By By BRIAN HAINES, Sports Writer
TERRA CEIA - Their names don’t roll off the tongue like some of the more famous basketball duos, such as Pippen and Jordan, Thomas and Dumars or Stockton and Malone. However, when Hendrik Van Dorp and Bradley Van Staalduinen are on the court for Terra Ceia, they pack a 1-2 punch that hits harder than Jean-Claude Van Damme.
When they are both on their game, Van Dorp, a 6-3 point guard, and Van Staalduinen, a 6-6 everything, are nearly impossible to defend.
Terra Ceia’s offense runs through the versatile Van Staalduinen, and there’s not many teams in the area that have a better place to start. With the ability to play the 3, 4 or 5, Van Staalduinen is an opposing coach’s nightmare.
If defending teams try to match him up with a big player, Van Staalduinen has the ball-handling ability to blow by him off the dribble. If teams come at him with a guard or a taller forward, Van Staalduinen can set up on the low block and shoot over his defender.
Double teams? Forget it; the Knights’ forward has the height and the vision to pass out of double teams and find one of the perimeter players for the open shot; which takes us back to Van Dorp.
The Knights’ guard may be a little bit of a streak shooter, but more often than not he’ll make you pay for leaving him open behind the three-point arc; and within 15-feet he is deadly.
As of Jan. 1 Van Dorp is averaging 16 points per game, with 4 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game, while Van Staalduinen is putting up 19 a game, while pulling down 11 boards and dishing out nearly 3 assists a night.
Only juniors, the duo’s full potential was put on display in Terra Ceia’s recent 75-70 victory over Northeastern when Van Dorp blew up for 27 points while grabbing 11 rebounds and Van Staalduinen was good for 28 points and 19 boards.
Knights’ coach Roger Klaassen said the two complement each other perfectly.
The Knights’ offense may run through Van Staalduinen, but it starts with Van Dorp. More of a classic point guard, Van Dorp handles the ball well and looks to facilitate the offense first, but can breakdown a defense off the dribble.
Once he gets by his defender, Van Dorp is adept at finding an open teammate, or finishing the drive with his patented pull up jumper.
Van Dorp is equally as effective on the other side of the ball. Terra Ceia’s best on-ball defender, Van Dorp spearheads the Knights aggressive defense which relies heavily on trapping and pressing.
While Van Dorp’s game may be complete, Klaassen said his best aspect is his leadership ability.
When all else fails, Van Dorp knows that nine times out of 10, the right decision is to get the ball to Van Staalduinen.
With the ability to make shots anywhere on the court, Van Dorp said playing with Van Staalduinen makes his job a lot easier.
Van Dorp said Van Staalduinen’s play on defense has just as big of an impact on the team’s success as his offense.
With his gigantic 6-6 frame and long arms, Van Staalduinen excels at swatting shots, and is a huge deterrent to those looking to take it to the hoop.
Through the Knights’ first 13 games Van Staalduinen has blocked 51 shots for an average of nearly four a game.
Klaassen agreed with Van Dorp’s assessment.
The Knights currently sit in second place in the Tarheel Independent Conference, but the duo feels it can do much better than that.
Van Dorp agreed that the Knights have a lot of potential.