Takeaways: 6A State Championship
It was almost a repeat of the state football championships, with Oscar Smith defeating Battlefield, then Westfield defeating Oscar Smith in the state championship. Still, it was an exciting two days of games, featuring some of the best individual performances…
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Continue ReadingIt was almost a repeat of the state football championships, with Oscar Smith defeating Battlefield, then Westfield defeating Oscar Smith in the state championship. Still, it was an exciting two days of games, featuring some of the best individual performances in the entire tournament. Here’s our takeaways from the 6A State Championship Finals last week at VCU.
Scanlon Adds One in Basketball Too
After coming so close last season in the 6A State Championship, and after winning a state championship as Westfield’s quarterback, Tyler Scanlon finally got state championship ring he deserved. He did it in typical Tyler Scanlon style as well.
After hitting clutch shots multiple times in last year’s state championship, Scanlon had a chance to win the game in the waning seconds of the semifinals against Woodside. He stepped up and nailed it, of course.
“My teammates trust me in those situations, and that’s a big confidence boost,” Scanlon said after hitting the game winning shot. “I have the mindset that as much as I practice and shoot, that next shot is always going to go in.”
Scanlon’s shot with less than 3 seconds left lifted Westfield to a 52-50 win over Woodside in the semifinals. They then blew past an Oscar Smith team that seemed exhausted in the finals 74-68. But to say that all Scanlon did was hit the big shot would be disrespectful to the 6’5” Boston University commit.
Scanlon was perhaps the most consistent player throughout the week. In their win over Woodside, he finished with 26 points on 10-for-16 from the field, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. In their win over Oscar Smith, he finished with 22 points on 8-for-11 from the field, 11 rebounds and 8 assists. In other words, he did it all.
After defeating Oscar Smith in both football and basketball for a state championship, Scanlon looks ready to head to the next level and make an immediate impact at Boston University.
Oscar Smith’s Incredible Season in Perspective
Despite the upsetting end to their season, Oscar Smith completed without a doubt their best basketball season in school history under head coach Lavar Griffin. Led by Radford commit Donald Hicks and available senior Desmian Devane, the Tigers were one of the most high powered and exciting teams in the state to watch, and finished the season 23-5.
Hicks was the go-to guy all season, averaging over 20 points per game and close to 5 three-pointers a game. He really developed his game from a catch-and-shoot specialist to a true scorer that can create for himself off the bounce. However, it was Devane who stepped up big in their win over Battlefield in the state semifinals. While they both finished with 22 points, the 6’0″ Devane had 17 of his points in the second half, showing why he’s one of the best available shooters in the state.
It was Oscar Smith’s first trip to the state tournament in school history, and despite losing their top two scorers to graduation, they do have a few nice young prospects to build around. Sophomore Nyzaiah Chambers will likely be the building block. The 6’6″ post had 11, that’s right 11, blocks in their win over Battlefield. With their shooters leaving, expect coach Griffin to change the identity of their team and go through the big fella more moving forward.
Gault’s Game Continues to Grow
Battlefield had a rollercoaster of a season, but they started to click at the right time as they upset their way to the Conference 8 Championship and a birth in the 6A State Semifinals. While they lost a heartbreaker to Oscar Smith, the young wing that we’ve been waiting to explode on the scene did just that.
2018 Brayden Gault has had a lot of pressure put on him since joining Battlefield as a freshman last year, and he’s shown flashes throughout his first two years. However, on the big stage Gault truly shined, going for 20 points on 7-for-14 shooting, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Gault was consistent, showed a knack for hitting the big shot and always made the right play. It could be a big summer coming up for the 6’4″ wing.
Devante Carter Still a Big Time Prospect
Many questioned the move of the 6’2” point guard to transfer back to his original high school and reclassify back into the 2016 class. The questions loomed even more after head coach Ed Huckaby stepped down toward the end of the season, one of the main reasons that Carter and fellow senior Chris Orlina transferred back.
However, one thing is for sure after leading his team to the state tournamen. Devante Carter is still a big time point guard prospect that is ready for the next level.
While it’s unclear whether or not he’ll prep next season (my bet would be yes), Carter already owns a college ready body and a game that translates well. He’s shifty and strong, allowing him to get in the lane at will and finish through traffic. He has great playmaking ability, and is a high level on ball defender as well.
Carter finished with 18 points on 8-for-10 shooting from the field, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals in their semifinal loss to Westfield. There are parts to his game that need some work, mainly making his outside shot more consistent, but he had garnered interest from ODU, Kansas State, Southern Miss, IUPUI and Louisiana Tech before his senior season.