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Oak Hill vs. Toronto Academy & Johnson High School

January 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Future Indiana recruit Troy Williams soars in for a dunk for Oak Hill Academy. (Picture courtesy of OHA)

Future Indiana recruit Troy Williams soars in for a dunk for Oak Hill Academy. (Picture courtesy of OHA)

The Oak Hill Warriors returned from their lengthy holiday break and won convincingly 91-54 over Toronto Academy. The win moves Coach Steve Smith and the Warriors to 18-2 for the season. While the game was never in doubt, the Warriors used this game to shake off the rust since their last game played on December 22nd.

The majority of the team got into the scoring column with four Warriors leading the way with double figures as Troy Williams led the way with 17 points. RJ Curington chipped in 16 points while Sindarius Thornwell added 15 points and sophomore Terrence Phillips finished with 12 points. Ike Iroegue, Lennard Freeman, and Rokas Gustys all had 8 points apiece.

Troy “Double Double” Williams once again led the team in scoring and rebounds with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Williams went 7-13 from the floor for 53.8% while going 3-5 from the FT line. Williams also enjoyed 3 dunks for the game. Williams continues to be the most consistent player on the Oak Hill team thus far this season.

RJ Curington finished with 16 points going 6-12 from the floor (2-5 from the 3 point line) and 2-4 from the FT line. Curington finished with 4 rebounds and dished out 2 assists. Sindarius Thornwell chipped in 15 points going 7-14 from the floor and collected 7 rebounds while dishing out 3 assists. Sophomore Terrence Phillips got into double figures with 12 points going an efficient 5-8 from the floor and 2-2 from the FT line. Phillips had 3 rebounds, 3 steals and led the team with 5 assists.

For the game, Oak Hill shot 38-72 from the floor for 52.8% while knocking down 4-14 from the 3-point line for only 26%. Oak Hill went 11-17 from the FT line for 64.7%. However, the biggest concern for Coach Steve Smith continues to be the turnover to assist ratio. The team dished out 20 assists but also had 21 turnovers, which is uncharacteristic of an Oak Hill team. This is an area where they miss PG Nate Britt who is out with a torn meniscus. Oak Hill moves to 18-2 and plays Johnson High School of Georgia next.

Oak Hill 84 Johnson High School 59

Oak Hill defeated Johnson High School on Saturday night 84-59 and moves to 19-2 for the season. While the Warriors shot consistently from the floor going 32-59 for 54.2%, Coach Steve Smith has to be concerned in three areas for his Warriors. First, the Warriors have been an inconsistent 3-point shooting team and the team only went 2-15 for 13%. Second, the team only shot 18-30 from the FT line for 60% and this was a major reason for their two earlier season losses. Third, the assist to turnover ratio has not been the normal for a typical Oak Hill team. Against Johnson High School, the team dished out 23 assists but also had 16 turnovers.

Oak Hill did have balanced scoring which has been one consistent factor this season and over the years. Leading the way once again was Troy Williams with 23 points going 9-13 from the floor (1-5 from the 3-point line) and went 4-7 from the FT line. Williams also had 5 dunks for the game. He finished with 7 rebounds and dished out 5 assists for another solid all around game.  RJ Curington finished with 21 points going 7-14 from the floor (1-5 from the 3-point line) and went 6-8 from the free throw line. Curington also collected 6 rebounds and dished out 3 assists. 6’8 Junior Rokas Gustys continues to improve and make an impact on the interior. Gustys finished with 12 points going 6-8 from the floor and collected 6 rebounds. He also had 3 block shots and even dished out 2 assists. Sindarius Thornwell added 10 points going 3-8 from the floor (0-2 from the 3-point line) and 4-6 from the FT line. Thornwell had 10 rebounds and dished out 5 assists. Lennard Freeman led the team in rebounding with 11 boards while scoring 9 points. He went 3-3 from the floor and 3-6 from the FT line.

As Oak Hill moves into the second half of the season, the team will benefit from the return of Nate Britt. While Britt has not been putting up huge scoring numbers, it is his leadership on the court that has been sorely missed. For the season, Oak Hill is shooting 46.7% from the floor and only 66.1% from the FT line. The team has shot a dismal 27.4% from the 3-point line. That being said, the most telling statistic is the assist to turnover ratio of 17 assists to 13.2 turnovers. The team is not 19-2 for the season. On the bright side, the team has played consistently on the defensive end of the court and the speed and athleticism of this year’s team has created a lot of turnovers for the opposing teams. They have played good pressure defense and with a few bounces in their favor the team could have easily been a perfect 21-0. If the team can improve in their perimeter shooting, free throws and limit the turnovers in the second half of the season, we see no reason why the Warriors won’t run the table. They have tremendous talent and athleticism and Coach Steve Smith always finds a way to get his team playing at the highest level. We expect no differently moving forward.

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Oak Hill Academy mid year review

January 6, 2013 by Leave a Comment
RJ Curington (center) is one of the top unsigned guards in the country. (PHOTO by Justin Young)

RJ Curington (center) is one of the top unsigned guards in the country. (PHOTO by Justin Young)Tro

Oak Hill moved into the Holiday break with a 17-2 record with losses coming to Paul VI (56-54) in double overtime and a loss to LaLumiere (70-67) at the Iolani Prep Classic in Hawaii. The Warriors will return to action on Monday, January 11th against Toronto Academy at Turner Gymnasium on the campus of Oak Hill Academy.

For most programs, 17-2 midyear record is impressive, but the goals and expectations each and every season at Oak Hill Academy are not “most programs.” That being said, it will be interesting to watch how Coach Steve Smith’s Warriors respond for another tough second half schedule.

Below is a midterm look at the 2012-13 Warriors with their most current statistics.

6’6 2013 Troy Williams (Indiana): The multi-talented WG is unique in his ability to play multiple positions. A natural wing, he can score from any spot on the floor and when his perimeter jumper is falling is a difficult match up for the opposing team. Without question, Williams is a relentless rebounder and his impeccable timing for defensive rebounds is impressive. Williams leads the team in scoring with 15.7 PPG and has connected on 114-220 shots from the floor for 52%. He has converted on 18-60 3-pointers for 30% and has connected on 41-58 FT for 70%. He leads the team in dunks with 49. More importantly, Williams is the team’s leading rebounder with 7.5 RPG and is third with 53 assists. Without question, Williams has been Oak Hill’s most consistent player the first half of the season.

6’5 2013 Sindarius Thornwell (South Carolina): Thornwell is a truly gifted offensive player that has a vast arsenal of offensive skill sets. Thornwell is physically mature with long arms and we consider Thornwell the best defender on the team. He is a tough defender and his ability to put pressure on the offensive player is often under stated. Thornwell is averaging 15.3 PPG going 93-203 from the floor for 46%. He is shooting 22-65 from the 3-point line for 39% and has hit 83-109 FT for 76%. Thornwell leads the team in FT attempts and there are very few guards on the national level that possesses his strength and ability to get to the rim. He is a strong finisher and is a master of iniating contact for fouls. He averages 5.1 RPG and is second of the team with 57 assists.

