Prep Hoops 10 Best: Trinity Episcopal vs. Benedictine
Rivalry games are always intriguing and entertaining battles, but when a spot in the Championship game of one of the most prestigious tournaments in the Richmond area is on the line, it becomes even more heated. In one of the…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingRivalry games are always intriguing and entertaining battles, but when a spot in the Championship game of one of the most prestigious tournaments in the Richmond area is on the line, it becomes even more heated. In one of the best games of the season, Trinity Episcopal moved to 8-0 on the season in a thrilling 68-66 victory that literally came down to the wire. The game was back-and-forth all game, with three lead changes in the fourth quarter and eight times when the score was tied. The Titans got the last laugh, as junior guard Jason Wade hit a tough contested layup just before the final buzzer to give them the win. Here’s an overview of one of the best games I’ve seen so far in the young season.
MVP | Armando Bacot | Trinity Episcopal ’19
Bacot didn’t shoot the ball particularly well, but his effort and production never wavered throughout the game. He finished with a staggering boxscore line of 24 points and 17 rebounds, 11 of which were offensive. Bacot and fellow front court mate Zach Jacobs took advantage of the fact that Benedictine refused to play two big men, and their work on the glass was a big reason they were able to pull out a win and a trip to the TDIT Championship game on Monday.
Play of the Game
This one is no question, as Wade’s game winning shot has to be the play of the game. Credit Head Coach Rick Hamlin for trusting Wade and putting him in an elbow pick-and-roll with Bacot, who was there to crash if Wade had missed. Still, he shows great burst, strength and body control in the finish, and it’s the type of play he’ll have to make as a go-to perimeter guy for the Titans all season.
Best Offensive Performer | Armando Bacot | TES ’19
As mentioned before, Bacot wasn’t super efficient shooting just 8-for-24 from the field, however his presence in the paint was one of the main reasons they won the game. Trinity dominated inside, outscoring Benedictine 38-20 in the paint and 26-10 in second chance points. They had 22 offensive rebounds, 11 of which were by Bacot, and the number of tip-ins and plays he kept alive were big for them. He was also 8-for-10 from the free throw line.
Best Defensive Performer | Jason Wade | TES ‘18
People think of the Trinity transfer as a big time scorer because of his production at Hanover, however one of the best aspects of his game is his defensive intensity and intelligence. Because of his size and athleticism, Wade can guard smaller point guards and bully them, or help on bigger players on the wing or even in the post as well. He has great instincts defensively too, and he finished with four steals last night.
Best Guy off the Bench | John Sally | Benedictine ’17
The time between the Benedictine big men was split three ways, but when Sally was in the game he produced for the Cadets. The available 6’11” big finished with six points, four rebounds and a block in 11 minutes of play, and he made all three of his shots from the floor. He showed two solid back to the basket moves, and he had the other bucket on an offensive rebound. He’s played well this season, so maybe he’ll see more minutes as the season goes on.
Best Intangibles | Justin Brown | Benedictine ’18
Brown stands all but 5’5” on the floor, but refuses to back down from anyone. He has a lightning quick first step and explosive leaping ability, and he has no problem going right into the trees to draw a foul or create space to finish. He showed a lot of heart and toughness, playing 27 minutes and finishing with 9 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds.
Best Under the Radar Performer | Justin Henry | Benedictine ’17
Henry has been the top performer in the tournament so far, bar none. In their triple overtime win over Hopewell in the first round, Henry finished with 35 points. Last night, Henry came out on fire scoring seven points in the first quarter and finishing with 18 points, the night after playing three overtimes. He was lights out from deep, finishing 4-for-7 from deep, and he hit shots whenever it was needed for Benedictine.
Best Underclassman | Henry Coleman | Benedictine ’20
This would have gone to Bacot if he hadn’t got MVP, but Coleman has showed a lot of promise early, and it’s only going to get better. A talented and athletic combo forward, Coleman plays aggressive and hard on both ends of the floor, and it makes him effective in spurts especially when they need energy. He finished with 7 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists.
Best Story to Watch Moving Forward
This game had a lot on the line with the birth in the championship, and while Benedictine has to be disappointed that they came so close and fell short, they have to be encouraged about the way they have played in these last two games. The Cadets have gotten off to a slow start, entering the tournament at 1-4. When it came down to overtime, double overtime, triple overtime against Hopewell, Benedictine could have easily folded up and called it another loss, but they showed tremendous fight to pull it out late in triple overtime. To then turn around the next night and play a long time rival and undefeated Trinity Episcopal with so much on the line, who could blame them if they came out flat? They didn’t. They fought and played for each other, everyone contributed and they competed with heart from tip to buzzer. Has to be encouraging for Cadets nation moving forward.
Best Aspect of the Environment | Student Sections
Two of the most prestigious academic schools in the city of Richmond also have two of the most passionate fan bases as well. Benedictine is known for their student section and choreographed chants that are so precise they could only come from a military school. Trinity, one of the bigger private schools in terms of enrollment, came out in droves to Clover Hill to support their team, and the battles lasted all game not just between the teams, but between the student bodies as well. It’s always nice to see school spirit, especially on a Saturday night before Christmas break.