10 Best: St. Pete at Countryside
In perhaps the best game of the early season, St. Pete got past Countryside 62-61 on Tuesday night.
Senior guard Tai Strickland put his group ahead with a lay-in with 10.7 seconds left. Prior to that, Countryside senior guard CJ Williams gave his side a 61-60 lead on two free throws.
For St. Pete, the Green Devils were led by senior guard Serrel Smith and his 20 points. Williams finished with a game-high 26 points.
Here are the top performers from the back and forth matchup.
MVP: Tai Strickland (St. Pete)
I know Strickland ended up second on his team with 15 points behind Smith, but he came up clutch on the last St. Pete possession. He scored six points in the fourth quarter which included the game-winning lay-in as mentioned above. Strickland was dominant on the glass, grabbing rebounds all night long. He’s playing well off of Smith.
Best offensive performance: Serrel Smith (St. Pete)
The senior Ole Miss guard had 10 points in each half to end up with 20. It wasn’t his normal dominant performance, but Smith made baskets when the team needed him most. His 3-pointer with 30 seconds left gave the Green Devils a brief 60-59 advantage. Smith is a gifted athlete who will only get better from here.
Best defensive performance: CJ Williams (Countryside)
Williams certainly belongs in the best offensive performance spot, but his defensive prowess was his best attribute. He scored 27 points with 12 in the fourth quarter alone. Williams made life awfully tough for Smith all night long as the two battled on both ends of the floor. Williams is best when he’s aggressive on offense.
Best intangibles: Terell Strickland (St. Pete)
The younger Strickland brother, Terell drew the start next to Smith and Tai Strickland. He had nine points with seven coming in the third quarter alone. The junior guard showed nice instincts as an attacker much like his brother Tai. Terell is maturing a lot at his new stomping grounds.
Best catch and shoot guy: Matthew Berry (Countryside)
ISenior forward Matthew Berry came out firing in the first quarter with a pair of 3’s. He had two points in the second quarter and seven more in the third quarter before getting into foul trouble in the fourth quarter. Berry was crucial on the glass and his shooting ability helped tremendously.
Best under-the-radar performance: Jamie Woodka (Countryside)
Former Tarpon Springs guard Jamie Woodka is an underrated ballhandler and passer. He proved it tonight with an 8-point performance. Woodka’s 3-point shooting is impressive and he found openings in the St. Pete defense in big moments.
Best worker: Jaylon Holland (St. Pete)
All six of Jaylon Holland’s points came in the first half. The senior forward known for his athleticism on the football field also has a key role for the basketball team. This is a group with not enough bigs and Holland serves a role.
Biggest supplemental player: Nate Tettenborn (Countryside)
With senior forward Tino Petrovic out with an ankle injury, senior guard Nate Tettenborn earned more playing time than usual. He finished with five points for Countryside. Tettenborn stretched the floor in transition and set up his group well as a passer.
Best effort: Harlow Babb/Tre’zon Brown (St. Pete)
Junior forward Harlow Babb added five points while senior guard Tre’zon Brown had four points. The duo gave tough minutes as Babb grabbed key rebounds and Brown took advantage of the couple of looks that he earned inside. They are playing their roles.
Best aspect of the environment
The fans of both schools came in full force. Late in the fourth quarter, Countryside’s fans chanted “C-Side” with force. St. Pete’s fans were tough on the referees and loud when they needed to be. It was a packed house.