10 Best: Hillsboro vs Festus
Prep Hoops took a short drive down I-55 and was in the house Saturday night for a highly anticipated Class 4 District 3 match-up between two red hot teams in Hillsboro (19-4) and Festus (15-7). A standing room only crowd…
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Continue ReadingPrep Hoops took a short drive down I-55 and was in the house Saturday night for a highly anticipated Class 4 District 3 match-up between two red hot teams in Hillsboro (19-4) and Festus (15-7). A standing room only crowd was treated to an exciting, back and forth contest that featured numerous ties and lead changes. In the end, it was Hillsboro who pulled away late for an impressive 52-45 road win, extending their winning streak to 11 games. Here is our “10 Best” from last night:
Teddy Bear Toss:
There was more than one competition last night between Festus and Hillsboro. The two schools competed for cause Saturday night in the “Teddy Bear Toss” event. Free admission was awarded to anyone who brought a teddy bear to the game with donations being split amongst fans from both schools. Every bear will be donated to Children’s Hospital and is certain to brighten the day of many. The final count was 294 teddy bears collected. Festus fans donated 163, and Hillsboro donated a still impressive 131. Kudos to both schools for participating in a great event for a great cause.
Hall of Fame Induction for Kevin Kinder:
Prior to the game, Festus held a touching ceremony for Kevin Kinder, inducting him into the school’s Hall of Fame. Mr. Kinder was a former middle school math teacher who passed away last May at the age of 61. He was a beloved member of the Festus community that served his country and touched many lives throughout the years. He was known as a kind, warm, genuine, and motivating presence throughout the area that had the unique ability to bring the best out of those around him. His family was on hand and accepted the award on his behalf.
Electric Atmosphere:
It was a standing room only crowd at Festus for this highly anticipated match-up, with both schools fans well represented in the stands. It added more energy to an already competitive game. Both student sections were creative, entertaining, and it made for a top notch high school basketball experience.
MVP: 6’5 Sr Michael Brewer – Hillsboro
One of the top scorers in the St. Louis Metro area, Michael impressed us with his versatility and complete game Saturday night. He is at his best around the rim, but can get there in multiple ways. He is a post-up threat, that has a nice array of moves and can uses his strength well on the block. He makes a living off curling screens, catching deep, and scoring at the cup. He is also underrated as a ball-handler. Several times, he led the break or took his man off the dribble from the perimeter. He is very active on the defensive end as well, where he was responsible for several deflections and two very impressive blocks on corner three point attempts by Festus. He finished with 15 points and stuffed the stat sheet in the Hawks’ win.
Best Offensive Performance: 6’4 Sr Savez Thomas – Festus
Hillsboro opened up a 9 point half-time lead, had the momentum, and the feel in the gym was that they were going to pull away and cruise to a win. Savez Thomas was having none of that. He sparked the Tigers rally scoring the first 8 points of the 3rd quarter and every time his team needed a bucket it seemed like he delivered. The lefty started his scoring with a short corner jumper, but then he imposed his will closer to the basket. Against a Hillsboro zone that was tough to crack, he opened things up by catching inside the arc and attacking the rim.
Paint Patrol: 6’7 Jr Evan Worley – Hillsboro
It was when Evan and Ethan Worley transferred from Windsor mid-way through the season that the Hawks really started to soar. Evan was huge for Hillsboro last night. His long, thin frame lends some to believe that he is a finesse player, but he played strong and physical against Festus. He took contact and finished several right hand jump hooks off the glass, mixed it up on the boards, and had some impressive blocks at the rim. He finished with 14 points (7-7 FG) and 6 boards on the night.
6th Man Award: 5’11 Sr Aquille Mohammed – Festus
Festus struggled to find buckets at times against a stingy Hillsboro defense. Aquille came off the bench and provided a huge spark for the Tigers. He buried a tough mid-range to stop a Hillsboro run in the 2nd quarter, drilled a huge corner three during the big comeback, and followed up his own miss with a put back in transition to cap things off.
Hustle Award: 6’1 So Collin Reando – Festus
The sophomore guard was fearless against Hillsboro. He was aggressive in the passing lanes coming up with a big steal followed by a put back finish in transition. He beat the defense down the floor for a lay-up in the closing seconds of the 3rd quarter giving his team their first lead since very early in the game. He finished a tough AND-1 at the basket in the 4th quarter, and he took two big charges.
In the Zone: Hillsboro “D”:
Hillsboro’s defense was impressive. In the half-court they showed a stifling zone. Their length inside and pesky guards frustrated Festus at times and proved to be tough to get open looks against. They did a great job of shutting down Kobe Branscomb and limited quality shots. Nothing was easy for Festus and that type of defensive effort is what wins games in the postseason.
Play of the Game:
Festus carried all of the momentum headed into the 4th quarter after their emotional comeback, but Hillsboro’s Evan Worley turned the tide with a tremendous play early in the final frame. He came up with a big block on a Festus drive, sprinted the floor in transition, rebounded a miss, and put it back in to give the Hawks a lead that they would never relinquish.