On the other hand, he didn’t quite shoot as well from deep when he would not take them from the corners.
He also displayed satisfactory playmaking skills. Buzelis is an unselfish player that would make the extra pass. On one play, after getting the all on a cut, he was able to throw a crisp, accurate bounce pass across the paint to set up a score for a teammate. However, sometimes he would play too wildly and struggle with his ball-handling, which would lead him to be a bit turnover prone.
Also, Buzelis was able to get his fair share of boards, as he was able to haul in multiple boards on both ends of the floor. He also played decent defense. He was able to jump on a loose ball to help his team get a steal. He also rotated to block a shot hard off of a drive. He also would close out to help make it difficult for his opponents to get easy shots or to handle the ball. Sometimes though, he would play too aggressively, which would lead him to foul jump shooters.
(Source: Twitter/@gleagueignite)
Overall, Matas Buzelis had a solid showing in this game. He is an athletic, versatile forward that can score in a variety of ways, and he also has the tools to be a solid defender at the next level. He’ll need to be a more consistent outside shooter in games, but he is a very talented player that could be a top 5 pick in the 2024 draft.
Izan Almansa had a fairly solid showing in this game. He is an agile, high-motor big man that did a tremendous job of scoring on strong rolls to the rim, and he is very quick at setting and slipping screens to get open on offense. He also passed the ball well, and he showed that he can deftly find cutters on the move.
On the other hand, he didn’t grab nearly as many rebounds in this game, and he struggled a bit defensively. While he was able to contest some threes to force misses, he would also sometimes to be late to rotate and give up space, which would lead him to allow scores from out there. He also was out of position when defending a roll, which led to a teammate to rotate to commit a goaltend.
(Source: Twitter/@gleagueignite)
Overall, Almansa was solid in both of the games against Perth, and he is a hustle player that generally would outwork his opponents to make plays on both ends of the floor. He has helped himself by playing well in both games, and he could end up being a lottery pick in the 2024 draft.
Tyler Smith showed some solid skills despite having an up and down performance in his team’s loss to Perth. He is an athletic 6-10 big man that did a tremendous job of blocking shots, and he is a high-motor player that excelled at swatting shots to help his team protect the paint.
He also did a good job of making open, corner threes to spread the floor on offense. He also ran the floor to score on a powerful dunk. However, he tended to miss easy shots around the basket, and he didn’t shoot nearly as well as he could have. Overall, he’s helped himself by making plays in both games, and he is an athletic, versatile player that could project to go in the late first to the second round range for the 2024 draft.
Ben Henshall played very well to help lead Perth to a win over the G-League Ignite. He especially thrived as a shooter and scorer, but he also passed the ball well. He is a sharpshooter that was able to make threes both off the catch and dribble, and his ability to run off ball screens and get open using off-ball movement enabled him to draw three free throws on a deep three.
He also showed a satisfactory ability to score off the dribble. Henshall was able to use a spin move to score on a crafty, reverse layup. He also showed a knack for maneuvering ways to get to the free throw line. Sometimes though, he would end up missing shots in traffic.
He also showcased adequate playmaking skills. Henshall did a good job of passing the basketball, and he can throw accurate passes to find open teammates on the move. However, he would sometimes struggle to handle the ball when pressured, which would lead to turnovers.
Also, Henshall was a willing rebounder in this game, and was able to help his team chip in on the glass. He also played adequate defense. He was able to jump a pass to get a steal. Sometimes though he wouldn’t always make an active effort to contest outside shots, and on one play, he was late to contest a three, which led his team to give up the. Basket.
Overall, Ben Henshall is an agile, skilled sharpshooting guard that has helped himself by playing well in both games against the G-League Ignite. While he may not possess ideal size or athletic gifts, he is an offensively skilled player that can shoot and pass the basketball, and he could end up being a solid second round pick for an NBA team in the 2024 draft.
London Johnson played well in his team’s loss to Perth. He is an athletic, fleet-footed guard that was able to make some solid plays on both sides of the ball. He shot the ball well from deep, and he showed a knack for scoring on open, spot-up threes off the catch. He also showed good footspeed and finishing ability to score on strong drives to the hoop.
He also displayed satisfactory playmaking skills. He did a good job of making an assortment of passes to find open teammates, and he showed that he can consistently find them on the move to set up scores for them. However, he also would tend to over-penetrate, which would lead him to lose the ball and commit turnovers.
Also, Johnson was able to haul in boards on both ends of the floor to chip in on the glass. Defensively, he looked to be about average. He also would actively try to stay in front of man and fight through screens to help get stops for his team. On the downside, his lack of size would make it difficult for him to defend outside shots, and he would sometimes play too aggressively and wind up committing fouls.
Overall, London Johnson had a solid showing in this game, and he is an athletic, playmaking guard that has shown that he can make plays against good, professional basketball teams. He’ll need to be a more consistent player in games, but he is a talented prospect that could end up being a good find for an NBA team in the 2024 draft.
Babacar Sane had his ups and downs in his team’s loss to Perth. He is an athletic, energetic forward that has shown some versatile scoring skills, and he was able to make plays on both ends of the floor. However, he didn’t shoot the ball well, and he struggled to make shots late in this game.
Sane showed that he can score on hustle plays. He was able to catch a lob to score on a quick, hard cut. He also managed to score on a tip-in. However, sometimes he would rush his shots and miss around the basket.
He also showed off adequate shot-creation skills. He also was able to score on a smooth, switch of hands layup after driving hard to the hoop. On the downside, he also ended up having a couple of shots blocked. Plus, he also didn’t shoot well from the outside, and he was unable to make a three-pointer in this game. As a playmaker, he looked to be about average. He was able to get an assist, but he was called for traveling another time when making a play off of a cut.
Also, Sane did a tremendous job of rebounding the basketball. He also played satisfactory defense. He was able to block a shot hard due to possessing solid athleticism, timing, and instincts. He also managed to contest a three to force a miss. Another time though, he rotated, but was too late to block a shot, as he was called for goaltending.
Overall, Babacar Sane has shown an intriguing set of skills in both games against Perth. He’ll need to be a more consistent outside shooter, but he is a confident player that showed that he can make plays on both ends of the floor, and he could project to go in the late first to the second round range for the 2024 draft.
David Okwera didn’t play nearly as well as he did in the previous game against the G-League Ignite. He was unable to score, and he didn’t seem to have the shooting touch to be able to knock down jumpers.
On the plus side, he is a very athletic big man that showed some passing and ball handling skills. He was able to handle the ball in the open space before passing it off. He also was able to pass out of the post. He also did a decent job of rebounding the basketball. Overall, Okwera is a very athletic, energetic big man, but he will need to expand upon his skill set offensively. His performances looked to be kind of a mixed bag in both of the games combined, but if he can improve his shooting and scoring ability, he could perhaps end up being a mid to late second round pick in the 2024 draft.
All in all, those are my thoughts on how Sarr, Holland, Buzelis, and other various prospects fared in this game. Thanks for reading.
