Churchill 72, Willamette 53: Top Performers
Led by a commanding performance from Silas Bennion, the Churchill Lancers smothered Willamette in fairly dominant fashion on Tuesday, 72-53. Isaiah Wallace added to a dominant playmaking backcourt for the Lancers, who led for the final three quarters of play on their way to…
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Continue ReadingLed by a commanding performance from Silas Bennion, the Churchill Lancers smothered Willamette in fairly dominant fashion on Tuesday, 72-53. Isaiah Wallace added to a dominant playmaking backcourt for the Lancers, who led for the final three quarters of play on their way to a statement road win.
Owen Cross poured in 22 for the home team, but it simply wasn’t enough against Churchill’s stifling defense. Points off turnovers and momentous three-pointers continue to be the name of the game for the Lancers, who used their fast tempo and disruptive defense to stretch their third quarter lead in the blink of an eye.
Despite a slow start, Kaelan O’Neil turned it on in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 of his 11 points. As he went into attack mode, O’Neil sliced to the basket for multiple finishes through contact to add to Churchill’s lead down the stretch.
Here’s the top performers from Tuesday:
Silas Bennion (2020 Churchill) – Stats: 21 points, 5 reb, 9 ast, 1 stl
Bennion emerged as a clear leader on his way to a very impressive performance as a court general. The 6-foot junior is a tremendous facilitator, controlling the game flow on offense with crisp passing and smart playmaking. Bennion also did his part scoring wise, dropping in a team-high 21 points that came from all over the floor, including NBA three-point range. Defensively, the point-guard stayed incredibly active and used quick feet to stunt Willamette’s offensive progress time and time again.
Isaiah Wallace (2020 Churchill) – Stats: 12 points, 4 reb, 1 ast
The Lancers can shoot the ball well from deep, and Wallace was no exception on Tuesday. The junior splashed two three-pointers to claim secondary scoring honors for Churchill. Standing at 6-foot-1, Wallace completes one of the state’s most dangerous backcourts. The duo can run and gun with the best, and it all starts on the defensive end.
Kaelan O’Neil (2020 Churchill) – Stats: 11 points, 3 reb, 4 ast
The 6-foot-5 forward spent the first three quarters filling out the stat sheet, claiming a few great passes as his only highlights. In the fourth, however, O’Neil began taking his defenders off the dribble to help put the Wolverines away effectively. The junior has long strides, a good handle, and the ability to hang in the air through contact on finishes near the rim.
Owen Cross (2019 Willamette) – Stats: 22 points, 2 reb, 3 ast
Cross scored his game high 22 points mostly in the second half, when he once again dropped in a pair of threes off the dribble. Cross is seemingly the only true shot creator for the Wolverines, and his stop-start scoring game is undoubtedly a huge part of their game plan. The 6-foot-3 senior is very crafty off the dribble, and despite lacking quickness, he seems to make enough space for his quick release jumper fairly easily.