Standouts: Times Dispatch Invitational Tournament (Part 2)
The annual Richmond Times Dispatch Invitational Tournament took place from Friday through Tuesday, with eight of the best guys and girls teams in the Richmond area going at it, giving us some great basketball over the last week before the Christmas break. Trinity Episcopal defended their championship, but we learned a lot and there were a lot of big time performances from multiple players. Here’s part two of the standouts, featuring eight players from four different teams.
- Marcus Holman | 6’2” CG | Life Christian Academy
Despite an overtime loss to Varina in the first round, Holman started the tournament off with a bang for LCA as he scored 30 points and pulled in six rebounds on the road at Varina. The 6’2” combo guard showed his ability to score it from all over the court, hitting four three pointers, finishing through traffic at the rim and hitting some midrange pull ups as well. He continued his consistent scoring throughout the event, including a 19 point outing in their only win over the tournament against James River.
- Marchelus Avery | 6’6” F | Life Christian Academy
“Chi Chi,” as he’s known by teammates and coaches, was an absolute workhorse for LCA and is putting himself on the map as one of the best sophomores in the Richmond area. The 6’6” forward is versatile, as he can play inside and out, and he’s a monster on the glass on both ends of the floor. He plays well above the rim, using his length and athleticism to give us some of the best highlight finishes of the event, and his high level of production made him stand out even more. He finished with 24 points and 16 rebounds in the close loss to Varina, and had 23 points to help them beat James River on Tuesday.
- Jalen Jordan | 6’4” PF | James River
Jordan has been solid throughout the year for JR, and the junior power forward showed his high motor and skill set on Tuesday with 17 points in a loss to Life Christian Academy. Playing without their top scorer due to injury, Jordan stepped up and was the go-to guy in the post. He showed the ability to score with his back to the basket and in face up situations, and he showed a lot of energy on the glass on both ends of the floor. His ability to play and score in multiple ways from 18 feet and in makes him a tough guard at the high school level.
- Jaleel Lane | 6’0” PG | James River
With starting point guard Loginn Norton out due to an injury, Lane stepped in and did a lot of good things for the Rapids in the tournament. In their last game, the lightning quick senior showed the ability to get in the paint off the bounce and make plays for himself and others, all while also putting pressure on the basketball defensively. He finished with 16 points in their loss to Life Christian, and stepped up in his time to shine showing that he may be a sleeper guard in the Richmond area for coaches to keep an eye on.
- Ikechi Chantilou | 6’3” WG | George Wythe
Chantilou continues to look impressive in his sophomore campaign for George With. After losing in their first round matchup to Highland Springs, the 6’3” wing was a big reason they were able to bounce back with wins over Life Christian and Manchester in the next two rounds of the tournament. In their win over Manchester, Chantilou showed his incredible feel as a scorer and his ability to get downhill and finish through traffic. He also showed good instincts as a playmaker defensively, jumping passing lanes and protecting the rim in help side and transition situations. He finished with an impressive 23 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks on the game.
- Jarec Brown | 6’3 WF | George Wythe
If there’s anyone that got robbed from the All Tournament team, it was probably Brown. The senior wing does a little bit of everything for Wythe, and in their win over Manchester he showed that yet again. He finished with 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists, and showed that he can be equally effective in the half court and in transition. The lanky wing knows how to use his length on the glass and when attacking the paint, and he’ll be the key to George Wythe if they’re going to make a run this year.
- Collin Harding | 6’2” WG | Manchester
Harding can flat out score the basketball, and despite just an OK shooting night he did so in their final game against Wythe, scoring 18 points and making plays for others when his shot wasn’t falling. He’s a quick twitch player with good end-to-end speed, and he can really shoot it from deep when he gets it going. The junior showed good vision with the ball in his hands, dishing out seven assists, and he rebounded well defensively which allowed him to start the break and make plays for others. A two sport star, he’s truly a high level athlete that should be a division one recruit in both sports.
- Connor Kannon | 6’3” WF | Manchester
The knock down shooter from deep, Kannon had a big game in Manchester’s loss to George Wythe, showing that he’s much more than just a shooter. The 6’3” wing showed great vision and feel, and a high IQ by making plays for himself and for others. He finished with 19 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, shooting 7-for-11 from the field and 3-for-7 from deep. His all around game and production level was big for Manchester, and will help them compete in Region B of Class 6 moving forward.