10 Best: VHSL Class 5 Championship
It was a tale of two completely different teams in the Class 5 State Championship at the Siegel Center on Wednesday as Maury out of Norfolk took on Freedom out of South Riding in Northern Virginia. Maury was picked by…
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Continue ReadingIt was a tale of two completely different teams in the Class 5 State Championship at the Siegel Center on Wednesday as Maury out of Norfolk took on Freedom out of South Riding in Northern Virginia. Maury was picked by many as a favorite this preseason, and they backed it up coming into the game at 24-3 and the Region A Champions.
Freedom South-Riding was picked by many to be an average team, but they got hot at the right time. They came into the game at 19-11 after upsetting Region C champions Potomac Falls to get to the state championship game.
With Maury being the favorite to win it, many were picking them to blowout Freedom and the beginning of the game looked like that might just happen. The Commodores got out to a fast start, and were ahead 18-6 at the end of the first quarter. Freedom settled in in the second quarter and were able to cut the deficit to single digits, heading into halftime down 28-20.
Freedom made a run in the beginning of the third quarter behind their defense, going on a 6-0 run to pull it to 30-26. However after a Maury timeout, the Commodores came back out with focus and intensity, and ended the quarter on a 16-4 run to head into the final period up 46-30. Freedom showed no quit in the second half, cutting the lead to single digits multiple times, but Maury was able to answer with a run of their own each time and were able to hang on 57-49 for their seventh state title in school history!
Take a look at a more in depth breakdown in our signature Top 10 format!
MVP: Clarence Rupert | Maury 2020
One thing it looked like Freedom would be okay with was matching up with the size in the post, but Maury’s Clarence Rupert dominated from the beginning to the end in the paint. The 6’6” post was efficient on the block, played hard and tough on both ends and was super effective on the offensive end without a lot of plays being called for him. He was simply the difference maker. More on his terrific performance in the biggest game of his career below.
Play of the Game
With Maury pulling away in the third quarter, senior point guard Chase Coleman linked up with Rupert for an impressive dunk that sent the crowd into a frenzy. Rupert had missed one before, so he made sure he got up higher than he needed to, and he threw one down with authority. The pass from Coleman was impressive as well, a little no look drop back that made the play that much more fun to watch.
Best Offensive Performer: Clarence Rupert | Maury 2020
Rupert wasn’t necessarily the go-to guy because he got a lot of his points on hustle plays, put backs and just moving without the ball, so they didn’t have to call many plays for him. With that being said, he still dominated on the offensive end. He was 9-for-16 from the field showing good touch with both hands around the rim and a midrange game, and almost half of his 12 rebounds came on the offensive end. He asserted himself from the beginning and was the best player on the floor the whole game.
Best Defensive Performer: Chase Coleman | Maury 2019
The undisputed emotional leader of this group, Coleman didn’t shoot the ball particularly well but he did everything else at the point guard position to help his team win. He dished out four assists, he was a great leader and general on the floor and he left it all out there, especially on the defensive end. Coleman’s on ball pressure and ability to see the play before it happens makes him a great defender at the point guard position, and his instincts led to him having a game high four steals.
Best Guy off Bench: Madden Moore | Freedom 2020
All season, Moore gave Freedom something most teams didn’t have, which was legit size off the bench. The junior big man came in and was assertive, physical and played hard on both ends of the floor. He didn’t force things but he took advantage of his opportunities, going 3-for-4 from the floor and finishing with 6 points and 6 rebounds.
Best Intangibles: Kyle Skinner | Freedom 2019
The longer the game went on the more that I started to like Skinner. He didn’t exactly pass the eye test at about 5’9”, 150 or so pounds, but he played with heart and didn’t back down against one of the best backcourts in the state. He attacked the rim hard, hit some shots from outside and played a tough nosed style you had to like. He finished with 12 points and 3 rebounds.
Best Under-the-Radar Performer: Matt Mensia | Maury 2019
All year everyone has talked about Mensia being the x-factor, and he showed that in the championship win with some stellar play and a couple of big time plays as well. With Freedom making their run in the third, Mensia got a big block on the defensive end, than ran the floor to hit a big time three from the wing to cap a 12-3 run. He plays all over the floor for them, he never complains about touches and always plays hard. He finished with 10 points, 5 rebounds and a ring.
Best Downhill Guard: Bryan Phillips | Maury 2019
Phillips size and ball skills makes him perfect to attack the basket and get into the teeth of the defense, and he did a great job of that throughout the game. The senior was in attack mode and lived in the paint, and there was no one on Freedom that could really keep him in front. He finished with 15 points and 5 rebounds.
Best Glue Guy: Lance Johnson | Freedom 2020
Johnson didn’t score the ball at a high clip or anything, but he did work in the paint on both ends and used his 6’6” size to his advantage. He only had two field goals but he showed good touch and a solid post base, and he banged in there finishing with 9 rebounds and 4 blocks. He’ll be someone to keep an eye out for moving forward this summer.
Best Storyline: The Drought is Over
How long do you believe the VHSL has been around for? The first VHSL state championship was played in 1915, won by Lane-Charlottesville if anyone was wondering. Maury, which was established in 1911, and was one of the first basketball powerhouses winning state championships in 1921,1923,1924,1925, 1926 and 1927, and lost in the 1922 championship game, their only non title in the 7 year span. After that, MAURY HAD NOT WON A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SINCE! What’s crazy is that the Commodores have had great success in the past. Under legendary Head Coach Jack Baker’s 41 year tenure, Maury was 746-264 and made 8 trips to the state playoffs, but were never able to come away with a state championship. However, the drought is over now in Brandon Plummer’s second season, and there may not be another program more deserving of this championship than the Commodores.