10 Best: Prince George vs. Varina
It was win or go home at Hermitage High School on Tuesday night for the Class 5 Region B semifinals. It was a double header, the first one between the #4 seed Prince George Royals and the #1 seed and…
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Continue ReadingIt was win or go home at Hermitage High School on Tuesday night for the Class 5 Region B semifinals. It was a double header, the first one between the #4 seed Prince George Royals and the #1 seed and defending state champion Varina Blue Devils.
The game opened with a Varina 10-0 run and after a timeout Prince George settled in and made a run of their own, ending the first quarter trailing 18-12. The second quarter was a little bit of a stalemate, as both of them stepped up the defense and the game started to be called a little closer. Both teams made a few plays with Varina heading into the half up 10, 32-22.
The third quarter is where Varina really started to pull away. They started the quarter on a 20-5 run led by senior Tyrese Jenkins, and they never looked back from there. Varina pulled off the victory 82-58, clinching a spot in the state tournament and a chance to play for the Region B Championship Friday at Hermitage.
Here’s a breakdown of the game in our special Top 10 format.
*Editor’s note: All stats are unofficial and kept by myself throughout the game.
MVP: Tyrese Jenkins | Varina 2019
Last year I talked about how Jenkins goes to another level in big games, and with the playoffs in full swing Jenkins is looking like he’s going to do much of the same this year. The 6’7” forward did a little bit of everything on both ends for Varina, finishing with an impressive stat line of 23 points, 15 rebounds, two assists and two steals. More to come on Jenkins’ performance below.
Best Play
Midway through the second quarter, Jenkins had a rebound pop out to him in the middle of the lane. He took one dribble and went up to dunk it, but Prince George big man Jeff Jackson met him at the rim on the attempt and had an impressive blocked shot against one of the best players in the state.
Best Offensive Performer: Tyrese Jenkins | Varina 2019
Jenkins 23 points were even more impressive when you look at the way he got them. After halftime, Jenkins was the key to the Varina run that separated the game by hitting three three-pointers in a row. He controlled the offensive glass, he shot the ball well from all three levels and made good decisions with the ball as well. He finished shooting 4-for-6 from deep and 9-for-10 from the free throw line.
Best Defensive Performer: Jeff Jackson | Prince George 2019
Jackson was impressive on both ends of the floor as he finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds, but it was the defensive end he has his best flashes. The 6’5” big man showed good timing as a shot blocker finishing with two, and he also altered a number of shots he didn’t block by contesting without fouling.
Best Guy off the Bench: Charles Tart | Varina 2019
Tart is no stranger to getting this recognition, as he’s considered one of the top sixth men in the state who would start almost anywhere else. The 6’4” wing has great length and good bounce, he can finish through traffic and he can guard multiple positions making him very valuable for a team like Varina. He finished with 11 points off the bench.
Best Guy off the Bench 2: Johnny Soto | Prince George 2020
Many people talk about a spark off the bench, and Soto was just that for Prince George. The 6’0” guard showed good quickness, made some shots and showed the ability to spark a run all by himself. He finished with 11 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists in the loss.
Best Intangibles: Jason Nelson | Varina 2021
Nelson is the straw that stirs the drink for the Blue Devils and he showed all of his playmaking ability on Tuesday. He has the ability to read the pick-and-roll, see defensive rotations before they happen and deliver passes on the money. Oh, he’s also a guy who can get a bucket or get to the line when he needs to as well. He finished with 12 points on 5-for-8 shooting from the field and 8 assists.
Best Under-the-Radar Performer: JaJour Lambert | Prince George 2019
Lambert didn’t have the best shooting game, but that can be attributed to Varina’s stellar defense and keeping him out of the lane. However, he still was able to make some shots from deep and in the midrange, and he showed a lot of grit and toughness as he kept coming at defenders throughout the game, along with playing stellar defense as well. He finished with 14 points, 4 assists and 3 steals.
Best Underclassman: AJ Williams | Varina 2021
Williams was one of the top performers for them last year as a freshman in their state title run and he was a big part of their win Tuesday as well. He’s one of the best shooters in the state, and when he gets looks he doesn’t often waste them. He hit three from deep in the win, and was made the right play and helped on the glass as well. He finished with 16 points and four assists in the win.
Best Coaching Strategy: Varina Defense
Head Coach Andrew Lacey isn’t afraid to run some unconventional defenses and switch things up, and he did just that throughout the game. The Blue Devils ran a very good matchup zone for most of the game, but they also through in some regular 2-3, some man and a number of different looks in the press. Despite scoring 82 points, to me their defense was the most impressive part of their play.