Dwyer Shows Grit In University School Upset Bid
In this article:
In the hothouse climate that is Florida high school basketball, the notion of any moral victory is laughable.
Terms such as “near victory” and words such as “almost” or “could have” should be eliminated from a high school basketball player’s vocabulary.
Still, the fact remains. Dwyer gave University School, the no.3 ranked team in the country, a bigger test than similar national powers did. Judging by the heated, dejected, and exasperated response shown by a deflated Dwyer team following the loss, nobody took any enjoyment in the upset bid.
With University School surpisingly coughing up late-game free throws and missing on point blank shots (an irregular performance by a star spangled team), Dwyer had multiple opportunities to close the door.
A team of University School’s make-up, even with top-5 Class of 2020 forward Scottie Barnes shelved, has the tendency to make you pay for turnovers.
And they certainly made Dwyer pay, inducing a pair of errant passes that resulted in costly turnovers and ultimately enabled them to gut out a dizzying 66-62 victory at the Charger Classic.
While the game is a wistful reminder of what could have been, expect Dwyer to use this as motivation. It signifies the fact that they can play with anybody in the country. While they feature no headlines grabbing superstar, they’ve got position to position depth and a skillful offense.
They showed their mettle in withstanding a 17-3 University School spurt in the first half, a power surge that many programs out there would crumble under the weight of.
Eddie Davis
A natural workhorse who prospers with scrappy play and hustle points, Davis doesn’t blow you away with high-flying athleticism or finesse. He’s very much an old school player, a guy who brings consistent scoring and timely buckets under pressure without making that dazzling play. A double digit scorer with a wealth of varsity experience, Davis has exceeded the role player expectations this season.
He scored 25 points during Dwyer’s victory over Deland in the championship of the Gus Gibbs Holiday Classic last month. At 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, Davis brings an interior toughness and a motor that has propelled the area’s no.1 ranked team.
Miles Coleman
Coleman’s 3-point touch and all around scoring in the aforementioned loss to University School was the impetus for a rapid uptick in Division-1 interest for the smooth 6-foot-5, 190-pound guard.
Now a 20+ PPG scorer and the featured scorer on a gritty team, Coleman’s performance on an elevated stage against University School added validity to the “underrated” claims that circulated Palm Beach County prior to the heavily billed matchup.
Beyond his shooting, Coleman has thrived with off the dribble scoring and a knack for freeing up space for his shot and knocking down heavily-contested jumpers.
Following his performance against University School, one which cemented his Division-I potential, Coleman should no longer fly under the radar.
Javonni Quince
Tough, well-built guard showed his mental fortitude in University School game. Quince orchestrated the offense by whipping key passes and putting his teammates in the best position to score the ball. Quince has dazzling finishing ability in the open court and plays with a savvy as a game manager, scorer and sturdy on-ball defender.
Bailey Stephanos
After devoting his summer to becoming stronger and gaining explosiveness, Stephanos showed more of a knack for driving the ball during the marquee matchup against University School. The high-energy 6-foot-3 guard hit a big 3-pointer and had a pivotal, hard take to the rim along the baseline.
Stephanos is flushed into a more prominent role as a supplementary scorer this season.