Prep Hoops 10 Best: John Marshall vs. George Wythe
In a heated Richmond rivalry that has produced two of the last three state champions in the 3A classification, both John Marshall and George Wythe are rebuilding in different ways. Marshall returns four of their top six from last year,…
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Continue ReadingIn a heated Richmond rivalry that has produced two of the last three state champions in the 3A classification, both John Marshall and George Wythe are rebuilding in different ways. Marshall returns four of their top six from last year, but it’s the first time in four years they’re without Jeremy Sheppard (ECU) at the point guard spot. GW looks to the post Maliek White (Providence) era, which was arguably the best two or three seasons in school history. Although the game was much closer than the final score shows, John Marshall ended up pulling away late to win 78-54 over their rivals from the Southside.
MVP | Greg Jones | John Marshall ’17
He didn’t have the best first half in terms of shooting, but the warrior that he is would not keep Jones down for the entire game. The 6’6” power forward and JMU commit didn’t miss in the second half after going 2-for-9 from the field in the first half, and he finished with 21 points and 9 rebounds, as well as manning the paint for the Justices all night.
Play of the Game | De’Marr McRae | John Marshall ’19
With JM pulling away in the fourth quarter, George Wythe won a loose ball and threw an outlet to start a fast break. However, the sophomore wing intercepted the pass, attacked the basket off of a hesitation and took off from just outside of the paint and threw down a monster two handed slam over two Wythe defenders that almost stopped the game. The video is below.
Best Offensive Performance | Levar Allen | John Marshall ’19
Allen gets the nod here over Jones because he finished with 16 points and four assists despite spending much of the first half on the bench with foul trouble. The 5’11” bully of a guard was 5-for-9 from the field and 4-for-5 from the line, and most importantly he set the tone with the ball in his hands when he was on the floor.
Best Defensive Performance | De’Marr McRae | John Marshall ’19
While everyone left talking about his highlight dunk, McRae has shown time and time again that he’s willing to use his athleticism defensively just as much. He’s willing to guard the best player on the floor, but is also versatile enough to guard anything from the one through four, and he makes energy plays on that end as well.
Best Guy off the Bench | Shoye Samson | John Marshall ’19
Samson came off of the bench for JM when Allen was in foul trouble and he did a great job on both ends of the floor. He was aggressive offensively, making plays for himself and other, yet he still took care of the basketball. His second half was very solid, as he contributed five points off the bench without turning it over at all in the half.
Best Intangibles | Levar Allen | John Marshall ’19
Allen has that natural feel of a point guard, and while he can fill it up with the best of them he also makes those plays that don’t always show up in the stat sheet. He handled pressure well and broke down the defense with ease, and finished with just one turnover, a huge improvement from his freshman season last year.
Best Under the Radar Performer | Darrell Purdie | George Wythe ’18
One of Wythe’s captains, Purdie did a little bit of everything for Wythe ranging from defending, leading and scoring when his team needed him to. He finished with 15 points and four rebounds, and showed the ability to finish through contact. With a young group of talented guards for GW, Purdie’s toughness and leadership will be important if they want to grow as a team moving forward.
Best Underclassman | Isaiah Todd | John Marshall ’20
There were a number of talented underclassmen on both of these teams, but Todd is considered one of the best in the country by many scouts and coaches. At 6’9”, he has size and length of a power forward, but his skill set offensively is that of a wing. He finished with 16 points and six rebounds, modest numbers for him in his second high school game, but he made a number of shots and moves in the midrange that most players his age would not be able to make. With his work ethic, he’s only going to continue to improve moving forward.
Best Rebounder | Qyante Parham | George Wythe ’17
The 6’4” Parham had the tall task of battling with a John Marshall front line of 6’6”, 6’7” and 6’9”, and he battled with a lot of heart. He finished with a game high 11 rebounds for the Bulldogs, and he did not back down from the bigger names or bigger players in the paint.
Best Aspect of the Environment | Pregame Chants
Of all the things that create energy and buzz in a gym, a pregame chant is as good as they come. John Marshall chanted the hook to the classic hype song “We Ready” by Archie Eversole, while George Wythe chanted their own creed that Head Coach Willard Coker says they made up themselves. It got the buzz going before the game, and the cheerleaders only kept it going with their own chants and routines as well.