Whitney Young Dolphins Down Fremd, 53-47
Fighting away a 16-9 Fremd third quarter run, Whitney Young emerged victorious, 53-47.
MVP : Lucas Williamson — Whitney Young (2017)
Lucas Williamson played like a senior. Steady from wire-to-wire, the unsigned senior forward doubled on the low blocks. He scored early and he scored late. Williamson actually blocked a valiant Fremd guard attempt in a clutch moment. Instead of celebrating he astutely pointed to the shooter’s leg. The ball was blocked off the shooter’s leg, but Fremd maintained possession. Still, Williamson was big in the big moments.
Play of the Game : Lucas Williamson — Whitney Young (2017)
Pick either the forearm block with just over a minute left or the and1 by Williamson seconds later. Williamson commanded the rock in the final stages. Both he and Xavier Castaneda made enough free throws to win. Williamson’s finish in traffic inspired his teammates to charge to the finish line instead of crawl.
Best Offensive Performance : Lucas Williamson — Whitney Young (2017)
Lucas Williamson scored six points in the final quarter including 4-7 free throws. He also came up that key block. Williamson will have several D1 offers to select from in the late signing period. Most of his baskets came in close.
Best Defensive Performance : Shaan Patel – Fremd (2017)
Shaan Patel played very well under difficult circumstances. Along with Brian Dompke, he was tasked with defending a D1 forward (Lucas Williamson). Patel blocked multiple shots, stripped away three steals. The senior was truthfully the only first-half perimeter threat for the Fremd Vikings. Patel finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, four turnovers, three blocks, and three steals.
Best Intangibles : Xavier Castaneda — Whitney Young (2018)
The big recruiting prize of this semi-final will ultimately by Xavier Castaneda. The junior’s change of direction is exceptional. he plays defense with the fight of a football player and the footwork of a tennis star. Castaneda is one of the best guards in the state and when he is on the floor the games tend to tilt his team’s way.
Best Guy off the Bench : Justin Stovall — Whitney Young (2017)
Neither team leaned on their bench. Stovall gave four points to the Whitney Young cause. He was used mostly in the first frame.
Best Under the Radar Performance : Justin Boyd — Whitney Young (2018)
Justin Boyd is a firecracker of a player. He has played speedy his whole life. More than any other player in the IHSA semifinals his versatility (rebounding/passing) hurt the opponent transitioning from their miss to his team’s make.
Best Underclassmen : Javon Freeman – Whitney Young (2018)
Javon Freeman‘s activity set the tone. He scored nine points in the opening half. Fremd had no answers for the bouncy guard. Freeman did cool off. In fact, Freeman did score or collect a rebound in his final 16 minutes of play.
Best Project to Watch : Bryce Hopkins — Fremd (2019)
The sophomore, Bryce Hopkins barely played. Still he projects as a nice frontcourt player. He appears to be growing into his body, possibly adding more height to his 6-foot-4 frame. Hopkins is a forward all day, so his final height will dictate what opportunities come his way.
Best Takeaway : Whitney Young is better when their best players are on the court. With Xavier Castaneda the Whitney Young Dolphins defended proudly. It allowed them to move guards Boyd, Beaudion, and Freeman to taller attackers. Xavier’s defensive pride is inspiring to onlookers and his teammates.