Village vs Trinity : Prep Hoops Top 10
Trinity and Village met up once again on this Past Tuesday night for their annual Pilgrim Cup matchup, each year these two school compete not only for the cup but also for bragging rights around the city. The game begin…
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Continue ReadingTrinity and Village met up once again on this Past Tuesday night for their annual Pilgrim Cup matchup, each year these two school compete not only for the cup but also for bragging rights around the city. The game begin with both teams going back and forth, Trinity would go on a run to go up 7 but Village would respond and tie the game up heading into halftime. The 3rd Quarter is where Village took over the game coming up with play after play which would allow them to build a lead that Trinity Christian could simply not come back from. Village Christian for the 2nd year in a row took home the Pilgrim Cup and bragging rights as the would win the game by 12 with the score of 80-68.
Player of The Game: Village Christian Guard Jarvez Ellis– Finished the game with 31 Points and shot lights out from the field, he knocked down 6 treys from deep and played solid defense. He has a very calm and laid back demeanor but his game spoke volumes.
Best Defender: Joey Baker and Josh Haymer- Both of these young men brought 110% on the defensive end of the floor playing, especially when it came to containing their opponent. Haymer did most of his damage with steals and deflections while Baker did his work with chase down blocks and drawing charges.
Best Facilitator: Trinity Christian Talton Jones– Although he played limited minutes, his ability to get everybody on the team involved was impressed, Talton has a gift for passing the ball and you can see some Rajon Rondo in his game.
Best Play: Village Christian Jordan Ratliffe– Without a doubt the play that made the gym go cray was when Jordan Ratliffe dunked on a 6’7 opponent, Ratliffe at 5’10 is a high flyer and that was on full display on Tuesday night.
Best Big: Village Christian Nassyr Daniels– Nas didn’t have his greatest performance but he was very productive with the touches he had, he crashed the offensive boards very well and defended without fouling against multiple bigs.
Stock Riser Performance: Village Christian Guard Dakari Johnson- With a frame that makes him looks as if he already is a college athlete, it was no surprise that Dakari Johnson got the cup just about whenever he wanted. His jumper wasn’t falling but he finished with 17 Points simply of off getting to the cup and transition buckets alone.
Best Underclassmen: Trinity Christian Josh Nickelberry – Josh is a natural scorer and Tuesday night was no different, even though his shot was not falling he still managed to finish with 27 points on the night. He has outstanding athleticism as well as good height and a nice wingspan, there is no surprise that 13+ colleges across the nation have already offered.
Unsigned Senior Sleeper: Village Christian Josh Haymer- This young man’s stat line will never impress you simply because he makes all the plays for teammates, whether it’s an extra pass, a charge or simply telling others where to go. He has an outstanding IQ for the game and should have college coaches hitting him up, with some extra time in the weight room he can be a very nice player at the right school.
The X Factor Player: Trinity Christian Greg Gantt- For Trinity to repeat as State Champs they must get the same type of performance from Greg on a nightly basis, he finished with 10 points on Tuesday but can be a 15-20 point and 10 rebound guy every night. If he applies himself, works hard and stays positive he has the potential to be a Gary Clark type of player before it’s all said and done.
Final Thoughts: Village is already rolling and looks just as good as they did last year when they won the State 2A chip, with the amount of Seniors they have is was no surprise to me when they displayed more mental toughness than the young Trinity squad. The key for trinity will be to lock in defensively and to continue to gel, they are a young squad but in due they will be a very special squad and will have the chance to defend their state title.