It was for sure the game of the night with North Carolina teams and it could all be seen on the Hoop State Network. Word of God and Liberty Heights, the top two teams by Phenom Hoops, matched up in Rock Hill and these teams brought it! Back and forth we went throughout the first quarter, with Elijah Jamison leading the charge for Liberty Heights, scoring and facilitating. Word of God used an array of scorers early on… no matter what, both of these teams were battling, as it ended as a 19-15 lead after the first. Liberty Heights started to flex their muscles though in the second, opening up a double-digit lead with their shooting and efficient offense. They also did a tremendous job in limiting Word of God to one shot, as it helped them earn a 29-18 halftime lead.
Word of God came out in the second half and amped up the pressure on defense. It helped but they were also able to get out and push the pace on offense, slowly cutting into the lead in the third quarter, down to as many as five but Liberty Heights had an answer, eventually holding a 42-35 lead heading into the fourth. Word of God cut it down to six early in the fourth but PJ Edwards and Liberty Heights had an answer and more, increasing their lead to 20 late in the game. Once then, it was all Liberty Heights in impressive fashion, making a statement in a 68-52 win.
Stats:
Liberty Heights:
Elijah Jamison 19 points
PJ Edwards 21 points
Jonas Aidoo 11 points
Word of God:
Po’Boigh King 19 points
Freddie Dilione 12 points
Khalil Marshall 10 points
Standouts:
2021 Jonas Aidoo (Liberty Heights): Aidoo showed why he is one of the top players in the country and the top player in his class for North Carolina. The center not only showed his offensive array in scoring from inside and out, using his height to his advantage all over the floor but he was also extremely disruptive on the defensive end; blocking shots, making it difficult to score over him, and getting on the boards, something he has shown over and over.
2022 Elijah Jamison (Liberty Heights): Jamison did a really good job in leading the charge offensively, dissecting the offense, scoring and getting into the lane as well as pulling up, but also facilitating to his teammates. Really showing just how well he can be as a floor general on the court.
2021 PJ Edwards (Liberty Heights): On the offensive end, Edwards hit some big shots when it was needed for Liberty, mostly from the perimeter. Whether it was a three or just inside with the mid-range shot, he showcased a beautiful shooting motion with confidence. But it was also his defensive presence as well, locking up multiple opponents and making them work every time they touched the ball.
2022 Khalil Marshall (WOG): Marshall is such a shifty, quick guard with the ball in his hands. Has a killer crossover that can get any opponent going the other way but his change of direction is just as deadly. He uses that to his advantage in penetrating into the lane and scoring around the rim.
2022 Po’Boigh King (WOG): King is known for his shooting stroke, but you usually see him operating and knocking down multiple threes. But in this game, he operated and scored well from inside, running in transition and attacking the open areas for his mid-range jumper.
