Five Takeaways: Hazelwood Central-Helias
Hazelwood Central took on Jefferson City Helias in the middle game of the Vashon Winter Classic on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The Hawks are one of the top contending teams in Class 5, so it was a good test for the Helias Crusaders, who are looking to make some noise in Class 4. The Hawks looked dominant at times in their 64-51 victory, but could not sustain it for the full game as Helias did a nice job of fighting back and making things interesting at different stretches of the game.
Here are five takeaways from the Hazelwood Central-Helias game:
Xavier Ball is an impact pickup
The 6’7″ Ball scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the Hawks to the victory. A 2018 transfer from Austin, TX, Ball has given the Hawks the size and post presence for a perimeter oriented team. Not only can he score in the post, but Ball can step outside and knock down 3-pointers and pass the ball. The Hawks were already going to be good with the return of Kansas State signee Shaun Williams and athletic swingman Cameron Williams, but Ball’s addition gives an already talented Hazelwood Central team a fighting chance to challenge the likes of Webster Groves, Chaminade and some of the other elite Class 5 teams.
Hazelwood Central has all the pieces
When the Hawks are clicking on all cylinders, they are capable of beating anyone. For stretches of Monday’s game, they looked like that team. And for others, they looked like the team that hadn’t played a game since winning the Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament championship against St. Mary’s way back on Dec. 30. The Hawks are senior laden with a bonafide all-around scorer in Shaun Williams, an all-purpose athlete in 6’4″ Cameron Williams, a shooter in guard Telly Wright, the inside presence of Ball and a group of capable and experienced role players off the bench.
Landon Harrison is an energizer bunny
The 5’10” 2018 guard from Helias goes at only one speed and that is at full-tilt boogie. His scoring averaged has dipped quite a bit from last year as the Crusaders have more scoring options and better offensive balance this season, but Harrison is still quite capable of getting buckets on tough, determined drives and hitting open 3-pointers. He finished the game with a team-high 15 points.
Cameron Williams is the ideal teammate
Any team that has championship aspirations would love to have a player like Williams, an athletic 6’4″ swingman whose motor never stops running. He’s the type of player who makes plays and stuffs the stat sheet without ever having to run a play for him. He rebounds, he shoots the passing lanes and gets out in transition for some electrifying dunks. He is an elite athlete with hard hat and lunch pail sensibilities, which translate into some excellent productivity.
Helias is still dangerous in Class 4
Despite recent losses to Rolla last Friday night and Hazelwood Central on Monday, Helias cannot be overlooked as a team to watch in Class 4 about a month and a half from now. The Crusaders have a bonifide go-to player in Harrison, a proven post scorer in 6’6″ 2018 Nate Bax and a third offensive threat in 6’2″ 2019 guard Ben Cooper. There are also some good pieces around the Big 3 who can shoot the ball and keep the Crusaders playing at a fast pace. A big obstacle in their path is Rolla, who shares the same district as Helias, has a victory over the Crusaders and will also host the district tournament.