Prep Hoops 10 Best: Bishop O’Connell vs. Bishop Ireton
ARLINGTON, VA — VA Top 30 No. 2 Bishop O’Connell played host to Bishop Ireton on Tuesday afternoon in the first WCAC contest of the season for both teams. JMU commit Matt Lewis (24 points, 4 assists) and Providence commit Nate…
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Continue ReadingARLINGTON, VA — VA Top 30 No. 2 Bishop O’Connell played host to Bishop Ireton on Tuesday afternoon in the first WCAC contest of the season for both teams. JMU commit Matt Lewis (24 points, 4 assists) and Providence commit Nate Watson (20 points, 10 rebounds) led O’Connell to a 10 point home win despite 45 combined points from Ireton’s dynamic duo, ’18 Darius Hines and ’17 Jamie Pasha. Below are the 10 best from this exciting contest.
MVP | MATT LEWIS | O’CONNELL ’17
JMU commit Matt Lewis was so good for the Knights offensively in this game. Lewis showcased his vision and playmaking ability in transition as well as craftiness the basket. The senior led O’Connell in scoring, steals, and assists.
BEST PLAY
We’ll discuss this a bit further, but Darius Hines was excellent offensively for Ireton. The junior guard converted an impressive four point play late in the first quarter. Hines scored 12 in the opening period.
BESET OFFENSIVE PERFORMANCE | DARIUS HINES | IRETON ’18
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Hines scored 20 of his game-high 28 in the first half. He was very active and shifty with the ball. One thing that stood out about Hines’ game is the improved range on his lethal pull-up jumper.
BEST DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCE | NATE WATSON | O’CONNELL ’17
Providence commit Nate Watson was the anchor for the Knights defensively. He altered several shots and blocked two.
BEST UNDER-THE-RADAR PERFORMANCE | JAMIE PASHA | IRETON ’17
Jamie Pasha scored 17 points for Ireton. The 6’5 senior guard, who draws interest from a large number of division two and three schools, showcased his strong work ethic and fundamentals as well as his smooth jumper.
BEST GUY OFF THE BENCH | MATT BECHT | O’CONNELL ’18
Junior guard Matt Becht came in and hit some timely shots in each half. He spaced the floor well and was a consistent threat.
BEST UNDERCLASSMEN | JAKE BERRY | O’CONNELL ’20
O’Connell’s bench features several talented freshmen, Jake Berry was the best of the bunch on Tuesday afternoon. The 6’8 big man worked hard on the offensive glass and showed his soft touch from the perimeter.
BEST INTANGIBLES | XAVIER JOHNSON | O’CONNELL ’18
Xavier Johnson impacts the game in so many ways. He took charges. He recorded steals and deflections. Johnson recorded 12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal. He did whatever it took to win the game.
BEST REBOUNDER | NATE WATSON | O’CONNELL ’18
Watson secured a game-high 10 rebounds. The 6’9 senior moved bodies inside and consistently snatched the ball high out of the air with his soft hands.
BEST CATCH AND SHOOT GUY | MATT BECHT | O’CONNELL ’18
As mentioned earlier, Becht came in off the bench and shot the ball well from the perimeter. The sharpshooting junior hit two threes while demonstrating a quick and confident release.