10 Best: Western Branch vs. Oscar Smith
It’s always the game of the week when these two Chesapeake rivals meet, but in the past three games this rivalry has gone to another level. Each of the games have been competitive, and with the success of the two…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingIt’s always the game of the week when these two Chesapeake rivals meet, but in the past three games this rivalry has gone to another level. Each of the games have been competitive, and with the success of the two teams recently it has had major impacts on the district, region and state standings.
This year was no different, as Smith came in at 11-1 and traveled to Branch who was 9-1, with their only loss coming on a buzzer beater at Smith in their first meeting. The game got out to a fast start, especially for Smith who pressed early and pushed the tempo on the offensive end. The Tigers got out to an early lead, going up 6 at the end of the first, but the Bruins battled back behind their veteran leader Kendall Bynum and the student section. Smith went into halftime up 31-27.
The third quarter was a little bit of a stall for both teams, but the eventual stars in Oscar Smith senior Briquan Harrell and Western Branch senior Demarcus Sheppard both started to step up. They took over the game in the second half, and both battled back and forth with each other as the teams took and gave punches as well. The Bruins spoiled some key opportunities throughout the game, and Oscar Smith was able to pull away victorious 71-62. The Tigers move to 12-1 on the season while Western Branch fell to 9-2, but believe that these two teams will both be a factor in Class 6 Region A and in the state tournament as well.
Here’s a little more of what we saw in a great basketball game.
MVP: Briquan Harrell | Oscar Smith 2019
Harrell did a lot on both ends of the floor, and we’ll talk about his 26 points and how big they were, but he stepped up and led the entire team, doing a little bit of everything for the team. He finished the game with 26 points, 15 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks, doing much of it in the second half. His all out effort and play down the stretch was the main reason the Tigers were able to keep the lead and win the game.
Best Offensive Performer: Briquan Harrell | Oscar Smith 2019
Harrell’s numbers of 26 and 15 on the offensive end are impressive enough, but it was the fact that he stepped up and took over the second half in the biggest of fashions. He scored 20 of his 26 points in the second half, going 8-for-11 from the field in the second half. He had scoring bursts that extended the lead when his team needed him to and he made his last four shots from the field and hit two free throws to seal the game. The two sport star stepped up in a huge way against his former school.
Best Defensive Performer: Kai Lockhart | Oscar Smith 2019
Lockhart actually looked like he was going to be the guy that was going to have a big offensive game, as he scored 10 points in the first quarter going 5-for-5 from the field. He battled with foul trouble, but that was because he was guarding the best players on the floor and was all over the place in the press. He didn’t score any points after the first quarter, but he did have three steals and played hard on both ends of the floor.
Best Guy off the Bench: Karl Chavis | Oscar Smith 2020
Smith Head Coach Lavar Griffin told me Chavis was arguably their best player the past three or so games, and while he didn’t have the best game, finishing with 6 points and 6 rebounds, his size and activity still made an impact. He was on the glass and all over the floor, switching on guards and protecting the rim, and his versatility made the game completely different when he was on the floor.
Best Intangibles: Demarcus Sheppard | Western Branch 2019
Hats off the Sheppard, because the kid was a dog on both ends of the floor. The 6’0” two guard played like the biggest guy on the floor, and from my unofficial stats he finished with 16 points and 18 rebounds on the game. In the second half it seemed like every time there was a shot going up or a loose ball around, Sheppard came up with it. In the second half he had a double-double alone, with 14 of his 16 points and 10 of his 18 rebounds coming after the break.
Best Under-the-Radar Performer: Kendall Bynum | Western Branch 2019
It was a historic night for Bynum, who scored his 1,000 career point and the game was stopped in the second quarter for the affair. The senior leader had a big game as usual, finishing with 15 points, 5 rebounds and four assists. His leadership and poise is something that can’t be put in the stat sheet, and his shot making ability was on full display. He has great footwork off the bounce, allowing him to get to his pull-up and create space to get his shot off.
Best Under-the-Radar Performer 2: Andre Bottoms | Oscar Smith 2019
Bottoms was one of the biggest reasons for Smith coming out victorious, as he was a rock throughout the game on both ends. As the main ball handler, he only turned it over two ties throughout the game, and while he didn’t make a field goal in the second half he was still instrumental in getting them into their stuff and making plays for other people. On the defensive end he set the tone as well, and he looks like he’s starting to turn the corner as a true point. He finished with 15 points and six assists on the game.
Best Versatile Forward: Jaeden Jefferson | Western Branch 2020
While Jefferson didn’t have the best game, he showed some of the versatility that makes him a college level prospect. At 6’5” he has great length, has good footwork on the perimeter on both ends and can switch and guard almost every position on the floor. He can face up and put it on the deck in half court and in transition, he gets to the rim well and can make plays in a number of ways. He finished with 12 points.
Best Glue Guy: Torrey Jordan | Oscar Smith 2020
Jordan really picked it up in the second half, scoring 9 of his 11 points on the game after halftime, and the way he picked it up and didn’t make mistakes down the stretch played a big part in their win. He attacked the rim hard in transition, was smart with the ball and picked his spots well and he hit free throws down the stretch to help secure it.
Best Part of Environment: Student Section
The Bruins student section was phenomenal throughout the game despite trailing almost the whole way. They embraced Bynum during his 1,000 point ceremony, and they made noise throughout the game and no one left early, many hanging out after the game to console their classmates. It was a good example of a hyped student section that lived up to the expectations.