Prep Hoops 10 Best: LC Bird vs. Salem
In an anticipated matchup between two undefeated teams in a stacked 5A South, the Skyhawks of #3 LC Bird, who haven’t lost a home game in a little over three years, showed their balance and depth in a solid overall…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingIn an anticipated matchup between two undefeated teams in a stacked 5A South, the Skyhawks of #3 LC Bird, who haven’t lost a home game in a little over three years, showed their balance and depth in a solid overall win over #28 Salem out of Virginia Beach. From the beginning, Bird got out to a big lead and were ahead 15-5 at the end of the first quarter, and they did a great job of setting the tone early on both ends. They had a commanding lead heading into halftime after holding Salem’s star point guard Jonathan Norfleet to just five points in the first half, and they never really looked back from there. The Skyhawks ended up winning a convincing fashion 80-64, but that doesn’t mean the game wasn’t entertaining to watch as both teams are stacked with good players that made high level plays. Here’s a quick recap of LC Bird’s win.
MVP | Jaylen Dillard | LC Bird ’17
Dillard, who transferred to Bird from Clover Hill this season, has thrived as a shooter in a backcourt of playmakers. He finished with 24 points on the game, and was huge in building the Skyhawks’ big lead by scoring 13 points in the first half. He’s quietly been one of the most efficient scorers in the Richmond area throughout the early season, and he scored 49 points in the past two games.
Play of the Game
It was hard to pick just one, because Harvard commit Mario Haskett had three ridiculously athletic finishes, the last two to start the second half. We’re going to go with the last one, which was a full one handed windmill off of two feet that was dunk contest worthy. Be sure to keep an eye out for him in the Prep Hoops Dunk of the Week.
Best Offensive Performer | Jaylen Dillard | LC Bird ’17
Dillard not only was the leading scorer for the Skyhawks, but he also was the most efficient scorer. Of his 24 points, he hit five three-pointers on seven attempts, and was a very efficient 9-for-13 from the floor on a whole. His ability to knock down shots from deep and be able to attack closeouts and finish at the rim were all on display yesterday, and it’s impressive that he’s able to put up these kind of numbers without taking a high volume of shots throughout the course of the game.
Best Defensive Performer | Mario Haskett | LC Bird ’17
Haskett’s athletic finishes were the talk of the game from a fan’s perspective, which makes it easy to forget that he is one of the best overall defenders in the state. He was tasked with guarding Salem star Jonathan Norfleet for most of the game, and when they went to trap he made great reads off the ball and had a number of deflections on it as well. He finished with three steals on the night as well.
Best Guy off the Bench | Jyles Webster | LC Bird ’17
Webster is the meat-and-potatoes guy for the team, and while it’s common to think of the sixth man as a scoring spark off the bench, he brings a physical and energy spark in the paint for Bird. A starter on last year’s team that made a run to the state championship, Webster hasn’t sulked at all, but instead has embraced it and stepped up big time. The Concord commit finished with a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Skyhawks.
Best Intangibles | Johquin “Pinky” Wiley | LC Bird ‘17
I always say the most important stat for a point guard isn’t points, assists, steals or any of that. The most important stat for a point guard is win and losses, and the fact of the matter is Wiley puts up those numbers as well as anyone in the state. He finished the night with a modest stat line of 9 points and 6 assists on 3-for-5 shooting from the field, but he controlled the pace of the game for the Skyhawks and took care of the ball for the whole game. He’s the type of player who understands when he needs to take over, and he didn’t have to yesterday he just had to be steady, which he was.
Best Under-the-Radar Performer | Ray Ward | Salem ’18
The other junior guard in the Salem lineup struggled in the first half, but he battled and made some tough plays for the Sundevils even when they were down big. The 5’7” Ward, who scored 22 points the night before in a win over Highland Springs, is a lightning quick and bouncy guard who gets in the lane and has a variety of floaters and finishes in the midrange. His game in a little unorthodox, but he’s able to make plays when teams are focusing on Norfleet, which will be important for them moving forward. He finished with 12 points on the night.
Most Resilient Performer| Jonathan Norfleet | Salem ’18
He didn’t have the greatest game, as Bird’s game plan seemed to be help heavy on the division one recruit and make others on Salem beat them. While the strategy worked, it was encouraging to see Norfleet continue to attack and try to make plays for both himself and others in the process. He shook off a rocky start to finish with a good stat line of 20 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, and once he made adjustments he only turned it over once in the second half.
Best Tone Setter | Tyrek Wiliams | LC Bird ’18
The only big man in the LC Bird starting lineup, Williams made his presence felt early down low which adds another dimension to a high powered Skyhawks lineup that already has shooters galore. Midway through the second quarter, he really stepped it up by being aggressive in the post in one-on-one situations, and he showed a variety of skills for them. He finished the first half with 9 points and 7 rebounds, and he had some impressive passes both in the post and on outlets. It’s easy to forget about him, but he’s one of their best options in one-on-one situations when they need a bucket.
Best Story to Watch Moving Forward
The Skyhawks play one of the most brutal schedules in the VHSL, with their next game coming against Bethel in Hampton on Friday. They have typically been a team that doesn’t shy away from competition, and while the teams in the past may have had bigger names on them, this particular team is as deep as any in the past, and they showed that with eight different players scoring. With five seniors in the top six of the rotation, it’s state championship or bust for them this year after coming so close the past three seasons, so finding a rotation while still incorporating the young guys for the next few seasons will be an intriguing under story to their run this year.