Parrish and Trammell excite at the Swish Pro-AM
Credit: P.J. Panebianco/EVT
It was another eventful day at La Jolla Country Day High School in the Swish Pro-AM.
There were players from all levels, a shot-clock horn that blared for five consecutive minutes, and a three-point line that appeared to be extended from the college level. SDSU’s Micah Parrish and Darrion Trammell were in action, and they led their team to a win, “That Goods Life” over “Team Hit.”
When news broke that Micah Parrish transferred to the Aztecs, there was a bit of surprise.
The Aztecs were loaded at the wing position. With the news of Chad Baker-Mazara departing from the team, Parrish’s role on the team became apparent.
Similar to Baker-Mazara, Parrish quickly showed off his streaky shooting. He scored 10 of his team’s first 12 points. He had a dazzling first half where he displayed a multitude of offensive skills. He utilized step-back jumpers to give himself space, finding open spots in the mid-range, and even was showing off with a slam dunk drive down the baseline. With a minute left in the first half, the box score read, Team Hit: 20, Micah Parrish: 18.
With this scoring output, Aztec fans should be delighted to hear of the offensive potential off the bench. After the game, when asked what he was bringing to the Aztecs this season, he did not mention his shooting.
“(I’ll bring) a lot of energy on defense. I feel like I can help out there,” Parrish said.
The competition in the Swish-Pro League can be hit or miss. For example, for That Goods Life, they only had six players, so Parrish played every minute. He was an aggressive defender, hustled back to strip the ball away on fast breaks, and he showed the ability to guard anyone on the floor.
In the second half, Team Hit refused to let Parrish beat them, and they limited his touches. He lost some rhythm, but he finished with 21 points, including four shots from beyond the arc.
His teammate, Trammell, did not have the same shooting success. He only made three baskets, yet still finished with 14 points.
He was visibly frustrated as the game went on because he struggled to find shooting rhythm.
Showing his maturity as a basketball player, he did not let his struggles throughout the game hinder him in the most important moments of the contest. He made winning plays late in the game. With under five minutes to go, he pushed the lead to double digits after making a three-through contact. As the opposing team went to a full-court press, he was composed and did not turn the ball over.
Trammell struggled in the first half with turnovers. He was trying to be a playmaker with a pass-first mindset, but this was difficult given the ad-hoc makeup of his squad’s roster. The biggest knock on his performance was his free throw shooting. As a freshman at Seattle University, he shot 86.6% and 82.1% from the foul line the following season. On Saturday, he went 7-for-13 from the charity stripe.
One of the biggest takeaways from this transfer duo is that they are building chemistry with one another.
“I love it,” Parrish said when asked what it is like playing with Trammell. “I know when he’s going to give me the ball. We’ve been working out with each other, playing a lot of open runs. So when he sees me making shots, he always thinks I’m hot, so he keeps feeding me the ball.”
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The two of them walked in with the other newcomers to the Aztecs, freshman Miles Byrd, and Elijah Saunders. Like celebrities, Aztec fans continuously walked up to them, wanting to meet them or take pictures.
Saunders and Byrd arrived this week in San Diego and have been enjoying their new home. They were not aware of what team they were on for the Swish League. Next week they plan to be in uniform to give Aztec fans their first opportunity to see them in action.
Class of 2022 at San Diego State University. Communication major and pursuing a sports journalism profession. Season ticket holder of the SDSU MBB team since 2011. Fondest memory of Viejas Arena is Aztec legend, Dwayne Polee sparking a 19-1 run over New Mexico to win the MW Conference in 2014.