6’5 2013 R.J. “Microwave” Curington (Unsigned): Curington is a member of the 2011-12 National Championship team and he brings experience and maturity to the team. Properly nicknamed “microwave” simply because he brings instant energy and scoring once he steps onto the court. Curington has a full throttle approach to the game and his effort, enthusiasm, and readiness is appealing. Curington is averaging 13.8 PPG and has shot 96-216 from the floor for 44% while connecting on 30-97 3-pointers for 31%. He has connected on 40-52 FT attempts for 77%. Curington has a strong work ethic and plays with 100% effort 100% of the time.

6’1 2013 Nate Britt (North Carolina): Britt is a true lead PG that knows how to facilitates and control the tempo of the game. Britt has been sidelined with a torn meniscus since the Paul VI game and his services on the court have been truly missed. While Britt has put up modest numbers, it is his calming demeanor and team leader approach that makes him so valuable. Britt is averaging 7.9 PPG going 36-90 from the floor for 40% while connecting on 11-32 3-pointers for 31%. The one stat is really surprised me was his FT shooting percentage. He has only connected on 20-37 FT for 54%. He leads the team in assists 5.3.

6’8 2014 Rokas Gustys: Gustys is a tough and physical player from Lithuania. He is a physically strong PF and is a two handed rebounder. While Gustys is not the most athletic player, he is fundamentally sound and possesses a high basketball IQ. He has nifty feet in the low post area and has extremely soft hands. While Gustys scored the majority of his points on the interior, he has the ability to step out and consistently knock down the perimeter jumper. Gustys is averaging 7.0 PPG going 57-108 from the floor for 53%. Although he has a nice touch, he has struggled at the FT line going 19-39 for only 45%. He averaged 5.7 RPG and look for Gustys to be a major target for his position in the 2014 class.

6’8 2013 Lennard Freeman (Unsigned) Freeman is a physically mature PF that is long and athletic. He is a relentless rebounder and has the ability to defend his position extremely well. He uses his strength and length to his advantage and will do all the necessary things for his team such as blocking shots and taking charges. He does lead the team in charges taken which is a luxury in the low post. Currently, Freeman is averaging 5.1 PPG going 41-77 from the floor for 53% while connecting only on 14-31 FT for 45%. He is averaging 5.6 RPG and should be a high priority of mid major schools.

6’2 2013 Ike Iroegbu (Washington State) Iroegbu is also a member of the 2011-12 OHA National Championship team. Iroegbu is an ultra athletic guard that can easily play both positions. Not many players in the country possess his athleticism and quickness on the court. His leaping ability is off the charts and has the ability to become a solid college prospect. He is currently averaging 5.4 PPG going 38-86 from the floor for 44% while connecting on 8-24 from the 3-point line for 24%. He has connected on 18-30 FT for 60%.

5’10 2014 Terrence Phillips: Phillips is the only sophomore on the team. He is one to put into your SIM CARD for future references. Phillips provides depth at the PG position, but his full throttle approach and game changing defensive prowess will be giving offensive players fits for years to come. He has an excellent shooting touch and proper fundamentals/technique and has the ability to create his own shot off the dribble.

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Oak Hill Loses in Double OT: 56 game winning streak comes to an end

December 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment

This past weekend, Oak Hill traveled to the Washington DC area to play a pair of games. First up, was a homecoming game for Troy Williams and the game on Saturday was a homecoming game for Nate Britt.

Last Thursday night, Oak Hill trounced Kecoughton HS by the score of 82-45. Leading the way was hometown hero Troy Williams who netted a double double. Williams scored 24 points going 11-17 from the floor (1-4 from the 3 point line) and had 4 monster dunks. He grabbed 13 rebounds with 10 being on the defensive end. In addition, he dished out 3 assists for another outstanding game. All this was done in 20 minutes of action.

Sindarius Thornwell continued his outstanding play by scoring 16 points going 6-11 from the floor (4-7 from the 3 point line) and had one dunk during the contest. Coming into the game, Thornwell had the reputation of a player that loved attacking the rim and not one of being a prolific 3-point shooter. That being said, Thornwell had improved his outside shooting touch and is becoming a more complete player. Thornwell did have only 3 rebounds but managed 4 steals for the game. We have often spoken about his defensive intensity and he again proved us correct.

Lennard Freeman was the only other Oak Hill player in double figures as he tallied 10 points going 5-7 from the floor. He grabbed 7 rebounds and had 2 steals and blocked shots for a solid performance in 19 minutes of play. Rounding out the scoring for Oak Hill was Ike Iroegbu with 9 points, Nate Britt with 7 points, Terrence Phillips and Rokas Gustys with 5 points apiece. RJ Curington had a quiet game with 4 points.

For the game, Oak Hill shot 35-69 from the floor for 50.7% while only netting 4-8 from the free throw line for 50%. Poor foul shooting has been a problem for the team and will need to improve. The team shot 8-21 from the 3-point line for 38% and collected 46 rebounds. Oak Hill dished out 25 assists as a team to only 16 turnovers, which is good but not great. Oak Hill now moves to 12-0 for the season and travels to Washington DC to play Paul VI.

56 Winning streak comes to an end

Oak Hill came into the game against Paul VI with a 56 game winning streak and just 9 games short of the Oak Hill record. Oak Hill lost a heart breaker in double OT to Paul VI by the score of 56-54. What makes the lost more depressing is Oak Hill probably played their worst game of the year and still had a chance to win the game. Oak Hill shot only 32.3% from the floor going 21-65 (while going 4-22 from the 3 point line for 18%) but the game was simply lost at the free throw line. Oak Hill went a dismal 8-18 for 44.4% and after looking at the stats; you can only imagine that the powerful Warriors were even in the game. In addition, Oak Hill had more turnovers (12) than assists (9).

RJ Curington led the way for Oak Hill with 21 points and 8 rebounds. He went 8-18 from the floor (3-10 from the 3 point line) Curington went 2-2 from the free throw line and was the one bright spot for the Warriors.

Troy Williams finished with 14 points and grabbed 9 rebounds for the game. Williams went 6-15 from the floor (0-5 from the 3 point line) and went 2-6 from the free throw line. He did have 3 steals but had 4 turnovers as well.

The only other player in double figures was Sindarius Thornwell with 10 points. Thornwell went 4-14 from the floor (0-2 from the 3 point line) and 2-4 from the free throw line. Thornwell collected 4 rebounds but also had 4 turnovers for the game.

Curington, Williams, and Thornwell have been the BIG THREE all season for the Warriors and the supporting cast did little to help the cause. Nate Britt was playing injured and only tallied 3 points going 1-8 from the floor (1-4 from the 3 point line) Britt had 5 rebounds, 5 assists and only had 3 turnovers. It should be noted that Britt played with a torn meniscus and will be out for a minimum of 6 weeks.

