10 Best: Sarasota Riverview at Venice
Riverview did everything and more on Wednesday night to beat Venice soundly, 81-56.
The visiting Rams were led by junior guard Tyrus Jackson and his game-high 23 points. Sophomore forward Malachi Wideman flashed his athleticism with a trio of dunks on his way to 18 points. For Venice, senior forward Trent Holloway recorded 17 points.
Here are the top 10 performers from the meeting.
MVP: Tyrus Jackson (Riverview)
Jackson has slowly been on the rise over the last year. He took a big step forward on Wednesday night with a brilliant 23 point outing. He sat out most of the fourth quarter with the game in hand for Riverview, but overall the junior went to the basket often for buckets and hit from outside. Jackson is maturing right before our eyes.
Best offensive performance: Trent Holloway (Venice)
Holloway was the most consistent presence for Venice in this game. The senior had a team-best 17 points which included a pair of triples. Holloway is a long athlete who has a calm demeanor to him. His group seemed to be overmatched at times, but he never stopped working. The Indians will work their offense through Holloway.
Best defensive performance: Terrell Jackson (Riverview)
Six points came on the night for Terrell Jackson as he did a lot of dirty work as a core defender for the Rams. Jackson had some bright moments driving in the lane offensively but where he flashed the most was on the other end. The junior is going to be counted on to use his length and slow down opponents a lot.
Best intangibles: Malachi Wideman (Riverview)
Dunks are Wideman’s favorite thing to do. The sophomore is bouncy. He isn’t done growing and when he gets a steal in transition or simply gets up the floor, he is looking to dunk (). Wideman is going to be a highlight reel for the rest of his high school career.
Best catch and shoot guy: Tyrus Jackson (Riverview)
Jackson had a game-high five 3’s. He stretched the floor and paced his offense with ease. Jackson is good at finding open spots from beyond the arc. His favorite area is from either corner and he made Venice pay on catch and shoot situations.
Best under-the-radar performance: Marquel Bryant (Riverview)
Bryant benefits from playing alongside two really sound players in Jackson and Wideman. Bryant had nine points on the night, earning a few sweet passes from his top teammates to make jumpers. He is a good shooter who should be able to be productive all season long.
Best worker: Dylan Gregoire (Venice)
Gregoire only had seven points on the night, but what the senior lacked in offense, he made up for it on defense. He was active in transition and showed a lot of energy. Some of his shots that he scored on, mainly in the first half were impressive lay-ins.
Biggest supplemental player: Matteo Catena (Riverview)
A fellow sophomore who plays alongside Wideman for Nike Team Florida, Catena shined often in this game. The crafty guard had nine points, dishing out some really nice assists and making his shots. Catena has a knack for driving to the basket and outworking his defender.
Best effort: Reese Jackowiak (Venice)
All six of Jackowiak’s points came in the third quarter. His final basket came on a rebound that he followed in on his miss. The senior guard was quiet in the first half, but when he was able to win battles, he hit some tough shots. Venice will need Jackowiak to score in double digits on a nightly basis.
Best aspect of the environment
Not only is the Venice gym basically brand new, it has great lighting and a ton of space on both baselines for fans and media to roam around. The Indians brought in a DJ and he had a really good mix of current and older music. I thought it was a fun environment to be a part of.