5 Key Questions: St. Chris vs. Trinity Episcopal
It was the second day of the TDIT, and the first consolation matchup featured a game we in Richmond are used to seeing as Prep League rivals St. Chris and Trinity Episcopal matched up. While these teams matchup twice…
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Continue ReadingIt was the second day of the TDIT, and the first consolation matchup featured a game we in Richmond are used to seeing as Prep League rivals St. Chris and Trinity Episcopal matched up. While these teams matchup twice a season, both teams look very different from years past. TES is looking at a new backcourt for the first time in two seasons, along with losing one of the top centers in the country in Armando Bacot, and St. Chris has four freshmen in their rotation, more than Head Coach Hamill Jones has ever had.
The game started slow with both coaching staffs knowing each other pretty well. 2020 Henry Coleman, a top 60 prospect in most national rankings, put his stamp on the game early. Coming off of a 38 point, 21 rebound game in a loss to Huguenot, Coleman turned around 18 hours later and dominated again. He made his presence felt late in the first quarter and throughout the second, as he helped Trinity to a 33-18 lead at half with a big run late in the second quarter.
St. Chris could have laid down, but the scrappy bunch picked things up on the fly and started to make some plays. Led by forward Walker Wallace, who did a little bit of everything and finished with 12 points, 9 rebounds and four steals, the young Saints started to settle in and cut down on the mistakes. They cut the deficit all the way to five with just under two minutes left, but the veterans on Trinity in Coleman and senior Tyler Michael stepped up and helped seal the game late.
The Titans won 55-48, and luckily there will be two more matchups of these two teams, and both teams will likely look much different. Here’s a look at some of the stats, and five key questions I found myself asking after this game.
Trinity Episcopal (unofficial): Henry Coleman 25P (6-14 FG, 13-14 FT) 15R; Tyler Michael 9P 5A 4R 4S; James Nelson 6P 3R; Henry Seward 6P; Erik Prosise 3P
St. Chris (unofficial): Walker Wallace 12P 9R 3A 4S; Nigel Green 7P 7R; Keshawn Pulley 7P 6R; Andre Green 6P 4R
How Can Anyone Stop Henry Coleman?
About 18 hours after an impressive 38 point 21 rebound outing in a heartbreaking loss to Huguenot, Coleman turns around and has another dominant double-double performance with 25 points and 15 rebounds. So the question begs to be asked how can you stop Coleman?
It’s easier to answer why you can’t stop him than how you can. Coleman isn’t the best jump shooter or ballhandler, but he is relentless on the offensive glass and when getting downhill to attack the rim. He seems much more comfortable posting up now, but his ability to face up and get at you leaves no choice but to either foul him or let him shoot, and if he misses he’s likely going to be the first guy there for the rebound. Oh and as far as fouling him goes, he was 13-for-14 from the free throw line, 9-for-10 in the second half.
The only way I see to stop him is much easier said than done. While many think going zone against a team like Trinity is good, it makes more sense to man Coleman and try to control him on the glass. The big key is to box him on every shot, but that’s much easier said than done considering how strong, quick and active he is. Good luck to anyone who has to match up with him!
Who is Going to Help Coleman for Trinity?
This is going to continue to be the question moving forward for the Titans. In their game against Huguenot, they had one other guy in double figures, and that was senior Michael Lomax who had 16 points. This was in a barn burner in which Trinity scored 85 points. Against St. Chris it was much more defensive, and while Coleman scored 25 of their 55 points, nobody else scored in double figures, with senior guard Tyler Michael coming the closest with 9 points.
While Lomax and Michael are capable of producing in a number of ways for the Titans, the obvious answer is Burke Smith, the 6’10” stretch four man who’s currently out injured. Still with Burke in there, the Titans still need someone to create shots for both Coleman and Smith, neither of which are isolation kind of guys. They’ll need Lomax, Michael, sophomore Erik Promise and the rest of the group to step up and contribute more as the season goes on.
Will St. Chris Youth Win Out in End?
The crazy thing is that the longer the game went on, the four freshmen for St. Chris almost made more of an impact than the veterans did. They all played hard and together, and they all showed flashes. Andre Green, a combo guard with good size and athleticism, started for them and made some big plays late on the come back. Keshawn Pulley was another guard with good physical attributes who showed he’s an all-out guy on the glass and he can make shots. Nikkos Kovanos is a heady, playmaking guard who also showed toughness after some hard falls, and he took a charge late when they needed it after turning it over.
The pieces are there to build with, but it’s going to take time. This team may not be a super competitor this year, but you better believe that they are going to look like a totally new basketball team in the future.
What Adjustments Worked for St. Chris in the Second Half?
St. Chris made quite a few adjustments on both ends of the floor that worked well against a Trinity team that knows them well. Head Coach Hamill Jones called a timeout midway through the third quarter with his team flustered and out of sorts against the press. He calmly took the board, reiterated to find the middle, but also changed up who took the ball out. The Saints broke the press the next four trips down the floor, getting layups on three, and were much better taking care of the ball.
One of the other things they did was change the way they guarded Coleman in the second half. They switched bodies on him, they doubled him on the catch and they did everything they could as a team to box out and keep him off the glass. There’s only so much you can do, but they did force Coleman into a few tough shots and while he came through, they at least made him earn it at the line.
How Will the Prep League Shakeout this Year?
This one is up for grabs with every thing looking so different than it has in the past. Because it’s still early, teams are still figuring it out, so it isn’t exactly easy to tell how it’s going to shape up. It looks like there may be a new favorite on the block with Collegiate having Northwestern commit Robbie Beran. The Cougars have rung off four straight and will play in the TDIT Championship against Huguenot. Norfolk Academy is a newcomer to the league and they have 6’11” Mark Williams who’s another difference maker. You can’t count out the two who have been there before in Trinity and St. Chris though, as they have proven time and time again they can compete.