10 Best: Paul VI vs Gonzaga
On Friday night I went to Gonzaga High School as they hosted Paul VI in a WCAC showdown. Paul VI continued to stay unbeaten in WCAC play after they defeated the Eagles 58-51. This win will allow Paul VI to have at least a share of the WCAC title while the loss drops Gonzaga to 11-2 in conference play, they are still in second place. Here are the 10 best from the game!
MVP: 2019 Anthony Harris (Paul VI)
Anthony really stepped up on the offensive side of the ball Friday night and with his leadership. Paul VI will be out with 2018 Villanova commit Brandon Slater for quite some time if not the whole season with a broken hand and Harris definitely took over the leadership role with Slater being sidelined. Harris finished with 19 points and did it in a variety of ways. However, what stood out the most was ability to go downhill and attacking the basket. He was pretty much unstoppable driving to the basket and got a ton of his points around the rim.
Plays Of The Game: Free throws sealed the victory for Paul VI
2020 Jeremy Roach made six free throws in the final minute to complete the season sweep over Gonzaga for Paul VI. Gonzaga was sticking around a little bit at the end but it was 6 straight clutch free throws for Jeremy Roach and Paul VI that sealed the victory.
Best Offensive Performance: 2019 Anthony Harris (Paul VI)
This one was tough as I could have gone with two guys but I am going to give it to Anthony Harris. There was simply nobody able to stop him on Gonzaga. His 19 points were very impressive and stood out throughout the game. Harris keeps on showing why multiple high major schools are fighting over landing his talents next year.
Best Defensive Performance: 2019 Josh Oduro (Paul VI)
Coming off his first two offers from Towson and Lafayette, Oduro had a huge impact on the defensive side of the ball. He had 4 blocks and really played a factor on shutting down Gonzaga in the paint around the rim. He held 2020 Terrance Williams to only 8 points and made hemlock uncomfortable all night. Williams plays a huge factor for Gonzaga but Oduro basically took him out of the game Friday night.
Best Guy Off The Bench: 2019 Xavier Joyner, 2020 Josiah Freeman and 2021 Avery Ford (Paul VI)
These three guys don’t usually see the court in big games but these younger guys stepped in and played huge minutes for Paul VI. Freshman Avery Ford continued to play hard and smart and he made all the right decisions on offense and defense. He hit a huge jumper late in the second half and had all the confidence in the world when shooting it.
Best Intangibles: 2019 Anwar Gill (Gonzaga)
Coming in at 10 in our latest Maryland/DC rankings, Gill had it going from as soon s he got on the court last night. After doing most of his damage in the first half, the underrated junior finished with 6 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists. He had a very nice steal and fast break dunk that gave Gonzaga a lot of momentum in the 1st half. Gill continued to show how versatile of a player he is on both offense and defense.
Best Under The Radar Performance: 2018 Myles Dread (Gonzaga)
2018 Penn State commit Myles Dread had a quiet 9 points last night for Gonzaga. However, whenever he is on the court he makes a big presence and defense’s have to make a gameplay for him. Dread has gone from an ultimate glue guy into a leader for the Eagles.
Best Underclassmen: 2020 Chuck Harris (Gonzaga)
The talented and skilled sophomore finished with 12 points for the Eagles. He finished well in the lane with some impressive floater and hit two triples. He is clearly becoming one of the go to guys for this team as we inch closer to tournament time and does everything he can to help his team win.
Best Rebounder: 2018 Jeremy Robinson (Paul VI)
Robinson was a big factor on the boards from the opening tip last night. He led the game with seven rebounds using his size and strength to haul them in all night long.
Best Crowd I have seen at Gonzaga
This category isn’t one you see a lot but the crowd at Gonzaga last night was something that I have not seen before. As the game had major implications on first place in the WCAC, the crowd did not disappoint. It was standing room only and the most packed I have ever seen at Gonzaga.