DMV Tip-Off Classic: Westlake vs. St. Mary's Ryken
Two Southern Maryland programs, one public the other private, are matching up in the 5th Annual DMV Tip-Off Classic. The teams in question; Westlake and St. Mary's Ryken.
A look at this game, which tips at 345p, follows. Head down to the page's bottom for general event information.
Westlake (MD)
This year’s Westlake team is 3-0 according to head coach Edward Mouton, great news for any squad, particularly one whose leading returning point producer is hurt and won’t return until January due to a knee injury. The Wolverines apparently are scratching and clawing their way to V’s.
Jeff Simmons has so far led the way; A 6’2”, 210 pound senior guard, Mouton indicated Simmons “Drives the ball to the hole really well and shoots. He’s a double threat. Can play the point or the two”, though must be a shooting guard for Westlake. UMBC has interest in him, as does Livingstone.
A “double-double” guy that Mouton shared figures heavily into this team’s mix is Amir Lawrence, who “is getting around 10, 11, 12 rebounds a game”. Offensively, this 6’4", 220 pound forward is “averaging around 16 points a game” and “is a dual threat” that’s “best driving”. Per Mouton “Lots of DIII schools” are interested, including St. Mary’s, Marymount and others.
The centrality of Lawrence and Simmons is heightened by Edward Mouton’s absence – the coach’s son led Westlake in scoring last year, also garneringFirst team All-SMAC honors. He’s a 6’2”, 150 pound senior shooting guard that has received looks from “Mount St. Mary’s, Morehouse, Virginia State”, St. Mary’s and VA Union”, shared his coach.
How does Westlake skin the proverbial cat?
“We have a spread offense, motion offense, five out offense” revealed Mouton. “We kind of spread it out, dribble drive”. The Wolverines also desire to rack up early points off fast break action. As Mouton put it, “We don’t have a shot clock. If it was, it wouldn’t be a concern”.
Westlake deploys “man to man, pretty much full court” on defense, added Mouton. It goes “For 32 minutes”, basically pressing throughout. As is their trademark, they get after it stopping people.
The formula has worked early in this season. When the younger Mouton returns, results should improve even more for the Wolverines. Opponents don’t want to see that.
St. Mary’s Ryken
In many ways, St. Mary’s Ryken, given in part to its physical distance from other Washington Catholic Athletic Conference schools, is not widely perceived as a true league contender. Though the school is still an hour and a half drive south of D.C., those thoughts may change this season and beyond.
“We’re young, we have more depth than we’ve had, we’re versatile” said head coach Pat Behan of his Knights. Being so gives him the flexibility of tailoring his attack to what the other team brings on both sides of the floor.
What might that be?
On defense, the Knights are primarily a man to man team, though “Not solely” expressed Behan, as “you have to have some stuff up your sleeve”. They preach “Team defense, man to man defense, working together at that end”.
When scoring the Knights' approach is “definitely spread and attack…share the ball, get downhill”, shared their coach. Enter Wynston Tabbs.
Behan labeled Tabbs “a major piece of what we’re doing”, one that’s “off to a great start this season”. He’s a player that “The ball’s in his hands a lot, he can get downhill, score at all three levels” and is embracing leadership.
After “putting in two workouts a day this summer”, Tabbs shared his confidence level is through the roof, a point that’s obvious watching him play; he drives, finishes, shoots and knows the next piece of development will be more finding.
St. Louis, Penn State, LaSalle and others have offered this 6’2”, 165 pound junior guard scholarships, while Cincinnati, Clemson and more are showing interest.
His coach also noted “We feel like when we do spread and attack we have enough good shooters to make them pay”, with senior forward Chris Greene playing a big role in that.
“He’s one of the best shooters on the East Coast” opined Behan of Greene, a guy “when he gets confident and gets one to go in, the second one probably is. We let him shoot”. It’s likely Wheeling Jesuit, where Greene is headed next year, will do the same.
Defensively, 6’4”, 210 pound senior forward Raidell de Pree, a Dutch native, “is one of the best defenders in the area”, a guy Behan assigns the other team’s best frontcourt scorer, with good results. Junior 6’6”, 175 pound junior forward Leeland Eackles “brings great energy on the glass and uses his length”, per the coach.
“We definitely have a group where it’s not just one guy” reiterated Behan. That bodes well for the Knights of St. Mary’s Ryken, a WCAC team certainly on the rise.
