Prep Hoops 10 Best: McDonogh vs. St. Andrew’s
HAGERSTOWN, MD — Louisiana Tech commit Anthony Duruji scored 9 of his 17 points in the initial frame for St. Andrew’s, held an early three point edge over McDonogh after the first quarter. McDonogh, who were paced by a double-double from their unsigned…
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Continue ReadingHAGERSTOWN, MD — Louisiana Tech commit Anthony Duruji scored 9 of his 17 points in the initial frame for St. Andrew’s, held an early three point edge over McDonogh after the first quarter. McDonogh, who were paced by a double-double from their unsigned senior point guard Damian Chong-Qui, outscored St. Andrew’s 20-7 in the second quarter and won the game by a final score of 64-55. Below, we highlight some of the game’s top performers.
MVP | DAMIAN CHONG-QUI | MCDONOGH ’17
Unsigned senior point guard Damian Chong-Qui rallied his team to a victory with his play on both ends of the floor. Chong-Qui was a hawk defensively, where he shot the passing lanes and suffocated his man on the ball. The diminutive floor general continuously found himself getting into the paint on the offensive end, where he often made the correct decision. Chong-Qui recorded a game-high 21 points and 11 assists to go along with seven rebounds and six steals.
PLAY OF THE GAME
There wasn’t one particular play that really stood out or determined the outcome of the game, but we must go back to the playmaking ability of Damian Chong-Qui. Whenever McDonogh needed a basket down the stretch in their half-court set, Chong-Qui was reliable enough to make the correct play.
BEST OFFENSIVE PERFORMANCE | NOAH LOCKE | MCDONOGH ’18
By his standards, Noah Locke didn’t have the greatest night offensively, but he came up clutch when his team needed him most. The junior guard scored 8 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter to help his team clinch the victory. No other player scored more than Locke in the final frame.
BEST DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCE | HERU BLIGEN | ST. ANDREW’S ’19
Give a Lion’s share of the credit to Heru Bligen for helping shut down Locke for a majority of the game. The long & athletic junior made an emphasis to lock up both on and off the ball while showcasing an incredible motor.
BEST GUY OFF THE BENCH | DARIUS PICKETT | MCDONOGH ’18
Neither team really got any significant offensive contributions off the bench, but Darius Pickett was a bright spot for the Eagles. During McDonogh’s 20-7 second quarter explosion, Pickett checked into the game and contributed four points.
BEST INTANGIBLES | HERU BLIGEN | ST. ANDREW’S ’19
A number of impressive things stood out about Heru Bligen’s play tonight. For a sophomore, Bligen exhibits a tremendous amount of poise. He was constantly seen encouraging, cheering for, and communicating with his teammates.
BEST UNDER-THE-RADAR-PERFORMANCE | JUSTIN NWOSU | ST. ANDREW’S 18
Justin Nwosu scored a quiet 18 points for the Lions, demonstrating the ability to consistently finish around the basket in traffic. Nwosu’s presence was felt on the glass and he exhibited good versatility on both ends of the floor.
BEST UNDERCLASSMEN | HERU BLIGEN | ST. ANDREW’S ’19
We mentioned Heru Bligen earlier for his defense on McDonogh’s primary scoring threat, and he deserves another mention for being the top underclassmen performer of the night. Bligen is a high level defender on the perimeter who can handle pressure and make good decisions with the ball. Bligen demonstrated a quick first step off the bounce and was in constant attack mode.
BEST REBOUNDER | ANTHONY DURJI | ST. ANDREW’S ’17
More often than not, Anthony Duruji is the best athlete in the gym. Duruji can wreck a gameplan if not properly executed, meaning he absolutely must be boxed out on each and every possession. The 6’8″ Louisiana Tech commit is a forceful paint presence who plays above the rim on both ends.
BEST PASSER | DAMIAN CHONG-QUI | MCDONOGH ’17
Damian Chong-Qui put on a clinic with his ability to drive and find open teammates. Chong-Qui racked up 11 dimes as a result of his adept paint getting ability, poise, and vision.