Prep Hoops 10 Best: LC Bird vs. Varina
While a conference matchup between two of the top teams in the conference is always interesting, this game had a little bit more to it for the simple fact that in their last matchup Varina upset the Skyhawks in the…
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Continue ReadingWhile a conference matchup between two of the top teams in the conference is always interesting, this game had a little bit more to it for the simple fact that in their last matchup Varina upset the Skyhawks in the Conference 12 Championship game. While Bird went on to the state championship where they eventually lost to Potomac, this rematch had to have been circled on their schedule as an early revenge game. Bird came out red hot, going 6-for-9 from deep in the first quarter and never looking back from there. The Skyhawks would avenge their loss 58-47, but it surely won’t be the last time these two meet.
Here’s some takeaways from the game last night.
MVP | Johquin “Pinky” Wiley | LC Bird ’17
Fresh off of the football field, the available senior point guard came out of the gates red hot for the Skyhawks, scoring half of his game high 22 points in the first quarter on just five shots. While he led the Skyhawks in scoring, he also showed great leadership on both ends, controlling the tempo offensively and he was a key part in Bird’s defense as he provided stingy ball pressure as well.
Plays of the Game
There was no one play in particular that stood out, but what did stand out was the way that LC Bird opened the game on fire. In the first four minutes of the game, the Skyhawks took seven shots from the field. All of them were from three-point range, and they connected on 5 of their first 7 shots, giving them great rhythm and a 15-2 lead midway through the first.
Best Offensive Performance | Johquin “Pinky” Wiley | LC Bird ’17
We already mentioned the 22 points Wiley had, but it was the efficiency in which he did it that was impressive. Known as a pass-first point guard (he’ll be the first to tell you that), he had 14 points in the first half on 4-of-6 shooting from the floor and 3-of-5 from downtown, and he finished a stellar 7-for-11 from the field for the whole game. Did I mention he was on the football field about a week ago?
Best Defensive Performance | Mario Haskett | LC Bird ‘17
The Harvard commit is known as one of the best defenders in the state, and you can see what makes him so valuable on that end of the floor if you watch a Bird game. Not only is Haskett a great on ball defender, but he’s able to face guard off the ball, guard multiple positions and has a great feel and understanding in specific defensive sets. He also came up big with 8 points in the fourth quarter to seal the deal.
Best Guy off the Bench | Jyles Webster | LC Bird ’17
The Concord signee isn’t your average bench player as he started almost every game last season, but the return of 6’7” junior Tyrek Williams moved Webster to a sixth man role. It’s cool, because Webster brings something off the bench that most sixth men don’t, and that’s hustle and energy on the defensive end and on the glass. He finished with 6 points and 8 rebounds, but he also did a lot of the dirty work that doesn’t show up in the stat sheet but helps his team win.
Best Intangibles | Cam Henry | LC Bird ‘17
Talk about a kid who does things that don’t show up in the stat book, Henry is that guy. A look at his stats and you’d think he had a poor game because he didn’t shoot it well, but that doesn’t stop Henry from being one of the most versatile players on the floor. At times for Bird he literally played every position from the one through the four, and he guarded those positions too. He’s also a tremendous rebounder and made plenty of plays to keep possessions alive for Bird.
Best Under the Radar Performance | Jaylen Dillard | LC Bird ‘17
Coming off of a bout with pneumonia, Dillard opened the game by hitting two of the first three triples for LC Bird to get them going. The Clover Hill transfer is known as a shot maker, but once he got tired in the second half the shots weren’t falling. While some kids would be dejected, Dillard mustered up the rest of his energy and put it on the defensive side, where he denied Varina ball handler and playmaker Andre Watkins the ball, and held him to only one point in the second half.
Best Underclassman | Kenard Richardson | Varina ’20
Varina played quite a few underclassmen, which bolds well for them moving forward, but Robinson gets the nod because he did not back down despite being a freshman matched up against arguably the best backcourt in the state. A strong and physical combo guard, he showed that he can put it on the floor, move without the ball and he wasn’t afraid to take bigs shots either. He finished with 6 points and two rebounds off the bench on 3-of-5 shooting from deep.
Best Athlete | Kenneth Southerland | Varina ’17
The Skyhawks were determined to keep Southerland out of the paint, and did a decent job for the most part holding the All Conference big man to just two points on three shots in the first half. However, Southerland showed the athletic ability that makes him so tough in the paint in the fourth quarter with a couple of impressive rebounds and a monster one hand throw down in the last minute. While he showed improved touch in the midrange and finished with 14 points, it’s still those athletic plays that separate him from other good bigs in the area.
Best Aspect of the Environment | Being Called “Coach” by Everyone
It’s no secret that I have a brother who is an assistant coach at LC Bird, and it’s also no secret that we look very much alike despite the fact that I have three inches and 25 lbs. on him. To my count, there were four separate occasions that I was called “coach” or asked if I was related to the LC Bird assistant. My favorite of which came in the third quarter, with my brother on the bench, when the LC Bird VICE PRINCIPAL sat next to me and said “Hey coach do you mind if I sit here?” I guess you could say we look somewhat alike.