Jefferson 76, Franklin 61: 10 Best
On Tuesday night, Jefferson captured another PIL title with a solid 76-61 win at Franklin. Despite missing star post Nathan Rawlins-Kibonge to an ankle injury for the second consecutive game, head coach Pat Strickland’s team used some tremendous team play…
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Continue ReadingOn Tuesday night, Jefferson captured another PIL title with a solid 76-61 win at Franklin. Despite missing star post Nathan Rawlins-Kibonge to an ankle injury for the second consecutive game, head coach Pat Strickland’s team used some tremendous team play on both ends the first three quarters to end up cruising towards an undefeated run through conference play.
As usual, Jefferson was dominant on the boards, created turnovers on the defensive end, and really executed well in transition. As opposed to others this season, Franklin did not zone Jefferson choosing to go man-to-man all game long, and actually hung around for awhile thanks to a huge game from senior post Tucker Pellicci. The Lightning also made some noise in the fourth quarter with a nice little run but in the end the Demos were too much.
MVPs – Lamar Washington (2022 Jefferson) and Tucker Pellicci (2020 Franklin)
We’ve given out dual MVPs before but this is the first time this season we’re including a guy on the losing team. Washington was the leading scorer in the game with 25 points but he also had an all-around game passing the ball and on defense. Pellicci earns the nod after posting 29 points and 11 rebounds on 12-16 shooting in one of his best games of the season.
Play of the game – Robinson on the Follow
In the fourth quarter, Jefferson point guard streaked to the basket on the break for what seemed like an easy layup. Instead of putting it in, he bounced it high off the backcourt and Demos big man Kam Robinson followed it up with a two-hand slam. Pass – Hall, Dunk – Robinson.
Best offensive performance – Lamar Washington (2022 Jefferson)
Washington has been struggling with his shot as of late but had it on automatic against Franklin, nailing 5-for-7 from three-point range. He was tough going to the basket and also utilized his passing skills effectively, dishing out a team-high six assists while limiting turnovers.
Best defensive performance – Lamar Washington (2022 Jefferson)
Washington has really made a name for himself on the defensive end with his quick hands and anticipation skills. That was no different on Tuesday night as he shadowed whatever Lightning defensive player he was covering. Statistically he ended up with two steals and had a handful of other deflections.
Best guy off the bench – Kamron Robinson (2021 Jefferson)
Jefferson has utilized the 6-foot-9 big man off the bench for most of the year and he’s adjusted to the role well. Truth of the matter is Robinson plays starters minutes. Against Franklin, he came into the game and immediately stuffed the stat sheet and ended up with 16 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks.
Best intangibles – Emmit Renick (2021 Franklin)
Renick came off of the bench and it was clear he wasn’t looking to score. The 6-foot-3 junior focused on setting screens, fighting for rebounds, and playing solid all-around team ball. In the fourth when Franklin made a little run, he surprised almost everyone and ended up getting a couple of his own buckets in the paint.
Best under-the-radar performance – KeShawn Hall (2021 Jefferson)
He didn’t necessarily make waves during the game but at the end of the day when you look the stat sheet, Hall ended up with eight points and eight assists. The 6-foot junior was creative with the basketball and did a good job of getting his teammates involved while getting a few buckets of his own.
Best underclassman – Marquis Cook (2023 Jefferson)
Lamar Washington would also qualify for this one but since he’s already been mentioned enough, we’ll give this one to the phenom freshman known best as “Mookie”. In recent games, the 6-foot-7 freshman has settled into more of a supporting role on the Demos but he still is putting up solid numbers and against Franklin he tallied 12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals.
Best big man – Tucker Pellicci (2020 Franklin)
Quite frankly, this was the best we’ve ever seen Pellicci play in person. The 6-foot-11 post seems to be playing with a lot less pressure now that he’s committed to Hawaii Pacific and he gave Jefferson everything they could handle in the paint. As opposed to the past, he was patient with his post moves and flashed a new little lefty scoop shot that he could reach around defenders and put through. He looked fairly fluid moving to the hoop, was solid on the defensive glass, and stayed out of foul trouble.
Best story to watch going forward – Franklin’s playoff chase
In all likelihood it will be third place in the PIL or bust when it comes to a team’s post-season chances. Franklin pretty much controls their own destiny and they have two more games against Grant and Cleveland that will decide whether or not they qualify. The key may be whether or not they can get their perimeter attack going as it was largely kept in check by Jefferson.