NHSHF: St. James vs. St. John's
During Saturday's National High School Hoops Festival action, two DMV domiciled private schools got at it, St. James versus St. John's. This tilt pits two perennial high school hoops powers, both in reloading mode.
For a matchup analysis, see below. At the bottom of the page is general NHSHF information.
St. James (MD)
When 70% of your productivity leaves, a program must reload. The St. James Saints face that quandry, yet it’s not as bad as one may think.
“We have a talented team, but we’re young” said associate head coach Don Shopland. Unfortunately, “We don’t have time to be young”.
Resultantly head coach Dan Crete put together “four of the toughest scrimmages”. Despite not having played in an actual game before NHSHF action, “our guys have been punched in the mouth, learned about themselves”.
Schemes: Some things don’t change with St. James, including “We always want to play in the open floor”, shared Shopland of the Saints’ offensive ethos. “We’ve got a talented and versatile team, always putting pressure on the defense. We play in the open court, then go to our secondary (offense) and be proficient”
On defense “we want to be long and soak space” he revealed. “You will probably see us playing a combination of man to man and zone”, both in the full and half court. The goal is “We want you to advance the ball and time is already off the shot clock, and in a way you don’t practice”.
A few players of note: Junior forward Bryce Golden (6’8”, 230 pounds) is known for his punishing interior style, which has in large measure garnered him offers from Richmond, St. Joe’s, Pitt, NC State and Clemson.
Shopland indicated Golden has improved, as “With Bryce, what people are going to see is a guy that’s not just a high motor, athletic guy, but he’s not stretching the court”.
Another junior, forward Isaiah Mucius complements Golden, given his penchant for doing multiple things – finishing, running the floor, scoring in one on one situations. Shopland believes “When efficient nobody in the country and guard him”, while Mucius’ “versatility can keep us in games”, including being an “athletic trail guy who can make plays over the top”.
Xavier, Wake Forest, Oregon, PSU, Va Tech and others have offered.
X-factor: “Certainly everybody talks about our junior class, but we go as Omar Habwe goes” declared Shopland. Why? “He knows how we want, when we want it” was the response. “Stretches the floor, makes plays at the rim”.
A 6’4 plus, 210 pound small/power forward for St. James, expect to see Habwe at Mount St. Mary’s next season.
VS.
St. John’s College (DC)
Last year’s championship Washington Catholic Athletic Conference squad is gone, leaving a gap to fill for head coach Sean McAloon. He put it thusly; "It’s It’s a new, young fresh group. The amount of actual court time that this group has had in high school games, meaningful court time, is few and far between…we’re growing them up as quick as we can".
Schemes: SJC still plans to space the floor, since “Sometimes we’ll go five out, sometimes we’ll go four around one. It will still be motion (based)” and predicated on trusting teammates, said McAloon.
Defensively the coach will try the kitchen sink approach. “We have to figure out what we can do” he shared. “We’re probably going to try and do a lot of things…throw a lot out there”.
A few players of note: Emmanuel Hylton is the ‘old head’ on the team. A 6’4”, 200 pound guard, he’s played three years of varsity for the Cadets, while also starting in last year’s championship tilt. Hylton, University of Sand Diego bound, slashes, passes and has increasingly expanded his shooting range.
An increased role is expected of Tre Wood, the 6’2”, 165 pound, athletic junior guard. “We need big things from him” said McAloon, meaning Wood must not only drive and shoot, but do so consistently, as well as strap up perimeter standouts. PSU, St. Joe’s and Rice have tendered him scholarship opportunities.
X-factor: Richard Njoku (6’5”, 195 pound, junior forward) may hold the key for SJC, as he is the one guy who has demonstrated the ability to clean glass. McAloon wants rebounding by committee, but acknowledged Njoku’s role in that and providing energy as key. Bucknell and Binghamton have offered.
Add Qwanzi Samuels, Jr. to the Cadets’ unsung player list. A 6’6”, 205 pound junior forward, to it’s board gang. James Madison and St. Joe’s have offered him.
