10 Best: Benedictine vs. Miller School
It was the second semifinal of the BCCC Christmas tournament at Benedictine, one of the oldest and most storied Christmas tournaments in all of VA. The matchup featured the host school Benedictine and Miller School out of Charlottesville, who only…
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Continue ReadingIt was the second semifinal of the BCCC Christmas tournament at Benedictine, one of the oldest and most storied Christmas tournaments in all of VA. The matchup featured the host school Benedictine and Miller School out of Charlottesville, who only dressed five guys for the game. Even with that, the game was an instant classic.
The Cadets of Benedictine jumped out to an early lead as they shared the ball well and got everyone involved. Junior point guard Brandon Jenkins was running the show early, as he made great decisions and put everyone in the right positions to score. The Cadets controlled the first half, going into the locker room up 0 with a score of 41-32.
The Mavericks of Miller School didn’t stay down long as they came out in the second half and fed their horse Clarence Rupert, their junior forward who already has high major offers. They chipped away at the lead, but Benedictine still led 53-46 heading into the final period.
The game started getting close midway through the fourth, with Miller taking their first lead with just over 3 minutes left on a Quadir Pettaway three-pointer. The Cadets answered and it was back and forth for the final minutes of regulation, when with Rupert tying the game up at 69 with just over 15 seconds left. Benedictine got a good look but weren’t able to convert, and we headed into overtime.
The first overtime was back-and-forth, as the teams rode their leaders with Rupert and Benedictine senior Lorenz Boykin making play after play for them. Rupert went to the line with a chance to put them up late, but split a pair of free throws and we went into double overtime.
The game continued to be close until about 1:55 left when Jenkins hit a huge three for Benedictine to put them up 83-80. They were able to get a couple of stops and convert on the other end, and were able to hold on for the win 87-83 in one of the best games I have seen all season. They will play Bulliss out of Maryland Sunday night at 6 for the championship.
Hats off to both teams and coaching staffs that did a terrific job, and nobody should be hanging their heads after this one. Here’s a breakdown of the game in our patented 10 best style.
MVP: Lorenz Boykin | Benedictine ’20
Boykin gets the nod over junior sharp shooter Davin Cosby for MVP because of the way he played down the stretch. With Miller running a 1-2-2 zone to save their legs, the 6’0” Boykin got in the middle of the zone and killed it with a number of pull-ups and got the rim where he finished well among the trees. He scored 19 of his 26 points in the second half and overtimes, and also pitched in 6 rebounds and 4 assists in the win. He was crucial down the stretch in every way for them.
Play of the Game
There were quite a few plays that were impressive throughout the game, but junior point guard Brandon Jenkins three-pointer with 1:55 left in double overtime was probably the biggest shot of the game. Off a miss from Cosby, Benedictine corralled the offensive board and found Jenkins alone on the right wing where he let it fly and cashed it out. He had only one field goal prior to the game, but his shot was the biggest of the game. More from him below.
Best Offensive Performer: Clarence Rupert | Miller School ’21
Despite the loss, Rupert had one of the most impressive individual performances I have seen in a while. The 6’6” forward played the entire game and battled in the post throughout the game, getting beat on time and time again but coming up with huge baskets and controlling the paint on both ends of the floor. He finished with a jaw dropping 33 points and 23 rebounds, leaving everything he had on the floor for his team.
Best Defensive Performer: Amir Nesbitt | Miller School ’20
One of the best available guards left in the area, Nesbitt not only is a guy who can score it and make plays for others but he’s also a lock down defender who can do it both on and off the basketball. In their zone he was always rotating well, he got his hands on multiple passes for deflections and was all over the place on the defensive end as well. He’s a guy who could come in immediately at a program next year and make an impact on that end of the floor.
Best Guy off the Bench: Nick Turner | Benedictine ’20
The athletic senior came off the bench for Benedictine and provided great energy on both ends of the floor. He took advantage of the opportunities on the offensive end, he rebounded well and he did a lot of things that didn’t show up on the stat sheet. His energy was big for the Cadets, and the fact that they could go to the bench gave them a huge advantage against a Miller team who didn’t have anyone dressed out on the bench.
Best Intangibles: Whitt Williams | Benedictine ’21
Williams is the man in the middle for the Cadets and at 6’7″ he provides a mix of size and skill that can be very valuable. He bangs in the post on both ends, he alters shots around the rim and he’s a reliable guy in the paint on the offensive end that can score above the rim and also step out and shoot the ball. He got in foul trouble in the overtimes but he still put together a solid game of 8 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks in the win.
Best Under-the-Radar Performer: Gabe Jimmerson | Miller School ’20
Jimmerson came back home to where he started at Benedictine, and the 6’6” forward showed flashes of some really good stuff, especially in the second half. He showed a good skill set for his size as a guy who could put it on the deck and shoot it from deep, and he rebounded well throughout the game too. He finished with 13 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in the loss.
Best Underclassman: Davin Cosby | Benedictine ’22
Cosby was moved into the starting lineup when sophomore star Jaden Daughtry went out earlier this month with a broken hand, and he’s taken full advantage of it. The sharp shooter was not shy as he let it fly and showed supreme confidence in his shot, and he made some big shots down the stretch in the second half that almost won it for them in regulation. He finished with a team high 27 points, hitting 7 three-pointers on the game.
Best Passer: Brandon Jenkins | Benedictine ’21
Jenkins was fantastic running the show for the Cadets as he handled pressure well, made the right play time and time again and put his teammates in the right position to score the basketball. Along with making some big shots down the stretch, he spent the whole game finding his shooters and big men when they were open and reading the defense well. He only had 7 points but he finished with 11 assists to just 2 turnovers in the game.
Best Shot Creating Guard: Quadir Pettaway | Miller ’21
One of the smoothest scoring guards in the state, Pettaway showed flashes of brilliance with his three level scoring ability off the bounce. He changes pace well when attacking defenders, he can create space and get into his shot quickly and he can make shots from all over the place while also making plays for others. He finished with 18 points and 5 assists in the loss.