Oak Hill will be off a week for exams before traveling to Columbia, SC to play a double header before heading off to Hawaii for a pre-Christmas tournament. Oak Hill is now 12-1 for the season.

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Oak Hill goes to 11-0and extends winning streak to 55 games

December 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Oak Hill traveled to Benton, Kentucky last weekend for a serious challenge for the young season, but the Warriors coached by Steve Smith came ready and prepared for the challenge. Not only were they prepared for the challenge; Oak Hill had two impressive wins at the 17th Annual Marshall County Hoopfest Challenge. In the first game, it was all Oak Hill from the opening tip off to the ending buzzer as the Warriors captured a 72-39 win over Chicago Curie on Friday night. In the second game for Oak Hill on Saturday night, they cruised to an 89-73 win over Memphis Southwind.

In the 72-39 win over Chicago Curie, the game was quickly determined by the end of the first quarter and all twelve players received adequate playing time. Leading the way for Oak Hill has been Mr. Reliable Troy Williams with a game high 16 points. Williams went 6-11 from the floor (0-3 from the 3 point line) and 4-7 from the free throw line. He had 3 impressive dunks in transition and collected 5 defensive rebounds, which has become his specialty. He completed his all around performance with 2 steals, 4 blocked shots and dishing out 1 assist. (Not a bad stat line for just 22 minutes of play!)

RJ “Microwave” Curington also enjoyed a solid game in 18 minutes of action. Curinton finished with 15 points going 6-11 from the floor (2-3 from the 3 point line) and 1-3 from the free throw line. Curington also collected 5 rebounds; had 1 steal and dished out 2 assists. Curington’s play this season for Oak Hill warrants strong consideration from high major schools looking for a high-energy player that can simply score buckets. In our opinion, too many programs are sleeping on him.

Sindarius Thornwell finished with 9 points going 2-8 from the floor (1-4 from the 3 point line) but knocked in 4-4 from the free throw line. Thornwell did have 2 rebounds; 1 steal and dished out 4 assists in 16 minutes of action. 6’8 junior Rokas Gustys chipped in 9 points going 3-4 from the floor and 3-3 from the free throw line. He led the team with 6 rebounds, but also had 1 steal, 2 blocks, and 1 assist in 19 minutes of action. While Gustys lacks the athleticism, he has nifty feet in the post and soft hands that will garnish him high major interest for teams looking for a highly skilled power forward that have a great feel for the game.

Others that got into the scoring column for Oak Hill was 5’10 sophomore PG Terrence Phillips with 8 points, Nate Britt with 6 points, Ike Iroegbu with 4 points, Gonzalo Santana with 3 points, and Khadim Dieng finished with 2 points.

For the game, Oak Hill shot 24-51 from the floor for 47.1% (6-16 from the 3 point line for 37.5%) and 18-27 from the free throw line for 66.7%. The team dished out 19 assists to 17 turnovers and if there is one Achilles heel for the Oak Hill 2012-13 team is the assist to turnover ratio. Oak Hill moves to 9-0 and extends their winning streak to 53 games.

Next up was Memphis Southwind and coming in this was supposed to be Oak Hill’s biggest challenge of the season. Like the night before, Oak Hill stepped on the accelerator early and never let off. Oak Hill won 89-73 and the score of the game was closer than the actual contest. Again, all twelve players received adequate playing time and Coach Steve Smith knew early that his team would move to 10-0 for the season and see their winning streak stretch out to 54 games. Leading the way for Oak Hill was Sindarius Thornwell as he was simply sensational in all areas of the game. He had a team high 33 points going 11-18 from the floor (3-4 from the 3 point line) and 8-11 from the free throw line. He also had a team high 8 rebounds and team high 6 assists. It’s not too often one player will lead the team in points scored, rebounds and assists! Offensively, he was scoring from all parts of the floor. He knocked down 3-4 three pointers but also used his strength and power to have two rim punishing dunks. Defensively, he has been excellent all season long and again he was splendid as he had two steals. Without question, Thornwell put on a clinic and show for all in attendance.

RJ “Mircowave” Curington finished with 19 points going 8-15 from the floor (2-5 from the 3 point line) and 1-1 from the free throw line. He had 3 rebounds, 3 steals and 4 assists for another impressive stat line for the unsigned senior.  Senior PG Nate Britt also finished in double digit scoring with 10 points going 3-8 from the floor (1-1 from the 3 point line) and 3-5 from the free throw line. Britt also had 3 steals and dished out 5 assists. Troy Williams finished with 9 points going 4-9 from the floor (1-3 from the 3 point line). Williams only managed 3 rebounds this game but was very unselfish and passed out 5 assists.

For the game, Oak Hill shot 34-62 for 54.8% (8-14 from the 3 point line for 57%) while only going 13-23 from the free throw line for 56.5%. Oak Hill had team high 24 assists to only 13 turnovers. Oak Hill moves to 10-0 for the season and extends their winning streak to 54.

 

After returning from a successful Marshall County Hoopfest, the Warriors came home to play a tough and aggressive Flora MacDonald team. Without question, this is one of those trap games where the team is riding high and playing exceptionally well. Oak Hill came out a little flat and couldn’t find a rhythm throughout the game, but found a way in the second half to pull out a 58-50 win. Without question, the game was much closer than the final score. At the end of the first quarter, Flora MacDonald led by one while Oak Hill did manage to go into halftime with a 3 point lead. Again for Oak Hill, it was the BIG THREE of Sindarius Thornwell, Troy Williams and RJ Curington leading the way. Since the Thanksgiving break, Thornwell has been playing at a high elite level and his performance was needed to secure the win over a tough, pesky and aggressive Flora MacDonald team. Thornwell finished with a game high 25 points going 6-13 from the floor and 11-13 from the free throw line. The strong and athletic WG is simply too much to handle in attacking the rim. He either finishes with authority or gets fouled in the process. In addition, Thornwell grabbed 8 rebounds, had 2 steals, blocked 4 shots and dished out 2 assists for another all around outstanding performance. The only negative for Thornwell was the 4 turnovers. Next up was Troy “Bounce” Williams as he scored 14 points and grabbed team high 9 rebounds. Williams went 3-10 from the floor (2-3 from the 3 point line) and 6-9 from the free throw line. Williams also blocked 3 shots and dished out 3 assists, but also got a little careless with the ball as he too committed 4 turnovers. RJ Curington finished with 14 points going 4-12 from the floor (2-6 from the 3 point line) and 4-4 from the free throw line. Curington also dished out 3 assists to round out his stat line. While Nate Britt only finished with 2 points going 1-3 from the floor (0-2 from the 3 point line) he did contribute in other areas of the game. He grabbed 7 rebounds and collected 3 steals and dishing out 3 assists. Britt played all 32 minutes of the game.

