Mt. Tabor 74 Ben L. Smith 55
Piedmont Triad 3A Showdown
Phenom Hoops travelled to Winston-Salem to cover the marquee matchup between perennial NCHSAA Piedmont Triad Conference heavyweights, Ben L. Smith and Mt. Tabor. Smith came into the contest with a 13-2 record losing to NCHSAA 4A power Millbrook and NCISAA 4A power Greensboro Day. On the other hand, Mt. Tabor came into the contest with a perfect 15-0 record. Playing before a jam-packed gymnasium, Mt. Tabor jumped out to a 21-10 first quarter lead and never looked back. Mt. Tabor utilized a 2-2-1 “tempo” press that simply got Ben L. Smith out of sync the entire night. Entering the final quarter, Mt. Tabor did more of the same. They stayed with the “tempo” press and played stellar team defense which allowed them a comfortable 61-39 lead and finished with a 74-55 victory. Now, let’s take a closer look at the standout players from each team.
6’2 ’20 Shaylen Woodberry (Mt. Tabor)
It was a scholarship worthy performance by the unsigned senior. Woodberry finished with a game high 23 points including six 3-pointers. The southpaw has touch and range and was simply dialed in from deep. In addition, Woodberry collected a handful of rebounds and does an exceptional job of rebounding for his size/position. We were equally impressed with his poise and leadership demonstrated throughout the course of the game.
6’7 ’20 Jakob Moore (Mt. Tabor)
Jakob Moore is such a tough, blue-collar type player in the paint. He has good athleticism, a high motor and natural rebounding instincts around the rim. Moore finished with 15 hard earned points and was just relentless in his approach the entire game. Moore has built a quality reputation of being consistent two-way player and his performance against Ben L. Smith was no exception.
6’7 ’20 Davis Blackwell (Mt. Tabor)
Without question, Davis Blackwell was the game’s surprise player. We were impressed with his overall game on both ends of the court. While Blackwell finished with 13 points, his presence was felt equally on both ends of the court. He’s a strong and willing rebounder, plus he astonished us with his quick leaping and shot blocking ability. His put back slam dunk brought in the second half the home crowd into a tizzy and put the exclamation mark on the impressive win.
6’0 ’22 Gunner Walters (Mt. Tabor)
Gunner Walters is the straw that stirs the drink for Mt. Tabor. He’s active on both ends of the court, but did an excellent job of setting pace and controlling tempo. Walters finished with 12 points, a handful of assists and numerous steals on the defensive side of the ball. He provides energy and enthusiasm and goes all out every trip down the court. Offensively, Walter is constantly attacking gaps in the defense to create scoring opportunities.
6’7 ’20 Silas Mason (Ben L. Smith)
After the opening 3-pointer to start the game and an additional two, it was a rather quiet first half for Silas Mason. In the third quarter, Mason started to find his groove and become a scoring threat. He has elite level athleticism and has all the tools to dominate a game on the offensive end of the court. His length, athleticism, and ability to play above the rim makes him a special and unique talent. Mason finished with a team high 15 points.
6’8 ’20 Nick McMullen (Ben L. Smith)
Nick McMullen is a strong physical presence on the interior. He has length and good natural instincts around the rim. He’s a reliable and consistent rebounder on both ends of the court and also has the ability to overpower opposing players in the post. McMullen finished with 13 points.