802 Playoffs: D3 Action – #1 Winooski vs #5 Bellows Falls
It was a track meet at the Aud! Winooski’s tough as nails pressure defense and love for transition had this one up and down all night. WHS’ first three of Tre, Surma, and Hassan combined for 48 points, but BFUHS…
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Continue ReadingIt was a track meet at the Aud! Winooski’s tough as nails pressure defense and love for transition had this one up and down all night. WHS’ first three of Tre, Surma, and Hassan combined for 48 points, but BFUHS had no quit in them has they made multiple runs to chip away at Winooski’s double-digit lead. Check out the standouts below!
Trevon Bradley, 5’7 PG – Winooski High School Class of 2023
With wide-ranging impact, Bradley had his fingerprints all over this one. Trevon dropped a fairly quiet 14 points, knocking down threes which he coupled with finishes inside. But it was his facilitation that was paramount. Tre’s passing in both the open court and halfcourt had Bellows Falls scrambling. Sure, Tre had a few TO’s and errant passes. But at large, Bradley cut up the defense. He got into the second layer at will and manipulated the defense with no-looks and well-timed passes, making heady feeds in all four quarters. I didn’t get Tre’s assist numbers, but he was likely venturing into double-double territory. Tre took control and never let up.
Daniel Surma, 6’6 F – Winooski High School Class of 2023
Surma commanded a lot of attention in this one. Not because he’s a playmaker, but because he’s a play finisher. Daniel ate well in the paint, finishing a wealth of looks. He was a beneficiary of Tre’s high-level passing, flashing into space and finishing easy buckets at the rim. And he hit the offensive glass and finished second chance points, leading all scorers with 18. But his defense was just as important. He blocked shots and bothered countless others inside, hit the boards on D, and made quick outlets to get WHS in the open court. With his production on both ends, Surma was key to Winooski blowing this one open.
Hassan Hassan, 5’10 G – Winooski High School Class of 2023
Winooski’s high-pressure defense welcomes a ton of transition opportunities, and Hassan was all there. His ability to hound ballhandlers and rotate defensively had Bellows Falls struggling to find clean looks and passes. And once they coughed up the ball, Hassan was either pushing it himself or sprinting his lane. Hassan finished with 16 points, all at the cup, on an extremely high percentage. Hassan’s two-way game was firing on all cylinders.
Ayden Johnson, 5’8 G – Winooski High School Class of 2023
This kid impacts winning, hands down. The energy Ayden brought off the bench was electric. Johnson’s agility and motor was on full display as he locked in against ballhandlers, got in their air space, and made life tough. Moreover, he scrapped for boards and 50/50 balls, collecting numerous extra possessions for WHS. And he finished his looks + got to the FT line. The tenacity Ayden plays with is almost unmatched.
Kellen Bourgeois, 6’2 F – Winooski High School Class of 2023
Hardnosed and steady, Kellen provided a lot of work that didn’t show up in the box score. Bourgeois was in seemingly every play defensively, making smart rotations, pressuring the ball, and getting in passing lanes. Plus, his work to recover 50/50 balls provided WHS additional possessions. Bourgeois played strong defense, hit the glass, finished his looks, and ran the floor hard. Can’t ask for much more.
Jamison Nystrom, 5’10 PG – Bellows Falls Union High School Class of 2023
For Bellows Falls, Nystrom is their guy. Nearly everything runs through Jamison’s facilitation, and for good reason. Nystrom showed he’s a 3-level scoring threat as he knocked down looks at each level, mostly off the bounce. But at the same time, almost paradoxically, he didn’t dominate the ball. He kept everyone involved with nice feeds, made quick decisions to keep the defense working, and moved off the ball. Moreover, he’s an athletic defender with a lot of grit. Nystrom finished with nine points, but his impact went way beyond that.
Jake Moore, 6’1 F – Bellows Falls Union High School Class of 2023
Moore had a lot on his plate as he sought to contain Surma on both ends. And I’ve got to say, he put in the effort to make the big fella work for it. Jake used his frame well inside, utilizing his strength to be physical with Surma and box him out on the defensive end. Moreover, Jake flashed his ability to step outside and shoot the ball. He had three or four smooth mid-range jumpers for easy buckets, and he knocked down the corner three. Jake led Bellows Falls with a fairly quiet but efficient 10 points.
Walker James, 5’9 G – Bellows Falls Union High School Class of 2024
Every team has glue guys, and Walker plays that role and then some for Bellows Falls. James consistently made plays throughout this game to keep his team competitive. He handled the ball impressively against Winooski’s pressure, attacking the defense and moving the ball to keep WHS working. Plus, he finished looks inside, got to the FT line, and scrapped down low to snatch offensive boards here and there. Walker’s effort doesn’t go unnoticed.