Overall, Oak Hill survived the trap game but it wasn’t without a tremendous effort by Coach Derrick Bond and Flora MacDonald. For the game, Oak Hill only shot 15-47 from the floor for 31.9% (6-20 from the 3 point line for 30%) Fortunately, the Warriors were more proficient from the free throw line going 22-28 for 78.6% with the majority of them coming from the BIG THREE driving and aggressively attacking the basket for fouls. On a day when the outside shots were not falling, Oak Hill found the best scoring option was attacking the basket or simply getting fouled and going to the free throw line. On the other hand, Oak Hill had zero dunks for the contest as Flora MacDonald did an outstanding job of getting back in transition which few teams have enjoyed succeeding at! While Oak Hill did control the board with 38 rebounds with 17 being offensive tells the entire story and more importantly Oak Hill had more turnovers than assist with 13 to 12.

That being said, Oak Hill moves to 11-0 for the season and runs it winning streak to 55 games, just 10 games short of the Oak Hill record. Great teams find a way to win and on this night, Coach Steve Smith and his Warriors overcame a dismal shooting performance but found a way to win.

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Oak Hill wins 52nd game in a row

November 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment

After a long Thanksgiving break, Coach Steve Smith and his nationally ranked Warriors returned to action Wednesday night with an impressive 92-59 win over New Hope Christian (formerly Thomasville Prep) at storied Turner Gymnasium on the Oak Hill campus. Oak Hill completed dominated action early as they jumped out to an early 24-4 lead and maintained a 49-20 half time lead. According to Coach Steve Smith, “Oak Hill played their best half of basketball during the first half. The team was clicking on all cylinders and the play of Sindarius Thornwell was off the charts.”

It was an overall impressive performance for Oak Hill as they shot a blistering 62.1% from the floor going 36-58. They also were dialed in from the 3-point territory as they connected on 8-17 for 47% and went 12-16 from the free throw line for 75%. Oak Hill completed dominated the boards as they collected 44 rebounds with 33 being on the defensive end. More importantly, the team was very unselfish as they dished out team high 24 assists to only 16 turnovers. Every player received adequate minutes and everyone got into the scoring act!

As Coach Smith stated, “Sindarius Thornwell was off the charts.” Thornwell finished with a game high 27 points going 11-14 from the floor for 78.6%, but made 5-6 three pointers for 83.3%. While Thornwell was definitely in “the zone” Wednesday night, he was playing an outstanding all around game. Thornwell also grabbed 6 rebounds; 2 steals; 1 block shot; but more importantly dished out 5 assists. While Thornwell’s play thus far has been solid and productive, this game was the coming out party for Thornwell at Oak Hill.

The only other player to score in double digits for the Warriors was Mr. Reliable Troy Williams. Williams finished with 11 points going 4-7 from the floor with 3 of them being monster dunks in transition. He went 3-3 from the free throw line and has gone 30-36 for the season from the charity stripe for an impressive 83.3%. Those are pretty good numbers for someone coming in not known for having a pure stroke. Williams also corralled 8 rebounds (all coming from the defensive end) and had 3 steals while dishing out 4 assists.

Four other Warriors finished with 8 points including Nate Britt, RJ Curington, Lennard Freeman and Rokas Gustys. Nate Britt went 2-5 from the floor and managed going a perfect 4-4 from the free throw line. Britt also had 3 steals and 7 assists with the only negative being 4 turnovers. RJ “microwave” Curington went 3-6 from the floor and 2-4 from the free throw line. He grabbed 5 rebounds and dished out 2 assists. Lennard Freeman had another workmanlike performance as he went 4-6 from the floor and grabbed 8 rebounds and had 2 blocked shots. Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon was on hand to watch Freeman and had to be pleased with his performance. Rokas Gustys also went 4-6 from the floor and grabbed 7 rebounds and had 3 block shots.

Others that got into the scoring column was Khadim Dieng with 6 points; Terrence Phillips with 5 points; while Vic Ieronmymides, Ike Iroegbu, Gonzalo Santana, and Chris Tang all chipped in 3 points each. Oak Hill now moves to 8-0 for the season and extended the winning streak to 52 games over the past two seasons. Oak Hill will travel to Benton, Kentucky this Friday to participate in the Marshall Country Hoopfest where they will play Memphis Southwind and Chicago Curie.

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Oak Hill vs. Moravian Prep

November 27, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Prior to the Thanksgiving break, nationally ranked and defending national champs Oak Hill Academy defeated a strong Moravian Prep of Lenoir, NC by the score of 81-64. Oak Hill now moves to a perfect 7-0 heading into Thanksgiving. In addition, Coach Steve Smith and his Warriors have gone a perfect 51-0 over the past two seasons.

Leading the way for Oak Hill again was the 1-2 scoring punch of 6’6 Troy Williams and 6’5 RJ Curington. Unsigned senior RJ Curington led the way with 19 points going 6-13 from the floor (2-6 from the 3 point line) and 5-7 from the free throw line. Curington continues to have a stellar season for the Warriors. Troy Williams enjoyed another double double by scoring 16 points and grabbing 10 rebounds with seven of them being defensive rebounds. Williams went 5-8 from the floor (1-3 from the 3 point line) and 5-7 from the free throw line. More importantly for Williams, he had 3 steals, 1 block, and 4 assists for a solid all around performance. As we have previously stated, Williams is playing at the pre-AAU season level and should see his stock continue to rise, plus should be in strong consideration for the McDonald All American game. From top to bottom, Williams has expanded his skill set and is clearly the early MVP for the nationally ranked Warriors. Not many players have the ability to dominate the defensive boards and start and finish a fast break with his ball handling and passing skills.

6’2 PG Nate Britt also enjoyed a solid all around game as he logged in a team high 28 minutes. Britt finished with 13 points going 5-12 from the floor (1-3 from the 3 point line) but went a disappointing 2-6 from the free throw line. Britt did collect 4 rebounds and netted 3 steals, but the best statistic was his 6 assists to only one turnover. Britt’s value sometimes may go unnoticed, but the ultimate lead guard always seems in control and his ability to run team efficiency and effectively is tremendous.

6’5 Sindarius Thornwell game of consistency continued as he had 9 points going 4-9 from the floor (1-3 from the 3 point line). Thornwell also grabbed 10 rebounds and was awarded team high 6 assists with Britt. The only negative for Thornwell was a team high 5 turnovers. That being said, Thornwell brings a tough defensive approach to the game and rebounds his position as well as anyone in the country. Without question, he sets the tones defensively for the Warriors.

6’8 Lennard Freeman and 6’8 Rokas Gustys continue to be the glue guys on the interior. Both have a workmanlike approach to the game and scored 8 and 9 points respectively. Freeman went 4-6 from the floor and missed his only free throw opportunity. Freeman grabbed 4 rebounds, but also blocked 4 shots. On the other hand, Gustys finished with 9 points going 4-6 from the floor, but shot poorly from the free throw line going a disappointing 1-5. Gustys does have a soft shooting touch and has the ability to be a good shooting big man. Gustys corralled 7 rebounds and recorded one block and steal. Freeman has raw potential and his physically gifted while his counterpart Gustys has the nibble footwork and soft hands on the interior.

