10 Best: BCC vs. Gaithersburg
ROCKVILLE, MD — Richard Montgomery High School was the site of the MD 4A West Regional Championship, and the gym was packed for what would turn out to be a thrilling contest between B-CC and Gaithersburg. Here we recap this postseason duel with the 10 best.
MVP | JAO ITUKA | GAITHERSBURG ’21
Jao Ituka‘s electric performance was a big reason why his team will march on. The freshman had his ups and downs, but found a way to produce consistently, and most importantly when his team needed it.
BEST OFFENSIVE PERFORMANCE | JULIO TAMAKLOE | GAITHERSBURG ’18
Julio Tamakloe tends to step up his game against the best competition. His season high of 19 points came in a win vs. Springbrook, and he went off for 18 in this one.
BEST DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCE | JAO ITUKA | GAITHERSBURG ’21
Ituka has a super quick first step, and is always ready to jump the passing lanes. He recorded a game-high 5 steals.
BEST UNDER-THE-RADAR PERFORMANCE | TYLER GROOM | BCC ’19
Tyler Groom had his way with Gaithersburg’s defense in the first half, where he scored 11 of his 15 points. The diminutive guard is super quick, crafty and has nice touch.
BEST REBOUNDER | ELIJAH WOOD | BCC ’20
6-foot-6 guard Elijah Wood hauled in a game-high 16 rebounds in this one. He did a nice job pushing the ball in transition after collecting the ball.
BEST PASSER | ELIJAH WOOD | BCC ’20
Wood also led the game with 8 assists. His unselfishness and willingness to involve his teammates is quite commendable, but he needs to value each possession more. Wood committed a game-high 10 turnovers.
BEST UNDERCLASSMEN | JAO ITUKA | GAITHERSBURG ’21
It’s honesty hard to believe Ituka is a freshman, given his build and athleticism. He’s the real deal.
BEST GLUE GUY | MILES ENGLISH | BCC ’18
Miles English battled foul trouble, but found a way to be a factor. He recorded 10 points, and 9 rebounds. The 6’4 forward did all he could to help keep his team in it down the stretch.
BEST INTANGIBLES | JAO ITUKA | GAITHERSBURG ’21
Ituka had a rough first half, scoring just 6 points and getting hung on a dunk attempt. He rebounded extremely well, scoring 12 in the second half, which triggered his team’s comeback win. Freshman or not, it was impressive to see.
BEST STORY TO WATCH MOVING FORWARD
Gaithersburg will match up against Perry Hall in the 4A State Semis. The Gators are known for having size all across the board, while the Trojans are quite the opposite. It will be interesting to see how these contrasting styles will play out.