Fort Zumwalt South vs. Westminster: 10 Best
Fort Zumwalt South and Westminster Christian hooked up in an overtime thriller in the consolation semifinals of the People’s Bank Tournament in Troy, Mo. on Wednesday evening. Fort Zumwalt South outlasted Westminster 78-72 in a very entertaining affair. The pace…
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Continue ReadingFort Zumwalt South and Westminster Christian hooked up in an overtime thriller in the consolation semifinals of the People’s Bank Tournament in Troy, Mo. on Wednesday evening.
Fort Zumwalt South outlasted Westminster 78-72 in a very entertaining affair. The pace was fast from start to finish as both teams took turns holding the lead in a game of big momentum shifts. South appeared poised to win the game in regulation, but the Wildcats forced a turnover and eventually scored on a layup by senior D.J Stewart to put the game into overtime.
In the overtime period, junior guard Darious Thomas of South took control with 10 points, including a pair of traditional 3-point plays to stake the Bulldogs to their first win of the season.
Here are the 10 Best from Wednesday night’s game:
MVP: Darious Thomas (Fort Zumwalt South): The 6’0″ junior guard took over the game late in into the overtime period. He finished with 21 points, including 10 in the overtime period. He started off the extra session with a three-point play off the opening tip. He added another one just moments later and helped seal the win with four free throws down the stretch. Thomas is an explosive combo guard who is tough to stop when he is in attack mode off the dribble.
Best Offensive Player: E.J. Bellinger (Fort Zumwalt South): The smooth 6’3″ sophomore wing finished with a game-high 32 points, most of which came on mid-range jumpers off the dribble. Bellinger gets good elevation on the jumper and gets it off at the top, which negated good contested defense. He also added a couple of 3-pointers and some transition layups to boot. He is a very talented offensive player who is just going to get better with added strength.
Junkyard Dog: D.J. Stewart (Westminster): The sturdy 6’1″ senior did a little big of everything for the Wildcats as he finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds. He is a strong, physical player who was always around the ball, whether on rebounds, defense and collecting loose balls. A Division I baseball recruit, Stewart returned to basketball after not playing as a junior. He will be a welcome addition to the program with his strength and versatility.
Top Rebounder: Chris Jordan (Fort Zumwalt South): The 6’6″ senior forward enjoyed an excellent offensive game with 20 points, but he was also a monster on the boards on both ends of the court. He scored on offensive put back and controlled the defensive backcourts from big stretches of the game. It was one of his finest all-around performances.
Best Shooter: Cliff DeGroot (Westminster): The 6’3″ senior finished with a team-high 17 points for the Wildcats, including three 3-pointers. One of the area’s top long-distance shooters, DeGroot hit a couple of bombs from well beyond the 3-point line. He has also improved on a few escape moves to create jumpers.
Top Bench Player: Dominic Cusumano (Westminster): The 5’9″ junior guard provided a big lift off the bench for the Wildcats with 11 points. Cusamano displayed his long distance shooting stroke with three 3-pointers on the evening. He also handled the ball well.
Coaching Move of the Game: With Zumwalt South trailing 57-54 with just over two minutes to play and Westminster having the ball, coach Bill Friedel employed a 2-2-1 full court press, which immediately led to two consecutive steals and layups to give the Bulldogs the lead down the stretch.
Play(s) of the Game: With his team trailing 63-61, Stewart of Westminster forced a turnover in the backcourt to give the ball back to the Wildcats. On he subsequent possession, he scored on a layup with one seconds left to tie the game and force overtime.
Top Match-Up: E.J. Bellinger vs. Steve Webb: With South’s Bellinger really heating up in the second half, Westminster switched its best defender, Webb, to guard Bellinger for much of the fourth quarter. It was a nice dynamic watching the smooth, lean Bellinger go against a physical defender such as Webb.
Best Bench: I was very impressed with the Fort Zumwalt South kids on the bench. They were very enthusiastic and kept up the high energy from start to finish. With an uncharacteristic 0-2 start, it was all hands on deck and the South reserves on the both did their part to contribute to their first victory.