Prep Hoops 10 best: Bloom vs. St. Viator
Bloom held off St. Viator’s late charge in the best game of the When Sides Collide Shootout on Saturday. The Trojans earned a 65-60 win over the Lions with both teams missing a key player. Bloom was without Keshawn Williams…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingBloom held off St. Viator’s late charge in the best game of the When Sides Collide Shootout on Saturday.
The Trojans earned a 65-60 win over the Lions with both teams missing a key player. Bloom was without Keshawn Williams while St. Viator was missing Treyvon Calvin.
Bloom used a 15-4 run in the third quarter to pull ahead 55-45 with 12:33 left, but the Trojans couldn’t pull ahead any farther. St. Viator cut the lead to 63-60 with 43.8 left before Bloom closed the game out.
Here are the 10 best from Saturday’s game.
Game Thread
Next up at the When Sides Collide Shootout is a meeting between @stviatorbball and @bloom_athletics. pic.twitter.com/B7IcmGTuiM
— Aaron Ferguson (@Sports_Aaron) January 26, 2019
1. MVP
Martice Mitchell (Bloom 2020, F, 6-foot-10) – 15 points (5-11/1-2/4-4); 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block
Mitchell was key down the stretch as Bloom held off St. Viator’s run. He knocked down a pair of free throws, hit an open 3-pointer and another free-throw line jumper. He negated the Lions from driving at the rim and secured rebounds on both ends of the court. His consistency throughout the game gave Bloom valuable minutes.
2. Play of the game
In the first quarter, Bloom’s Justin Moore missed a shot in close but it was followed by Dante Maddox Jr., who slammed it home.
3. Best offensive performance
Jeremiah Hernandez (St. Viator 2019, G, 6-foot-3) – 23 points (6-12/2-4/9-10); 5 assists, 3 offensive rebounds
In what was a two-man game with Connor Kochera (2020), Hernandez set up his teammate throughout the contest. He capitalized on offensive rebounding opportunities and was efficient from every area of the floor.
4. Best defensive performance
Dante Maddox Jr., (Bloom 2020, G, 6-foot-3) – 2 steals, 4 defensive rebounds
Maddox showed good anticipation of passes to get in the passing lanes and create transition offense. Securing possessions with his defensive rebounding and ball-handling abilities allowed Bloom to get out in transition.
5. Best guy off the bench
Emani Burgess (Bloom 2019, F, 6-foot-5) – 12 points (6-8/0-0/0-1); 4 rebounds, 2 assists
Burgess was the leader in Bloom getting separation from St. Viator. The senior forward scored all 12 of his points and had both assists in the second half. His efficiency was big and he overcame a slow start in his first game back from injury.
6. Best intangibles
Michael Campagna (St. Viator 2020, G, 6-foot-1)
Campagna was key at moving the ball within St. Viator’s offense. He was the third of a three-headed attack for the Lions and mixed moving the ball in the first quarter with all of his scoring in the final 24 minutes. He made smart passes and did the little things that make a difference.
7. Best under-the-radar performance
Justin Moore (Bloom 2020, G, 6-foot-2) – 9 points (3-6/3-5/0-0); 3 rebounds, 1 assist
It gets lost in the shuffle of how well Moore played, but he was the one that spaced the floor in the second half. Donovan Newby was the shooter that St. Viator focused on in the second half, leaving Moore extra space to shoot.
8. Best underclassman
Connor Kochera (St. Viator 2020, G, 6-foot-3) – 25 points (12-20/1-8/0-1); 5 rebounds, 1 assist
In a game with only juniors and senior, Kochera scored a game-high 25 points. He was great moving without the ball to get himself easy looks around the rim. He had good driving ability as well. He was a remarkable 11-for-12 inside the 3-point arc.
9. Best shooter
Donovan Newby (Bloom 2020, G, 6-foot-3) – 3-for-4 on 3-pointers
Newby’s 3-point shooting was over by halftime but his ability to space the floor opened up driving lanes and extra space for his forwards to operate inside.
10. Best part of the atmosphere
Roughly two dozen Bloom students showed up, including several cheerleaders that weren’t in uniform. The Trojans fans provided the best atmosphere of the day, constantly bringing energy and cheering. It was a welcome sight to an otherwise dull crowd at Saturday’s shootout.
Lines of the night
Bloom
Martice Mitchell (2020, F, 6-foot-10) – 15 points (5-11/1-2/4-4); 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block
Dante Maddox Jr. (2020, G, 6-foot-3) – 14 points (4-12/1-4/5-5); 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
Donovan Newby (2020, G, 6-foot-3) – 11 points (4-7/3-4/0-0); 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
St. Viator
Jeremiah Hernandez (2019, G, 6-foot-4) – 23 points (6-12/2-4/9-10); 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block
Connor Kochera (2020, G, 6-foot-3) – 25 points (12-20/1-8/0-1); 5 rebounds, 1 assist
Michael Campagna (2020, G, 6-foot-1) – 12 points (3-7/2-5/4-4); 2 assists, 1 steal