Prep Hoops 10 Best: Bishop O’Connell vs. Gonzaga
In a big WCAC rivalry, this game showed why the conference in the DMV is often considered the best high school basketball conference in the country. A matchup between two perennial powerhouse teams in Gonzaga of Washington DC and Bishop…
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Continue ReadingIn a big WCAC rivalry, this game showed why the conference in the DMV is often considered the best high school basketball conference in the country. A matchup between two perennial powerhouse teams in Gonzaga of Washington DC and Bishop O’Connell of Arlington went down to the wire, and featured five players who have already committed to division one schools and countless others who have multiple offers. The Knights of O’Connell jumped out to an early lead behind the play of junior point guard Xavier Johnson, who’s steal and layup to beat the buzzer gave them a two point lead going into halftime. However, Gonzaga came out firing in the second half behind the play of Miami commit Chris Lykes and Penn State commit Myles Dread who were both clutch down the stretch. Gonzaga held on to win a close one 73-67 to get a big road win in conference.
MVP | Myles Dread | Gonzaga ’18
Dread quietly impacted the game more than anyone else on the Eagles’ team, especially in the second half when they made their comeback for the victory. The 6’5” Penn State commit made play-after-play for Gonzaga, and was a catalyst for them as he set others up from the high post and made a number of shots down the stretch. He finished with 23 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, with 16 of his points coming in the second half.
Play of the Game
With just under five minutes left in a tight ball game, Miami commit Chris Lykes was in the midst of taking over how we’ve become accustomed to seeing. The 5’7” guard caught an outlet off a rebound, raced past everyone in transition, floated through the air where he got fouled, was parallel to the ground and still finished the And-1. The play not only gave Gonzaga a six point lead, it showed off his unreal athleticism and ability to finish plays that makes him such a high level prospect despite his size.
Best Offensive Performer | Xavier Johnson | Bishop O’Connell ’18
With two of the most talented teams in the WCAC, it’s tough to make such a broad statement, but Johnson was without doubt the best player on the floor Tuesday night. Throughout the game, the 6’2” lead guard controlled tempo, showed great resilience and never backed down from what many consider the best guard, if not the best player, in the WCAC in Chris Lykes. Johnson’s ability to get in the lane and finish plays in the midrange, along with make plays for others, was key for O’Connell, and had his teammates finished a couple of plays we could be talking about his big performance in a win. Regardless, his 32 points, 8 rebounds and six assists are indicative of his takeover ability at the point guard spot.
Best Defensive Performer | Chris Lykes | Gonzaga ’17
What made the Johnson-Lykes matchup so great was that they aren’t just two great offensive point guards, they’re both dogs defensively. It also puts in perspective how great Johnson’s performance was. While he dictated the game, Lykes made him work for every point that he got, and he never stopped pressuring the ball. The 5’7″ pesky guard got under whoever he guarded and got after them, frustrating his opponents and getting under their skin. Johnson easily could have won this as well, as it was a fun battle to watch all night.
Best Intangibles | Prentiss Hubb | Gonzaga ‘18
Hubb got off to a slow start for the Eagles, scoring just two points in the first half, but he came through with big plays when they needed him to. A point guard by trait, he showed great instincts as he moved off the ball to allow Lykes and Dread to play with the ball in their hands. He made a number of good cuts back door, and found a way to get easy ones when he needed to. He finished with 12 points, six assists and four rebounds in the game.
Best Guy off the Bench | Terrance Williams | Gonzaga ’20
The freshman forward has shown a ton of promise early, and his play off the bench in the first half was a big reason that the Eagles were able to stay in it early. With Lykes as the only scorer in the double digits in the first half, Williams made some big plays to end the first half to keep them without striking distance. He scored the last six points of the half for them to close the deficit, and provided toughness in the paint throughout the game.
Best Underclassman | Jay Heath | Bishop O’Connell ’19
You could easily flip flop Williams and Heath, as they were both the best players off the bench for the two teams and the underclassmen who showed the most promise moving forward. Heath finished with 10 points and three rebounds, showing deep range and the ability to play both on and off the ball offensively. He has a great frame for his age, and has the toughness that you’d expect from a young guard in the WCAC. He’ll be a name you hear more of moving forward.
Best Under-the-Radar Performance | Eddie Scott | Gonzaga ‘17
The Penn commit didn’t end with the best stat line, but he came up with multiple big shots down the stretch for Gonzaga. The 6’6″ tweener forward showed great poise, keeping his teammates focused on the task at hand, and did a good job freeing up Lykes by setting good screens. He may have finished with eight points and six rebounds, but his impact was much bigger than that.
Best Rebounder | Nate Watson | Bishop O’Connell ’17
When using the phrase “man among boys,” Watson is the perfect cliche for the saying. The Providence commit showed a ridiculously high motor and loves physical play, as he beat the Eagles up in the paint to the tune of 17 points and 15 rebounds. The 6’8″ big man exploited Gonzaga’s lack of size inside, and showed why he’s considered one of the top big men in the WCAC.
Best Aspect of the Environment | WCAC Passion
Not only is the WCAC considered one of the most talented conferences in the country, but also one of the most historic and passionate ones as well. The atmosphere is not like that of a normal high school game. The tradition, the alumni, the talent level, even the use of the shot clock gives it the feel of a college level game in a high school sized gymnasium. As someone who just started attending WCAC games, it has opened my eyes to how good and serious the basketball in the DMV can get.