Chillicothe 44 a final
... this one was a "good" basketball game vs 2 good teams ... both are in my Elite 8 for a reason ... both are ranked "where they are" for a reason - Fairfield Union IS the #2 TEAM I have seen this season - IF I was pressured to "state" which team was better my #1 - Fairland or my #2 Fairfield Union - I would have to give the edge as to the most "complete" TEAM to the Falcons of Coach Eversole ... I didn't say they have the best players, or the best athletes ... I give that edge to Fairland - they are 21-1 with their only setback to an excellent Hilliard Bradley TEAM ... as far as a team that has THE best inside presence in the Southeast District - Colin Woodside is it ... a team that has good perimeter shooters that compliment an inside presence - Lucas Thompson/Hayden Price/Evan Conley make up a darn good group on the outside ... a team that has ballhandlers "outside" the PG position who can bring the ball up court when the opposition puts pressure on the PG - Thompson/Woolshire/Brad Miller/Spencer Conrad/ even Colin Woodside make up THAT group ... throw in role players who KNOW their roles and don't do more than they can do to help the TEAM - Miller/Hayden/Conrad/Woolshire/ Conrad get it done there as well ... BEFORE last night's game Chillicothe vs FU ... I was asked by the Warren coaching contingent sitting in the Cheap Seats with pfloyd "Who do you take ?" - I didn't hesitate , I told Coach Mitchem -" I'm going with the COMPLETE TEAM - Fairfield Union" was my answer ...
... I LIKE Chillicothe - I like the players ... Brandon Maughmer, Seth Barnes, Will Roderick & Simon Roderick - all outstanding ... I like the coaching staff - Coach Huffer & JV coach Coach Conner Scott ... I LIKE what I have seen coming in the form of the creation of a "program", an environment of winning basketball - I have seen it firsthand watching the CAVs 4 times throughout the season - the freshmen, JVs & varsity ... last night vs Fairfield Union the CAVs simply ran into a TEAM that was better at "key" positions "last night" ... it can be argued one way or the other one player is or is not better or one team is better than another over a season BUT the post season IS "one and done" - your key players that you count on for a particular part of the game have to come through or someone else needs to step up and get it done ... last night vs FU ...Chilli couldn't compete down low in the blocks with FU's Colin Woodside ... a win for FU /Woodside in the paint ... perimeter shooting ? CHS had 3 fgs OUTSIDE the paint including 1 triple - FOR THE GAME ... CHS had 1/18 three point fgs ... the Cavs designated 3 point shooter - Jordan Johnson did not have a typical JJ night - 0 points while Fairfield Union's designated or one of FUs top 3 perimeter/3 point scorers went off for 30 points ... win for FU/Thompson ... when you have a shooter like Lucas Thompson who was "feeling it" "hitting it - the triple - he stretches the defense so that the passing lanes are wide open for the entry pass to Mr. Woodside ... in high school hoops one of the things I have noticed and what bothers me to no end is the inability of the perimeter people to get the ball inside - it's an art in itself to get the ball to your BIG in a position for him to score - FU's perimeter peoples had no trouble feeding the post inside/in perfect position for Woodside to get to the rim BUT then again you have CW who has great footwork, a body that keeps himself grounded and stable, hands that CAN CATCH the entry pass , the young man has the demeanor of a warrior - he expects to get "beat on" and does ... he doesn't retaliate , he is simply a "player" ...
... Fairfield Union IS talented - the most talented? no ... they are a complete TEAM offensively and defensively imo ... as has been pointed out - they take care of the ball ... defensively FU is solid nothing fancy, but a "group" of players who work well together - taking care of the little things ...
... talking to daniC last night we both agreed that we thought FU had trouble with the speed/strength of the on the ball pressure especially PG Evan Conley - that was early in the 1st quarter - I thought once the FU players adjusted to the Chillicothe pressure on the ballhandlers , the quickness that CHS brought - it took away an advantage that CHS brought into the game ... probably the ONLY negative I took away from the game for FU was the passing - another pet peeve I have - my disdain for "weak passes" LOL ... at THIS level you have to have crisp passes ... when I go into a gymnasium the first thing that points out to me if a team is schooled well in fundamentals is passing - Logan Elm ... crisp passing ... Oak HIll ... crisp passing ... Warren Warriors ... crisp passing ... last night FU "get that weak stuff outta here" passing ... it will be addressed I'm sure ...
... Fairfield Union 61 Chillicothe 44 a final ...
... Pfloyd's Official "unofficial" Napkin Stats - Chillicothe ...
Scoring ... Seth Barnes 17, Brandon Maughmer 15, Will Roderick 10, Simon Roderick 2
3 Pointers ... 1/18 ... Brandon Maughmer 1
FTs ....... 9/10
TOs ...... 11
PntP ...... 28
Points in Transition .... 2
... Chillicothe returns Brandon Maughmer, Will Roderick, Simon Roderick, Jayvon Maughmer - a good group of JV players on the horizon as well ... as was posted Chilli goes to D1 next season - back to the Central District Post Season Party ...
... Pfloyd's Official "unofficial" Napkin Stats - Fairfield Union ...
Scoring ... Lucas Thompson 30, Colin Woodside 18, Hayden Price 7, Jack Woolshire 2, Brad Miller 2, Evan Conley 2
3 Pointers ... 5/12 ... Lucas Thompson 4, Hayden Price 1
FTs ........ 14/19
TOs ....... 15
PntP ....... 32
Points in Transition ...... 4
... Colin Woodside picked up point 1000 last night - congratulations to the Big Man in the Middle for FU ... game balls go to Woolshire/Thompson/Price/ Conley/ Miller/ Conrad as the TEAM pulled together AGAIN when #4 went to the bench ... one of the pluses for FU is having a 6-3, "thickish" shooting guard/forward who can go down into the paint, body up on bigs defensively, rebound with bigs in the paint AND STILL play a perimeter game - take a bow Lucas Thompson - great game by the JUNIOR ... this season LT is MORE THAN one dimensional - more than a 3 point shooter - he has that "get across halfcourt - I'm open" range from behind the arc BUT he now will beat defenders off the dribble, take the ball to the rim and finish ... great TEAM win ...
