Takeaways: Randolph Macon Team Camp
The second annual Randolph Macon Team Camp was held on Sunday, giving teams a preseason chance to see how their team will gel moving forward and giving them some live game action before practice starts. There were teams from the…
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Continue ReadingThe second annual Randolph Macon Team Camp was held on Sunday, giving teams a preseason chance to see how their team will gel moving forward and giving them some live game action before practice starts. There were teams from the Richmond and DMV area in attendance, and we got to see how some of the teams will play out before the season starts. Here’s five things we learned on Sunday.
Hermitage Balanced Attack Thrives
Last year Hermitage basketball saw somewhat of a revival, going 19-5 over the season before falling to cross town rival Henrico in the Conference 11 Semifinal game. While the Panthers lose their top scorer and team leader in All Conference selection Robbie Osborne, they have plenty of leadership and pieces that can pick up the slack for them, and it showed on Sunday.
The Panther’s have one of the most experienced teams in the state, featuring over 10 seniors that all are ready to step in and contribute when needed. They have a backcourt duo of Tim Coward and Rahki Person who both can light it up from deep, and their front court of Ramon Williams and Jamil Burrell are two high energy forwards that get after it on the glass.
Coward, who has started for the Panthers the last three seasons, will be looked at to provide leadership and poise as he becomes the primary ball handler. He has a number of options to distribute to, including Person who had a huge game in their win over Takoma Academy where he hit seven three-pointers. The x-factor could be Williams, who showed tremendous athleticism as he finished above the rim and was a monster on the glass.
With so many options and coming off of one of the best seasons in recent memory, the Panthers could be a dark horse team in the Richmond area yet again this year.
Stonewall Duo Leads Rebuilt Team
It’s the post Keaton Simmons era for Stonewall Jackson, who will be without one of the top scorers in the NOVA area for the first time in four seasons. They also lose three other key seniors from last season, however their 2018 backcourt duo of point guard Antonio Warner and Jordan Gibson seemed like they were ready to pick the slack up.
A lightning quick 5’10” lead guard, Warner set the tone on both ends of the floor and was huge down the stretch for them. He’s a lock down defender that uses his quickness to turn ball handlers and pick their pockets, or play passing lanes for easy transition buckets. He could be a little out of control early in the game, but he stepped up big down the stretch where he hit free throws and got into the lane to break down the defense with ease. With more game experience, he should become a better decision maker and a reliable replacement for Simmons.
Gibson, a 6’3” wing showed great athleticism and kept them in the game when they got off to a slow start with his ability to shoot it from deep. He’s very long, and showed his athleticism with a highlight reel chase down block that he caught at the top of the square. Offensively, he shot it relatively well and was lights out early, and he used his size well to attack the offensive glass and keep plays alive for them throughout the game.
It will take some time for them to gel, but Stonewall has all of the right pieces to compete in a talented 6A North region again this year.
Mills Godwin Guard Seeing ODAC Interest
Last year it was Brett Buisson, this year Mills Godwin has another two guard that the ODAC is all over in 6’2” Dillon Thomas. On Sunday Thomas showed that his Mills Godwin team was no slouch in wins over James River and Hanover, and showed why much of the ODAC is interested in him. He demonstrated great leadership, made good decisions throughout the day, shot it well from deep and gave great effort on both ends of the floor. He says that Roanoke, Guilford, Randolph Macon and Hampden Sydney have shown the most interest, and with the inside-out presence he has with fellow senior Tim Fisher Godwin has a chance to surprise some people moving forward.
South Lakes a Team to Watch in 6A
There weren’t many VA teams in attendance that had the overall talent that South Lakes has. Led by 2019 point guard Cam Savage and 2018 post Emmanuel Aghayerre, they have the right mix of experience and youth that could lead to a big season if they put it all together before conference play.
Savage isn’t the tallest guard at about 5’9”, but he showed toughness and poise down the stretch in their win over Glen Allen where he hit a contested game winner after knifing through the lane. He didn’t play the best game, as he struggled to find his shot in the first half, but his ability to stay positive and continue bring energy on both ends was huge for the morale of his team, and the way he stepped up late and scored their last five points showed a lot of resiliency, which is key for big time players.
South Lakes front court isn’t the biggest, but they have a nice balance of toughness and skill that makes it hard to match up with. 6’4” Emmanuel Aghayerre holds down the paint like he’s 6’8”. With a wide frame and strong lower body, he’s able to clear out space to attack the glass, and he shows soft touch and surprising athleticism in the paint, where he’s capable of giving 20+ points per game. He’s complimented well by fellow junior in 6’4” Andrew Powers, who’s a step out four man with a quick release. He’ll space the floor for Savage to attack, and is versatile enough on the defensive end to switch and guard wings on the perimeter.
With all that talent, it can’t go without mentioning their senior wing Marcus Cherry, a 6’2” athletic finisher in transition who also is a lock down defender. He’ll be looked to provide leadership and make plays when things aren’t going well for South Lakes, much like he did in their win over Glen Allen. If these can all come together, they could be a contender in 6A North this year.
Underrated RVA Guards Ready to Breakout
One of the great things about Team Camps and Fall Leagues is that you’re able to identify some younger players that will have bigger roles this season than they did in past years. Two of those at RMC on Sunday were Glen Allen point guard Justin Brown and James River point guard Loginn Norton.
Brown, who played sparingly for a rebuilding Glen Allen team last year, is a junior lead guard with great size and strength at about 6’1”. He showed great understanding of the game as he got them into their sets, broke the defense down, recognized and exploited mismatches and was a vocal leader for them throughout the day. He’s not a big time scorer by any means, but he’ll be important for them as a leader if they’re going to turn the corner and get back to the successful ways of the past.
Norton, a transfer from Millwood School, gives the new James River coaching staff a go-to guy who can score it when they need a bucket. He’s a smaller guard at about 5’10”, but he’s a knock down shooter that comes off screens well and has deep range off the catch. He can play both guard positions, and was also effective breaking defenders down and keeping teammates involved. While the sophomore didn’t see a ton of time for a stacked Millwood team last year, he’ll be asked to do a lot on the offensive end this year for James River.