Rounding out the scoring for Oak Hill was 6’2 senior Ike Iroegbu and 5’11 sophomore Terrence Phillips with 6 and 5 points respectively. Phillips also dished out 4 assists. Both Iroegbu and Phillips brings instant energy and elite level athleticism off the bench and can get after it defensively.

Oak Hill will entertain Thomasville Prep on Wednesday, November 28th before traveling to the Marshall County Hoopfest this coming weekend. Oak Hill has now won 51 games in a row and could challenge the old time winning streak of 65. This year’s Oak Hill team is balanced and has a nice blend of complementing pieces for another nationally championship run. They are aggressive and create havoc with overall team speed and defensive pressure and no one is better at maximizing talent as Hall of Fame coach Steve Smith. 

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Oak Hill moves to 6-0 with hard fought win over High Point Christian

November 15, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Oak Hill entertained a tough and talented High Point Christian team coached by Brandon Clifford on Tuesday night. Oak Hill moved to 6-0 for the season before Coach Steve Smith and the Oak Hill Warriors were able to pull away in the final quarter of play for a 79-63 win over the visiting Cougars from High Point Christian. There were several story lines, but the sold out Turner Gymnasium was packed with fans from both schools. The gym was loud and raucous at times and had it’s own share of webs and flows to the game. High Point Christian won the 1st and 3rd quarter while Oak Hill won the 2nd and 4th quarter and more importantly the game.

High Point Christian jumped out to an early 20-15 first quarter lead before a strong 2nd quarter by Oak Hill as they outscored the Cougars 22-10 and went into the locker room at half time with a 37-30 lead. High Point was able to get into the lane off dribble penetration and out hustled the Warriors at times and closed the gap by outscoring the Warriors 18-14 in the 3rd quarter and trailed 51-48. That being said, the nationally ranked Warriors went on a 4th quarter run and outscored High Point Christian by the score of 28-15 for a tough 79-63 victory.

The one Achilles Heal for Oak Hill has been their perimeter shooting especially from the 3-point area and again it was a concern for Coach Smith on Tuesday night. The Warriors went 5-21 from the beyond the arc for a disappointing 24% and it was just an off night shooting overall. Oak Hill went 47% from the floor going 31-66, but the most disappointing statistic was going 12-23 for 52.2% from the free throw line. It was another balanced scoring attack for Oak Hill as 6’7 Troy Williams (Indiana) led the way with 21 points. Williams went 9-15 from the floor and went 1-1  from the free throw line. He was also the team’s leading rebounder with 11; dished out 3 assists and was clearly the most productive and best player on the court. 6’5 senior Sindarius Thornwell (South Carolina) finished with 14 points going 5-9 from the floor and 4-6 from the free throw line. He tallied 7 rebounds and played another stellar all around defensive game. 6’1 senior PG Nate Britt (UNC) finished with 11 points going 3-7 from the floor and 5-7 from the free throw line. He also had 3 steals and dished out 2 assists. 6’2 senior guard Ike Iroegbu (Washington State) provided a spark off the bench with 10 points going 4-7 from the floor but went 0-3 from the free throw line. Iroegbu also dished out 2 assists. 6’5 senior RJ Curington (uncommitted) chipped in 9 points and struggled from the floor. He went 4-11 from the floor and 1-5 from the 3-point line. Curington grabbed 3 rebounds and dished out a team high 3 assists. 5’11 sophomore PG Terrence Phillips also provided a spark off the bench with his hustle and quickness. He finished with 7 points going 3-10 from the floor and 1-2 from the free throw line, but more importantly grabbed 5 rebounds.

High Point Christian also enjoyed a balanced scoring tally as well. Four players were in double digit scoring with 6’6 Jackson Kent (James Madison University) led the way with 16 points and 11 rebounds. 6’7 Mike Kobani (Appalachian State) also achieved a double- double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. 5’11 PG Diante Baldwin (UNC-G) enjoyed a solid all around game as he tallied 11 points, 8 assists and grabbed 9 rebounds. 5’11 junior Joey McLean also chipped in 12 points for the Cougars from High Point.

For Oak Hill, it was another early season test and again showed the resiliency of a championship team. There were times in the game when the Warriors bent but didn’t break, but found a way to close out High Point Christian. Both teams can takes positives for the game. As usual, Oak Hill will take everyone’s best shot and on a night where they had an off game was able to find a path to victory, which is a mark of a well-coached team. Oak Hill now moves to 6-0 and entertains Moravian Prep Thursday night. For High Point Christian, Coach Brandon Clifford can build on the momentum of playing toe to toe against one of the top teams in the country, if not the test. While High Point opened up their season with a loss, it will be a big momentum booster to them as they battle in the tough NCISAA 3 A.

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The perfect season

February 29, 2012 by 3 Comments

Source: Instragram

The Record

Coming into the 2011-12 season, Coach Steve Smith and Oak Hill had won the mythical national championship seven times (1993, 1994, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005, and 2007).  In addition, Oak Hill has been runners-up six times (1990, 1992, 2000, 2002, 2006 and 2009) and in 2009, the Warriors were 40-0 before losing the final game of the season. Ironically, Coach Smith and Oak Hill captured the most wins in school history with 40 wins in 2006 and 2009 but failed to win the national championship.  Overall, Coach Smith had an impressive 816-53 record for a winning percentage of 94% as Oak Hill continues to play one of the toughest schedules year in and year out. During this time frame, Coach Smith had recorded three 40 win seasons and was named the National High School Coach of the Year by USA Today in 1994, 1999, and 2004 and just recently was named the Naismith Coach of the Year for the 2011-12 season making it the second time he has received this prestigious honor and is the only coach to win the award twice.  And like any great head coach, he is surrounded by a high quality staff of assistant coaches such as Coach Bryan Meagher, Coach Wilbur Allen, and Coach Taylor Conn. Coach Meagher is in his ninth year as an assistant coach while Coach Allen and Coach Conn are in their fourth season with the Warriors. In addition, Coach Allen is a 2001 Oak Hill graduate and was a member of the Oak Hill national runner-up team in 2000 as well as the National Championship team of 2001.

 The Beginning

In our October 9th issue of the Phenom Hoop Report, we wrote the following: Last season, Oak Hill finished 29-4 and Coach Smith stated “that is totally unacceptable at Mouth of Wilson.” Coming into the 2011-12 season, the roster was solid but was missing some of the marquee names that had won the Warrior uniform. There was no Brandon Jennings, Carmelo Anthony, Doron Lamb, Jerry Stackhouse, Josh Smith, Rajon Rondo, Tywon Lawson, Kevin Durant, Rod Strickland, or Ron Mercer. We even stated, “They may not have any players that will make the McDonald’s All American team such as Quinn Cook of last year’s team and current member of Duke University.”  That being said, there seemed to be a “quiet optimism” on the “Hill” concerning this year’s 2011-12 team. Many scouting gurus stated this year’s team had more depth and quality than the prior year, but the idea of Oak Hill going undefeated wasn’t in the conversation early on especially with the difficult schedule Coach Smith had put together. While the backcourt was especially strong, very few thought this year’s team had the high elite level player on the roster to separate themselves from other nationally ranked teams in the country.

