Virginia Bracketbuster Challenge Superlatives
ALEXANDRIA, VA — The Annual Virginia Bracketbuster Challenge is officially in the books, and now it’s time to take a look back at what we’ve learned. There were only two games this year, Flint Hill vs. St. Christopher’s and Episcopal…
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Continue ReadingALEXANDRIA, VA — The Annual Virginia Bracketbuster Challenge is officially in the books, and now it’s time to take a look back at what we’ve learned. There were only two games this year, Flint Hill vs. St. Christopher’s and Episcopal vs. Trinity Episcopal, but both contests featured some talented prospects. Here is a breakdown of 7 superlatives from Saturday’s action.
BEST ATHLETE | GILL WILLIAMSON | ST. CHRISTOPHER’S ’20
Williamson immediately jumped off the page as a terrific athlete. At close to 6-foot-8, he plays above the rim on both ends with a motor that is commendable. Williamson is a lob threat and bonafide rim protector who displays impressive coordination and mobility or his size. He also has a great second jump.
BEST GLUE GUY | WALKER WALLACE | ST. CHRISTOPHER’S ’20
Wallace impacts the game in so many ways. The 6-foot-6 forward took two charges for his team on Saturday. He also was constantly communicating with his teammates throughout the game. Wallace is a good passer who handed out a team-high 6 assists. He also plays with a high motor.
BEST HEAT CHECK GUY | AJ WILLIAMS | TRINITY EPISCOPAL ’21
There was one stretch during the third quarter where Williams was flat-out unstoppable. The sharpshooting guard knows how to get open and create space for his shot. Williams has a quick release, good-looking shot mechanics and supreme confidence. He finished with a game-high 32 points and shot 7 of 12 from behind the arc.
BEST LONG-TERM PROSPECT | GARRETT JOHNSON | EPISCOPAL ’21
You have to love the steady improvement that Johnson has shown over the last 12 months. Now close to 6-foot-8, the skilled wing has become a consistent all-around contributor for his team. Johnson’s efficiency and aggressiveness stood out on Saturday. He shot (11) and made (9) more free throws than anyone at the event. He scored 27 points on 8 of 12 shooting from the field, including 2 of 4 from long range.
BEST REBOUNDER | HENRY COLEMAN | TRINITY EPISCOPAL ’20
Coleman’s 13 rebounds were the most of any player on Saturday. He uses his sturdily built frame to move bodies in the paint and reacts quickly when the ball comes off the rim. Coleman has a knack for being in the right place at the right time and is relentless in his pursuit of the ball.
BEST TWO-WAY PLAYER | DARIUS JOHNSON | EPISCOPAL ’21
Johnson is as good of a two-way guard as you will find in this area. As we saw on Saturday, he is a talented scorer but is always up for the challenge of defending the opponent’s top perimeter player. In this case, it was AJ Williams. Once Williams caught fire, Johnson did his best to deny him the ball and make things difficult for him moving forward.
BEST UNDERCLASSMEN | SAXBY SUNDERLAND | FLINT HILL ’22
Sunderland was the primary playmaker for his team on Saturday and was quite productive. The blossoming guard prospect recorded 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. Sunderland’s versatility makes him an intriguing name to watch moving forward.