Wakefield School vs. Woodberry Forest: Superlatives

<p><em>THE PLAINS, VA</em> -- In one of the more entertaining games of the season, Woodberry Forest outlasted Wakefield School by a final score of 74-71. Here is a rundown of the superlatives from this hard-fought overtime battle. </p> <h5 class="p1">Best Athlete: Dame Brooks | guard | Wakefield '22</h5> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/12/Brooks-Dame-Head-Shot.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1348804" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/12/Brooks-Dame-Head-Shot-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>Brooks orchestrated much of the offense for his team in part because of his quick first step. He got paint touches with relative ease and kicked out to shooters regularly. Brooks was explosive in transition. He had a pair of one-handed tomahawk dunks that energized his team. </p> <h5 class="p1">Best Defender: Amir Crawford | guard | Woodberry '23</h5> <p>Crawford was tasked with the job of defending Brooks. All things considered, he did well. Crawford denies air space at the point of attack and is quick laterally. He was active and alert off the ball as well. Crawford intercepted a pass and laid the ball in with his left hand to tie it with under 1 minute left in regulation. </p> <h5 class="p1">Best Intangibles: Sam Crosby | guard | Woobderry '22</h5> <p>Crosby is the heart and soul of this Woodberry team. The team takes on his identity which is that of a competitor. Crosby helps out on the boards and is an exceptional shot creator for others. He also goes strong to the basket and does not mind contact when finishing in the paint. </p> <h5 class="p1">Best Prospect: Alejandro Ford | wing | Wakefield '23</h5> <p>Ford enjoyed a solid all-around performance for his team. He recorded countless deflections on defense, a result of his relentless activity level throughout the contest. Ford was dynamic on the offensive end. He did a bit of everything, including score and get his teammates open looks. </p> <h5 class="p1">Best Shooters: Justin Gagnon | Woodberry '23; Landon Harvey | Wakefield '25</h5> [caption id="attachment_1348802" align="alignnone" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/12/Harvey-Landon-Head-Shot.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1348802 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/12/Harvey-Landon-Head-Shot-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> Landon Harvey is looking like one of the better shooters in the 2025 class so far[/caption] <p>Gagnon: The Canada native drilled at least a half-dozen free throws in the fourth quarter for Woodberry. He was also responsible for knocking down a couple of trey balls.</p> <p>Harvey: The lefty sniper erupted in the first half, knocking down 5 treys while showcasing in the gym range. Harvey also finished a layup with his right hand from a straight-line drive later in the game. </p> <h5 class="p1">Best Shot Blocker: Tyler Stringer | forward | Wakefield '22</h5> <p>Stringer repelled at least 4 shots tonight but altered a handful of others by just walling up. He gets off the ground quickly like a cat. Stringer's combination of explosive leaping ability and length make him a disruptive force in the paint. </p> <h5 class="p1">Best Sleeper: Jeremy Hughes | guard | Wakefield '22</h5> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/12/Hughes-Jeremy-Head-Shot.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1348801" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/12/Hughes-Jeremy-Head-Shot-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>Hughes was a steady presence in the backcourt for the Fighting Owls. He was efficient with the ball and made clutch shots offensively. Hughes drew a charge and generally played solid team defense as well. </p> <h5 class="p1">Best Underclassmen: Jordan McConnell | forward | Woodberry '25</h5> <p>6-foot-10 freshman <strong>Jordan McConnell</strong> is going to be a good one. He's a good athlete for his size with a soft touch from the foul line. McConnell did a nice job communicating with his team from the backline of the defense. </p>