In this year’s Oak Hill Warriors media guide, the theme for the upcoming season was “Win as One” and they did exactly that! Aristotle once stated “the sum is greater than the individual parts” and this phrase could not have been more fitting than this year’s team. Going into the season, Oak Hill didn’t even have a “lock” player for the prestigious McDonald All American team. However, as the season progressed, the Warriors had three strong candidates in 6’5 Jordan Adams, 6’3 D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera and 5’11 Tyler Lewis. Lewis was recently named to the McDonald All American team and became the 28th Warrior to be worthy of this honor. (And in our opinion, both Adams and Smith-Rivera equally deserved) That being said, no statement captured this year’s team better than Coach Steve Smith quote in the current media guide that stated “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships” and this philosophy could not be more fitting. Even current board member Marshall Frank wrote the following, “I have followed Steve Smith and his Oak Hill Warriors for many years first as a fan, second as a parent and now as a member of the Board of Trustees. I’m not an expert, but I do study people very closely and have a simple observation about the 2011-12 Oak Hill Team. My primary observation about this team is that it has the best team chemistry of any Oak Hill team observed over the past 15-20 years. These kids “have each other’s backs” and revel in seeing their teammates succeed. No wonder they have set a winning record.”

While many people think it is easy coaching a high profile team with talented players across the country, one of the most difficult jobs as a coach is to get players to “buy into the system” and make sacrifices for the sake of the team. This year’s team had an influx of new players and all of them “was the man” on their perspective high school team. While Oak Hill returned Jordan Adams, Damien Wilson, AJ Hammons, RJ Curington and Victor Ieronymides, Coach Smith brought in players like D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera, Tyler Lewis, Jordan Tebutt, Montarius Hall, Ike Iroegbu and Darion Clark.  You had a team of players from five different states and one foreign country. (Indiana, North Carolina, Georgia, California, Oregon and Cyprus).

Month of October

On the back of the Oak Hill 2011-12 media guide, the quote by former UCLA John Wooden stated “It’s amazing what can be accomplishedwhen no one cares who gets the credit” and his philosophy and mindset by the Oak Hill team enabled them to a perfect 44-0 and become the winnginest team in Oak Hill history and it all started in the preparation leading up to the month of October. Oak Hill open up the pre-season with scrimmage games against Fork Union Military Academy, Massanuttan Military and an early regular season game against Covenant Christian of Atlanta, Georgia. While Oak Hill cruised to wins over the FUMA, Massanuttan and Covenant Christian, the game that meant more to Coach Steve Smith, staff and players was the October 25th scrimmage against a loaded Hargrave Military Academy in Roanoke, Virginia. A year ago Hargrave dismantled Oak Hill and that devastating loss set the tone for a disappointing 29-4 record. However, this year would be different and the mindset of the players and the preparation of the coaching staff would set the tone for the perfect season. The Oak Hill vs. Hargrave Military Academy was a marquee game with plenty of talent on both sides. The teams would play two 20 minute halves and an extra period of a 12 minute running clock. The halftime score was Oak Hill 49 and Hargrave 44. The second half was a mirror image of the first half in terms of the score as Oak Hill outscored Hargrave 47-42 and won the scrimmage by the score of 96-86. (The final extra period of a 12 minute running clock ending up in a16-16 tie) Without question, the implications of this game was more than just a scrimmage as both teams played with intensity and passion as if the game was for the national championship. What’s more impressive is Hargrave Military has also gone undefeated this season. For Oak Hill, it was the beginning of something special!

 Month of November

Oak Hill then travelled to Winston-Salem, North Carolina to play against a talented Quality Education Academy. Last season, QEA led Oak Hill by 18 before the Warriors rallied back to win by one.  The game was being played at Lawrence Joel Veteran Memorial Coliseum (home of the Wake Forest University) Oak Hill won in an impressive fashion by the score of 84-69. Leading the way for the Warriors were Jordan Adams with 23, Tyler Lewis with 19 points and 14 assists, D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera with 18 points and AJ Hammons with 6 points, 9 rebounds and 9 block shots. Oak Hill moved to 2-0 on the season (not counting scrimmage wins over FUMA, Massanuttan Military and Hargrave Military) Oak Hill finished off the month of November with an 11-0 record before heading off to play in the 16th Annual Marshall County Hoopfest in Benton, Kentucky.

Month of December

This would be a big test for the Warriors as they would play back to back games against Hales Franciscan of Chicago, Illinois and then nationally ranked LaLumiere HS of Indiana. On Friday night, December 2nd, Oak Hill dismantles Hales Franciscan by the score of 108-66. Oak Hill broke open the game in the second quarter and went on to a 108-66 victory. 6’3 senior SG D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera led the team in scoring with 22 points. Jordan Adams chipped in 19 points. 7’0 center AJ Hammons continued his stellar play this season by having a monster all around game. He finished with 12 points and grabbed 9 rebounds and blocked 7 shots. Tyler Lewis enjoyed another double-double as he finished with 12 points and dished out 10 assists. While Oak Hill was winning in a convincing factor, LaLumiere enjoyed the night off and was sitting courtside with the luxury of scouting their opponent the following night. That being said, Oak Hill came out focused and came away with an impressive 77-59 victory. Oak Hill was led by D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera as he tallied 26 points while Jordan Adams chipped in 20 points. AJ Hammons finished with 14 points, 9 rebounds and 5 block shots while 5’11 PG Tyler Lewis tallied 13 points.

The next big challenge for Oak Hill was the marquee matchup at the 5th Annual Team Takeover High School Hoops Festival at the famed DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, Maryland. This early season game was between nationally ranked power house teams in Oak Hill Academy and Grace Prep Academy. Grace Prep featured 7’0 Isaiah Austin who is considered one of the top players in the country.  Oak Hill entered the game with a 14-0 record while Grace Prep was undefeated with a 7-0 record. While Oak Hill came into the contest as the higher ranked team, the general consensus among many of the scouting services in attendance was Grace Prep had more individual talent and was clearly the more athletic of the two teams. While Oak Hill came away with a hard fought 68-59 victory, there were plenty of story lines associated with this game. PG Tyler Lewis led Oak Hill in scoring with 23 points, but also dished out 5 assists and grabbed 5 rebounds. Jordan Adams finished with 19 points along with 8 rebounds while D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera chipped in 15 points. 7’0 Center AJ Hammons tallied 9 points but finished with 10 rebounds. Oak Hill moved to 15-0 and the next big challenge for the Warriors was against nationally ranked Millers Grove of Atlanta, Georgia. This game was being played at Morehouse College and was nationally televised on ESPN. Oak Hill hung on for the 82-79 win and was led in scoring by D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera with 20 points while Tyler Lewis chipped in 18 points and dished out 8 assists. Jordan Adams tallied 13 points while Montarius Hall came off the bench for 10 points. Oak Hill then moved to 17-0 and still had eight games remaining on their demanding December schedule.

