Team Preview: Benedictine

<div><em><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Classification</strong>: VISAA</span></em><em><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"> Division 1</span></em></div><div><em><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Last Season</strong>: 16-13; Lost in first round of VISAA playoffs</span></em></div> <div><em><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"><strong>Key Games</strong>: 12/6 George Wythe (ASSIST Tip off) </span></em></div> <div><em><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">12/11 Trinity Episcopal </span></em></div> <div><em><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">12/18-12/20 RTD Invitational </span></em></div> <div><em><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">12/27-12/29 BCCP</span></em></div> <div><em><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">1/12 @ Cape Henry Collegiate</span></em></div> <div><em><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">1/22 @ Oak Hill</span></em></div> <div><em><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">1/27 Millwood</span></em></div> <div><em><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">2/3 @ Virginia Episcopal School</span></em></div> <div><em><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">2/6/15 John Marshall</span></em></div> <div><em><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">2/16 St. Christopher’s</span></em></div> <p><em><strong>Head Coach</strong>: Robert Churchwell</em></p> <div><em><strong>Who They Lose</strong>: CJ Wiggins (NC Central commit; 17 ppg, 5 apg); Jackson White (UT Chattanooga commit; 9 ppg, 9 rpg.)</em></div> <div> </div> <div><em><strong>Key Returners</strong>: Cutch Ellis, Anthony Roberson, John Salley, DeAndre Thomas, Gibson Jimmerson</em></div> <div> </div> <div><em><strong>Key Newcomers</strong>: Justin Henry, Aaron Fowlkes, Seneca Louis, Dimitri Georgiadis</em></div> <div><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">One of the most historic programs in the Richmond area, Benedictine went through some bumps last season. The combination of a coaching change right before the season, a young team and a brutal schedule led to, on paper, one of Benedictine’s roughest seasons in recent memory.</span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">However, the Cadets showed the toughness that you’ve come to expect from a program of their caliber. Despite having only two seniors, both of whom went on to play division one basketball in CJ Wiggins (North Carolina Central) and Jackson White (UT Chattanooga), Benedictine never backed down despite their tumultuous schedule, and were never an easy out.</span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">With another year under their belt, Head Coach Robert Churchwell believes this team is more poised for the road ahead, but admits there is some enigma in this group as well.</span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">“We have a young team once again,” Churchwell said, “but these guys are better and hungrier for success. I’m not sure how good we can be, I just want these boys to get better daily.”</span></div> <div><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">Hard work and improvement has become a staple in Churchill’s system, and his core group is one that should set the tone early for the others. Benedictine only has two returning seniors in defensive stopper Anthony Roberson and knock down stretch four Cutch Ellis, but both are born leaders and gym rats. Along with ever improving 6’10 John Salley, the Cadets should match up or overpower any team with their sheer size in their front line.</span></div> <div> </div> <div><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif">The most crucial group on the Benedictine roster will be their four sophomores, who are glimmering with talent and will have to step in and step up early in the season. 6’3 wing DeAndre Thomas, who is heralded as one of the better sophomores in the Richmond area, and 6’5 shooter Gibson Jimmerson were thrust into big minutes last season, and showed a lot of promise against some of the top competition in the state. They also add 6’8 Dimitri Georgiadis, who transferred from Trinity Episcopal where he started on a team that went to the state semifinals, and 6’5 athletic combo guard Seneca Louis, who may have the most upside of any of the four.</span></div> <div>Facing yet another gauntlet of a schedule, the biggest question for the Cadets comes at the point guard position. With the departure of their leading scorer and only true ball handler in Wiggins, the Cadets will have to do it by committee, leaning on Thomas, Louis and Glen Allen transfer Aaron Fowlkes, a junior who has a knack for scoring in bunches with the ball in his hands. While none of them are true old school point guards, they will have to rise to the occasion and find a way to take care of the basketball, and get them into sets against tough competition and some of the best lead guards in the state.</div> <div> </div> <div>Still, the military school isn’t budging on its traditions just because it’s on the basketball court.</div> <div> </div> <div>“Our team will be successful through discipline, execution and toughness,” Churchwell said. “We have to take care of the ordinary things on the way to becoming an extraordinary team.”</div> <div> </div> <div>Despite the question marks at the point guard position, Benedictine is a talented team that presents matchup problems with their size, athleticism and shooting. They’ll be a tough out again for anyone that has to match up with them.</div> <div> </div> <div>The Cadets will see their first big test in the ASSIST Tip Off Classic December 5 at Meadowbrook High School, where they matchup with the defending 3A State Champs George Wythe.</div>