League Lookout: Cedar Run Conference
League Lookout resumes this week with a rundown of the Cedar Run Conference. Prior to the season, Randy Bills’ Battlefield Bobcats were picked by most as the conference favorite. His team has certainly handled business thus far, owning an 11-5 overall record. They sport an unblemished…
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Continue ReadingLeague Lookout resumes this week with a rundown of the Cedar Run Conference.
Prior to the season, Randy Bills’ Battlefield Bobcats were picked by most as the conference favorite. His team has certainly handled business thus far, owning an 11-5 overall record. They sport an unblemished 4-0 conference record, with wins over each of the four opposing teams. Rocky Carter’s Osbourn Eagles have recorded some very good wins, owning an 11-6 overall record (3-1 conference). Despite cooling off after a hot start, the 10-5 Stonewall Jackson Raiders have exhibited plenty of firepower.
Below is a look at some of the trends and players making noise in the conference as the season crosses the midway point.
Bobcats taking care of business
To little surprise, Battlefield sits atop the conference standings at the mid-way point. Yes, the Bobcats return the core an experienced roster which went to the regional semis. But, credit head coach Randy Bills for getting maximum effort and focus from his group.
Blake Pagon has been the engine behind Bobcats 11-5 start. The 6’4″ senior leads the team with nearly 19 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. He’s racked up a bevy of double-doubles as a result of his tireless work rate.
But as good as Blake has been this season, Battlefield returns a number of other strong players who have made key contributions. 6’5″ junior forward Shonari Street is blossoming into a go-to inside-out scoring option, averaging 12 points per game. 6’4″ guard Brayden Gault, who we consider a top-15 player in Virginia’s 2018 class, is averaging 12.4 points per game.
Osbourn hanging tough
With an 11-6 overall record; including non-conference wins vs. Langley, South County, Meadowbrook, and Herndon, Osbourn have built a strong resume. The Eagles senior point guard Jeremiah Delaney is averaging 13 points per game. JD is an explosive guard who has done an exceptional job controlling tempo, setting up his teammates, and defending.
6-foot-1 junior guard Anthony Pearson is currently the team’s leading scorer, averaging just over 14 points per game. AP has gone over 20 three times this season, and has connected on 33 three-point attempts to lead the team. He’s also shooting nearly 80% from the foul line.
Raiders making noise
After jumping out to a 9-1 start, including wins vs. Woodbridge, Forest Park, Highland Springs, and Kings Fork, Stonewall Jackson made it clear they can compete among the best teams in the conference.
Keaton Simmons, one of the top unsigned senior guards in the state, is the teams leading scorer, averaging just under 25 points per game. 6-foot-2 senior guard Zach Hinton is averaging 14.5 points per game. He has been notably aggressive off the bounce, hitting 65 of his 85 foul shot attempts.
Cook thriving despite team struggles
6’3″ senior guard Garrett Cook is the second leading scorer in the conference behind Simmons, averaging 22.7 points per game for the Pioneers. He’s widely regarded among the top shooters in the state, and has proved so by hitting 65 threes through 17 games. He’s scored in double figures every game but one this season, authoring 8 games of over 25+ points. The expansion of his game is evident. He’s earned over 100 trips to the foul line already, shrewdly using shot fakes to open up strong drives to the basket.
Under-The-Radar Risers
Names like Cook, Simmons, Pagon, Gault, and Delaney are relatively well-known. Here is a look at a number of other players who probably didn’t have much notoriety heading into the season, but are helping their teams in big ways.
Cameron Marinnie, 6’3″ senior forward, Osbourn Park
Cam Marinnie has had a very good season despite his team’s struggles. He’s averaging nearly 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists per game. He’s a heady player who demonstrates a good feel and understanding of the game.
Ike Onwuka, 5’9 sophomore guard, Patriot
If you ask Pioneers Head Coach Daniel Nemerow, he’ll tell you “there’s a lot to like” about sophomore Ike Onwuka. He’s team’s second leading scorer, averaging just under 10 points per game. He’s a strong, quick, and crafty guard with a high IQ and motor. He leads the team with 64 made 2-point field goals attempts.
Devin Nordike, 6’2″ senior guard, Stonewall Jackson
Sharpshooting guard Devin Nordike has emerged as a strong third scoring option, averaging over 12 points per game for the Raiders this season. He’s connected on 45 three-point field goals this season, tied for the team lead with Keaton Simmons. In his last two games vs Freedom-Woodbridge and Potomac, he totaled 12 made threes and averaged 21 points.
This Week’s Matchups
Friday (1/29)
Stonewall Jackson at Osbourn Park, 7:30 p.m.
Osbourn at Battlefield, 7:30 p.m.