The next challenge for Oak Hill was the Chick-Fil-A Tournament that was held in Columbia, South Carolina. Oak Hill entered the tournament with an 18-0 record and opened up against a solid West Town team from West Town, PA. Oak Hill was clicking on all cylinders and won going away by the score of 93-43. The next night, Oak Hill faced a scrappy and home town favorite and defending South Carolina 2A State Champions W.J. Keenan. Oak Hill survived a scare as they preserved a 68-67 victory. Leading the way for Oak Hill was Tyler Lewis with 18 points and 7 assists while backcourt mate D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera chipped in 14 points. In addition, Jordan Adams tallied 14 points. AJ Hammons did not play in this game and his inside presence was solely missed. Without question, Oak Hill dodged a major bullet in this game.. Oak Hill moved to 20-0 and faced another nationally ranked team in Paul VI for the tournament championship.  This time around, the Warriors played to their potential and won in an impressive fashion by the score of 76-55. D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera led the way with 17 points, Darion Clark chipped in 16 points while Jordan Adams finished with 12 points. Tyler Lewis scored 6 points but broke the single game assist record at the tournament with a game high 15 assists. D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera was named Tournament MVP. Oak Hill moved to 21-0 and had a few days off before heading out to Portland, Oregon to play in the Les Schwab Invitational. Oak Hill steamrolled in their first three games before playing yet another nationally ranked team in Jesuit of Portland, Oregon. Oak Hill played well enough to win and came away with a 57-50 victory. In the championship game, D’Vauntes Smith came up big with 23 points while backcourt mate Tyler Lewis chipped in 10 points and his play in the three previous games were enough to earn him Tournament MVP. After a brutal 15 game December schedule, Oak Hill finished the 2011 calendar year with a 25-0 record. The team headed home for a well deserved 10 day break.

Month of January

The team returned back to school and had a game against Christian Faith Academy. Oak Hill won easily by the score of 87-57 and was gearing for its next marquee game against another nationally ranked team in Prestonwood High School of Texas led by 6’9 Julius Randle and 6’10 Zach Peters. Like previous games against nationally ranked competition, the Warriors were clicking on all cylinders by winning in a convincing matter. Oak Hill won easily by the score of 85-55 and the buzz surrounding this year’s team was growing. Jordan Adams led the team in scoring with 23 points while D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera chipped in 16 points. In addition, Tyler Lewis enjoyed another double-double by scoring 15 points and dishing out 10 assists. Oak Hill then moved to 27-0 and went on to finish out the month of January with an impressive 32-0 record.

Month of February

The next challenge on the Oak Hill schedule was against Arlington Country Day and after a tight first half, the Warriors turned up the defensive intensity in the second half for a 77-52 victory. The backcourt trio of Smith-Rivera, Adams and Lewis led the way once again as they tallied 55 of the 77 points scored. The Warriors then played on back to back nights but the game that decided the fate for the balance of the season was against Christ School when Oak Hill won in overtime by the score of 71-63. D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera had a monster game as he tallied 37 points while Jordan Adams contributed 14 points while Tyler Lewis chipped in 8 points while battling a stomach virus. The Warriors showed tremendous resiliency and moved to 35-0 for the season and the once “quiet optimism” back in October was starting to grow. It was no longer a “quiet optimism” but one of anticipation and excitement. With nine games remaining, the staff and players all knew they had a chance and opportunity to do something special. One roadblock was a road trip to Red Springs, NC to face a dangerous Flora McDonald team that eventually went on to win the NCISAA State Championship in their classification. The Warriors entered the contest with a 40-0 record with a possibility of breaking the single season win record. That being said, Oak Hill came ready to play and won going away by the score of 73-51 as Jordan Adams and D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera both scored 24 points while Tyler Lewis chipped in 12 points and 10. With this win, the 2011-12 Oak Hill Warriors became the winningest team in school history with three more home games. Oak Hill went on to win in convincing fashion as they etched their names in the history books at the storied high school program.

Win as One

The team that started the season with no marquee names came together to “Win as One.” The hard work and dedication by the players and coaches all started from day one when the team arrived on campus in late August. Coach Smith often stated he really liked the work ethic and togetherness this year’s team exhibited. The togetherness carried throughout the season and Coach Smith’s quote “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships” will be the torch for the 2011-12 Oak Hill Warriors team. Coach Smith won lost record now stands at 860-53. Earlier in the season Coach Smith stated “he really liked this team and hoped he would still like them comeFebruary.” Well, February has come and gone and my guess is he likes this team even better.

2011-12 Roster

Tyler Lewis
Ike Iroegbu
D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera
RJ Curington
Jordan Adams
Damien Wilson
Victor Ieronymides
Jordan Tebutt
Darion Clark
Montarius Hall
AJ Hammons

Head Coach Steve Smith
Assistant Coach Bryan Meagher
Assistant Coach Wilbur Allen
Assistant Coach Taylor Conn

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Les Schwab Invitational: Semi-Finals

December 30, 2011 by Leave a Comment

In the night’s first semi-final game between Central Catholic and Jesuit, the game was nip and tuck from start to finish. Jesuit was able to squeeze out a 52-50 victory over a scrappy Central Catholic team that upset national powerhouse Riverside Academy by a demanding margin the night before.  For Jesuit, the story line of the game was balance as 10 players got into the scoring column. Jesuit is a fundamentally sound team that is patience on the offensive end of the court and has constant movement on offense. They simply are a “pure” basketball team that knows how to maximize their talent and has depth at every position on the court. From a purist point of view, Jesuit is a team that executes to perfection and will flat wear down the opposing team on the defensive end of the floor. What’s even more impressive is the fact that not one single player for Jesuit scored in double figures, but SF Sean Milligan, Max Rich,  and Jack Hackman all chipped in 9 points apiece while PG Khyan Rayner scored 8 point. More importantly, the bench for Jesuit was bigtime as they contributed 24 of the 52 points!  For Central Catholic, SG Danny Brakebush chipped in 13 points while SF Austin Dyer and PF Reid Callan both scored 10 points apiece. Again, the turnover margin was the difference in the game as Central Catholic turned the ball over 17 times compared to 12 turnovers for Jesuit. Jesuit is now 8-0 for the season and will face Oak Hill in the championship game that will be televised on ESPNU Friday night.

