Defensive MVP’s

<p>November’s opening weekend was my favorite since 2020, as Co-Vid ruthlessly prevented full PrepHoopsTN coverage in 2020-2021.  No more. Seven games in two days. Heavenly.</p> <p><strong>Joseph Bills (JPII)</strong></p> <p>#1 Pope John II From three minutes of basketball I could tell that <strong>Joseph Bills</strong> was a brilliant young man. ’There has to be a reason Pope John II is starting a 6’1" 140 pound dude as a second post player,’ I wondered to myself. ’Right?’ <br /> The answer is yes. Bills makes sneaky great plays. He gets under the shirt of bigs and gets his feet perfectly set early. The referee missed a charge/block call at 3:41, perhaps forcing Bills to the bench. It was the first of three charges Bills drew perfectly, though the refs correctly called just one.  </p> <p>Goodpasture did not score their seventh point until five minutes into the game. The defense and focus of PJP really impressed me. PJP’s ____ called out a high-low seconds into the set. Minutes later Head Coach ___ called high-low seconds into a reverse set, a high/low starting from the other side.</p> <p><strong>Triston Conger (JPII)</strong></p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1011991" first="Tristan" last="Conger"] defended [player_tooltip player_id="992516" first="Isaiah" last="West"] man-up. Tristan is quicker than he looks. He slid his feet expertly, inspiring both his teammates and entire coaching staff.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1177020" first="Devin" last="Mixon"] (Knox Webb)</strong></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1125607" first="Xavier" last="Shegog"] (Goodpasture)</strong></p> <p>Xavier was not flawless defensively. He fouled too much. And yet this was the most encouraging symbol of Shegog’s exceptional basketball potential.  Curiously Goodpasture Head Coach Adam Sonn elected to place Xavier on JPII’s scoring guards (Conger, etc.), and shockingly to me, Xavier checked them with purpose, conviction, and quickness.  How does a 6-foot-5 forward stay in front of an outgoing senior?  Effort.  Lower body muscles. Athleticism.  It is tough to identify succinctly.  [player_tooltip player_id="1125607" first="Xavier" last="Shegog"] will eventually be a D2-D1 SF/SG and that is stunning considering the PF he was simply one year ago.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1297709" first="Adrian" last="Samuels"]</strong> did a fine job checking [player_tooltip player_id="1029090" first="Lukas" last="Walls"] on a couple plays. More often, Adrian was tasked with defending different players, but in a small window of opportunity against the future D1 [player_tooltip player_id="1029090" first="Lukas" last="Walls"], Samuels did well.</p> <p><strong>Jadon Jenkins (Howard Tech)</strong></p> <p>Howard hung around, hung around, and managed to leave Maplewood High School, 1-0.  Jenkins helped tremendously on the defensive end. Jenkins slid his feet.  Also importantly, Jenkins willingly put his chest into the opponent. There was an obvious pride involved. </p> <p><strong>Donivon Thomas (Brainerd)<br /> <br /> </strong></p> <p><b>[player_tooltip player_id="1012093" first="Malik" last="Dia"]</b></p> <p>Usually bigs earn their way onto an All-Defensive Team with blocks and/or altered shots.  Malik is that rare forward that creates many turnovers with deflections.  Quick hands. Sharp eyesight.</p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="1039189" first="Devaki" last="Garr"] </strong></p> <p>Seconds after missing a deep three-pointer, Devaki drew a charge from Stewarts Creek forward Collin Hatcher.  Stewarts Creek tried to lead Hatcher with a lobbed lead pass, so Hatcher caught the ball with his body facing the rim, but his eyes and head looking back for the pass as he ran into the lane. Then Devaki pounced and took the barreling Hatcher’s charge.  Garr did this by spotting the penetrating lane and jabbing his steps into the deck, quick and choppy.  Garr made up the lateral ground so quickly and wisely to draw the charge.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>