5 Takeaways from #2 Miller School vs. #3 Trinity Episcopal
It was the first game back after the holiday season for both of these private school contenders, and it didn’t disappoint from tip to buzzer. Miller School traveled down from outside of Charlottesville to play at Trinity Episcopal in Richmond, with the teams being ranked at the #2 and #3 spots in the Vantage Hoops Top 30 Power Poll, respectively.
Both teams got out to a hot start, and things were close as both teams got after it. ODU commit Jason Wade of Trinity hit a 25 footer at the buzzer to end the first quarter all tied at 18 a piece. Trinity rode that momentum into the second quarter, and ended the half on a 7-0 run to take a 39-31 lead into halftime, behind 15 points from sophomore Henry Coleman.
Miller did not back down however, and came out of the gates hot on a 9-2 run to cut the deficit to one, but it wouldn’t last. Behind their home crowd and their two leaders of Wade and junior Armando Bacot, the Titans turned it up and got the lead back to seven points by the end of the third quarter. Trinity used their length, and absolutely killed Miller on the glass out rebounding them 41-28 to negate a turnover difference of 9-6 in Miller’s favor. In the end, Trinity was just too much on their home floor and Trinity was able to hold on for a 76-66 victory.
Here’s five takeaways from the matchup of private school powerhouses.
“Big 3” 2.0 Gelling Well for TES
Armando Bacot (top), Henry Coleman (bot left), Jason Wade (bot right)Last year, Trinity Episcopal rode the backs of their “Big 3″ to a state championship. At the time, those three were senior Zach Jacobs, junior Jason Wade and sophomore Armando Bacot. With Jacobs now at JMU, the other two returned with more experience, but they needed someone to step in and take on the responsibilities of their forward spot.
In steps sophomore Henry Coleman, who transferred to Trinity before school started from Benedictine where he started many games as a freshman. The 6’6” Coleman has fit in well with the Titans, as his size and athleticism are much like Jacobs’, which has allowed him to transition seamlessly into their high octane system.
What seems to be the best part of this “Big 3” scenario is they step up for each other and all get it done when their number is called. Coleman had a big first half, scoring 15 of his 18 points before the break and shooting a perfect 5-for-5 from the field and almost perfect 5-for-6 from the line. While this was happening, Wade and the other guards were sure to feed him the rock in ways that made him effective.
In the second half after Miller made adjustments, it was the ODU commit and captain’s turn to step up and he did so admirably. With Miller fighting their way back in he third, Wade stepped up as a scorer and a distributor, scoring 11 of his 25 points in the third quarter. He’s the “do it all” kind of guy, as he also finished with eight rebounds and seven assists.
We’ll get to Bacot, who was a monster inside throughout the game.
DeShaun Wade Makes Miller Go
Wade, who’s currently committed to ECU but it’s unclear what he’ll do with them changing coaching staffs, had a great year last year for Miller and seems to be continuing on a path of improvement. The 6’3″ lead guard has slimmed down, knocked down shots with regularity and has been described by Head Coach Danny Manuel as “The guy that makes us go.”
Wade finished with 21 points, and while he seemed to struggle with fatigue a little late in the game with fatigue, his ability to make shots and make plays for others was essential in keeping the Mavericks in the game. He finished with 21 points, opening the game by shooting 4-for-6 from deep and showing that he can create and make his own shots from deep. He used his size to finish in the lane, and also was able to see over smaller guards and make plays for others.
Expect him to play a big role on Miller if they’re going to make a run in the state playoffs this season.
Bacot Looks Unstoppable at this Level
A top 30 player in the country in most national rankings, Bacot has quieted many doubters both in Virginia and across the country, and at the high school level you really see how dominate he can be. The 6’10” big man owned the paint against Miller, posting an impressive double-double of 25 points and 22 rebounds. He was all over the glass from the beginning, with eight rebounds in the first quarter. He has tremendous footwork, plays through contact and only gets better the more chippy the game gets.
While there are some teams that are as talented as TES in the state, there isn’t really anyone that can stop Bacot in the paint when he turns it on. He can score inside and out, rebounds and protects the rim with ferocity and is a capable and willing passer that makes his teammates better. He’s the best player in private school basketball and will be hard for anyone to matchup with.
Hyatt is More Than Just a Shooter
Aundre Hyatt, the high touted 6’6″ junior for Miller, is known for his ability to shoot it with range at his size. While he didn’t shoot it well against Trinity, scoring only 14 points, he showed versatility and the ability to do much more than just be a knock down shooter.
Hyatt played the three through the five, with Miller’s big men getting into early foul trouble. He rebounded well, finishing with 8, and he made good decisions for the most part dishing out five assists. Defensively, he’s extremely underrated, as he has good feel and a high IQ, and he makes plays all over the court. He’ll have to knock down shots at a higher rate if Miller is going to make a run, but don’t be fooled into thinking that’s all he does.
Both Teams Have Chances for Jewelry
Trinity is the defending VISAA Division One State Champs, and look to be on a crash course to meet one of the NOVA powerhouses again in the Final Four. Miller School made it to the VISAA Division Two State Championship Game before losing to conference foe Blue Ridge, and return their entire core and have added some important pieces. Here’s a couple of things each team needs to do to ensure they’ll be fitted for rings come March.
Trinity
- Last season, the “Big 3” were the main reason they won, but they had a plethora of role players that stepped up and did little things, especially make shots from deep. The Titans have the size and athleticism to beat anyone, but their achilles heal is making shots from deep. They’ll need role players like Burke Smith, Tink Boyd and Michael Lomax to make shots so teams can’t just zone them and pack it in.
- As much as their shooting woes might hurt them, the Titans don’t have many ball handlers either. They start two senior point guards in Tink Boyd and Jason Wade, but other than that they don’t have many ball handlers. Those two will have to stay out of foul trouble and take care of the basketball moving forward.
Miller
- What’s different from last season is that Miller has some true size in 2019s Tariq Balogun and Ethan Rohan. While Miller’s guards can really score it, it will be important for them to keep those bigs involved so they can gain confidence and continue to do the dirty work.
- Miller is a balanced team with a lot of options offensively, so some can have off nights. However, their guards rely heavily on the three-ball, and it will be important for them to get good shots from deep and move the basketball to keep the defense rotating. When they share the ball, they are a tough team to guard.