Five Key Questions: SSSAS vs. Bullis
ALEXANDRIA, VA — In a very important midseason league contest, St. Stephens & St. Agnes recorded a hard fought victory at home against Bullis. Below we tackle five key questions derived from this exciting contest.
HOW GOOD IS THIS SSSAS TEAM?
After barely appearing in our weekly power rankings to start off the season, it looks like the Saints are here to stay. Featuring a relatively young roster with just one impact senior (Domenick Bailey), this team plays with energy and cohesiveness. 2019 Christian Depollar has become a knock down 3 point shooting threat, and 2019 Charles Thompson is growing in stature as a forceful paint presence. Promising 2020 lead guard Xavier Lipscomb is the “X-Factor” of this team, and has made several crucial plays to help his team win games. This team seems to get better as the season goes on, and it seems like the best is still yet to come.
WHO IS ANDRE SCREEN?
A 6’9 sophomore with nice touch and a sturdy frame, Andre Screen chipped in with 13 points in last night’s win. He is not an elite athlete, but he seals off is man well and works hard to establish position inside. Screen runs the floor, can catch the ball with two hands, and finish efficiently in traffic. He’s developing a nice high-low partnership with Charles Thompson, and has clearly gained a ton of confidence since the preseason.
WHAT’S UP WITH BULLIS?
Last night’s loss marks three straight defeats for the Bulldogs, who have been battling injuries in the early part of the season and seem to be struggling to find their chemistry at the moment. 2018 Vado Morse has been on a tear offensively, and still has that ability to take over a game, but the overall cohesiveness of the team seems to be lacking. We expect Head Coach Bruce Kelley to find a solution, and wouldn’t be surprised to see Bullis rebound with a win streak.
WHERE DID COLE HANIN COME FROM?
2021 Cole Hanin had some bright spots in this game despite the unsatisfactory end result. The product of DC Premier, who knocked down three first half triples, added a fourth in the second half, finishing the game with 12 points. We like the confidence and energy that Hanin plays with. He clearly enjoys playing the game, and his body language is always positive while on the floor.
HOW WILL THIS GAME IMPACT BOTH TEAMS?
We must give credit to SSSAS for coming up with a huge conference home win against the defending champs, and we believe this young team has a chance to contend for the league title down the road if they can stay consistent. Bullis on the other hand has plenty of experience, and we expect them to bounce back quickly.