In the final game of the evening, Oak Hill came out with an impressive mindset as they took control of the game early and never looked back. Oak Hill simply put on an exhibition on both ends of the floor, but it was their defensive intensity that was clearly the difference. The Warriors exhibited its early season defensive pressure and played with passion and a purpose. Oak Hill won convincingly over a very strong Westview team which is lead by 6’11 Landen Lucas who has signed with Kansas. The final score was 80-43!  Leading the way for Oak Hill was SG D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera with 18 points. One of the best characteristics of a young player is how they perform after a poor performance the night before and DSR passed the test with flying colors. On Wednesday night, Smith-Rivera went 1-12 from the floor for a season low 2 points. As the old saying goes, “you’re only as good/bad as your last game” and Smith-Rivera put that game in the past. Smith-Rivera went 7-10 from the floor (1-2 from the 3 point line) and 3-4 from the free throw line and was able to consistently get into the lane for his patented midrange jumper. Jordan Adams tossed in 11 points going 5-9 from the floor (1-3 from the 3 point line) and also corralled 4 rebounds. PG Tyler Lewis chipped in 9 points going 3-6 from the floor (1-2 from the 3 point line) and 2-2 from the free throw line. More importantly, he dished out a team high 10 assists and now has 1001 career assists along with over 2500 career points. RJ “Microwave” Curington came off the bench and was clicking on all cylinders. Curington finished with 15 points going 5-7 from the floor (2-4 from the 3 point line) and 3-3 from the free throw line. Damien Wilson was efficient coming off the bench with 10 points going a perfect 4-4 from the floor and 2-2 from the free throw line. AJ Hammons has been battling a virus and responded to the challenge of playing against Landen Lucas. Hammons tallied 7 points but collected 9 rebounds. Other Warriors that got into the scoring column was Jordan Tebbutt with 6 while Ike Iroegbu added 4 points.

For Westview, Landen Lucas chipped in 14 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. He went 5-12 from the floor and 4-8 from the free throw line. The other bright spot for Westview was SG Bonhan Stafford with 12 points. He went 4-6 from the 3 point line.

Simply put, it was a total exhibition of efficiency for Oak Hill. They shot 31-51 from the floor for 61% and went 7-15 from the 3 point line for 47% and an impressive 11-13 from the free throw line. Oak Hill out-rebounded Westview 32 to 21 and enjoyed a 16 assist to 8 turnover ratio. Without question, the Warriors took care of the basketball and shot efficiency and effectively from the floor. The Warriors bench scored 36 of the 80 points scored and the overall depth was too much for Jesuit.

Oak Hill will now advance to the Les Schwab Invitational Championship game that will be televised by ESPNU. The Warriors now move to 24-0 for the season.

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Les Schwab Invitational Day 1

December 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Oak Hill came into the Les Schwab Invitational with an impressive 21-0 record and recent Classic One Chick-Fil-A Championship in Columbia, South Carolina. Oak Hill won easily and moved to 22-0 for the season and advanced to the quarter-finals of the LSI. The Warriors recorded a 93 to 53 victory and seems to be on cruise control for the majority of the game. Leading the way for Oak Hill was PG Tyler Lewis and SG Jordan Adams. Lewis and Adams both enjoyed team scoring honors with 19 points. Lewis was an efficient 8-12 from the floor (1-3 from the 3 point line) and 2-3 from the free throw line while Adams went 8-14 from the floor and 3-9 from the 3 point line. Lewis also recorded 5 assists, 3 steals and 2 rebounds (2 TO). Adams grabbed 5 rebounds and also recorded 3 steals. D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera chipped in 14 points going 5-14 from the floor (2-7 from the 3 point line) and 2-2 from the free throw line. Smith-Rivera also grabbed 4 rebounds, dished out 5 assists and had 2 steals. RJ Curington finished with 15 points going 6-9 from the floor (1-3 from the 3 point line) and 2-4 from the free throw line. Other Warriors getting into the action were AJ Hammons with 7 points and 9 rebounds, Jordan Tebbutt had 7 points and 7 rebounds, Montarius Hall chipped in 6 points and 4 rebounds, Darion Clark had 4 points and 6 rebounds while Ike Iroegbu finished with 2 points.

David Douglas was led by SF Taye Baker with 18 points going 6-17 from the floor (1-7 from the 3 point line) and 5-7 from the free throw line. PF Jeremiah Harris chipped in 14 points going 6-10 from the floor and grabbed 6 rebounds. SG Adrian Koza also scored 14 points going 4-5 from the floor (2-3 from the floor) and 2-2 from the free throw line.

For the game, Oak Hill shot 38-69 from the floor for an impressive 55% but only managed 7-26 from the 3 point line. David Douglas went 20-47 from the floor and 3-15 from the 3 point line. Oak Hill went 10-18 from the free throw line for 56% whereas David Douglas went 10-21 for a dismal 48%. Oak Hill clearly outrebounded the smaller team by the margin of 44 to 25. For the game, Oak Hill dished out 14 assists but committed 16 turnovers. Oak Hill now advanced to the quarterfinals to face Lincoln HS of Oregon. Smith-Rivera and Taye Baker were named game’s outstanding players.

In the final game of the day, it was powerful Yates HS of Texas against a well coached and fundamentally sound Wilsonville HS team from Oregon. Going into the 4th quarter, Yates trailed Wilsonville 52-49 but outscored the Oregon team by the score of 22-5 in the final quarter. Simply put, it was the constant pressure defense and double teaming that wore down the upset minded Wilsonville team. Yates was led by Junior PG Darrion Martin who was simply solid throughout the night. He finished with 25 points gong 8-11 from the floor and 9-11 from the free throw line. The majority of his points came strictly off drives to the basket and probably didn’t attempt a shot outside of 10 feet all night long. He recorded 4 rebounds and had 1 steal, but the negative for Martin was his 5 turnovers and 0 assists. PF Clyde Santee also chipped in 20 points going 7-18 from the floor (1-4 from the 3 point line) and 4-4 from the free throw line. He collected 7 rebounds, but also had 5 turnovers. The one-two scoring punch of Santee and Martin combined for 45 of the 71 points for Yates.

Wilsonville was led by senior PG Kevin Marshall who was the leading scorer for his team. Marshall finished with 23 points going 8-13 from the floor and 8-13 from the free throw line. Unfortunately for Wilsonville, Marshall had 9 turnovers for the game. PF Sione Kauji was also solid for Wilsonville as he tallied 15 points going 8-13 from the floor and 4-4 from the free throw line.

Simply put, the game was an up and down high octane game filled with pressure defense, but was a turnover festival on both teams. Wilsonville committed 28 turnovers for the game while Yates committed 21 turnovers of their own. The main difference was Wilsonville turnovers were the results of pressure defense and constant double teaming whereas Yates committed the majority of their turnovers in transition.  Yates went 25-63 from the floor for 39.7% and only 2-9 from the 3 point line for 22%. They did manage an impressive 19-25 from the free throw line for 76%. On the other hand, Wilsonville went 19-50 from the floor for 38% while only connecting on 1-5 three point attempts. Wilsonville also went an impressive 18-25 from the free throw line for 72%. Conventional wisdom would have been for Wilsonville to pack it in and force Yates to hit a jumper since the majority of their points came from the free throw line or drives to the basket. Kevin Marshall and Darrion Martin were named game’s outstanding players.

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