Sure, the outcome of Thursday’s boys’ holiday basketball tournament opener between host Tabb and York has little long-term effect given that the matchup, albeit between two Bay Rivers teams, doesn’t count as a regular-season district contest.
As one of the Bay Rivers’ oldest and richest rivalries, though, bragging rights are always on the line, which means motivation is rarely a concern amongst the coaches.
But more importantly, both coaches say they’re eager to see how, or perhaps if, their squads can build off the momentum each side has been quietly gaining recently heading into Thursday’s tip-off of Tabb’s annual Bayport Holiday Tournament.
Tabb (4-4, 3-4 BRD) enters Thursday’s showdown coming off the Upset of the Year so far in the Bay Rivers after shocking visiting Warhill (5-3 BRD) – who lost to unbeaten Grafton by three points – 73-65 last Friday.
Tabb coach Doug Baggett said his team did an excellent job early closing off the lane against Warhill’s lightning-quick guards and forcing them into jump shots en route to holding the Lions scoreless – yes, scoreless – the entire first period to lead 17-0.
The defensive effort early on was clearly the difference, but a great sign moving forward for Baggett, he says, was the estimated 30-plus points his team got off the bench. Baggett said a similar effort is necessary for his team to compete night-in night-out with the district’s toughest teams.
Senior guard Kaleb Mitchell is quietly having one of the best individual seasons in the districtl pouring in close to 20 points per game and scoring over 25 three separate times. Classmate Daniel Schiele, an inside-out forward averaging around 15 ppg on the season, has also been a consistent scorer for the Tigers all season long.
Mitchell netted a game-high 27 points last Saturday while Schiele chipped in with 17, but it was guys like Jake Brown (11 points), Terrell Sheffey (8 points), Colstan Horton and Yoni Fessehaie who Baggett says will have to continue to step up down the stretch if the Tigers hope to make any noise come tournament time.
“Guys like Kaleb [Mitchell] and Daniel [Schiele] have been in the program for a while, and they’re the ones you know what you’re going to get and can count on,” Baggett said. “Our success is going to come down to our bench. If it’s going to be a different guy each night, that’s fine, but we need to find someone else that can step up when Kaleb or Daniel have an off night or are the focal points of another team’s defense.
“We’re coming along, but we still have a ways to go.”
Much like Tabb, York coach Bobby Pearce says his team’s success will also boil down to whether his team can get consistent contributions from role players.
The Falcons (4-4, 3-4 BRD) have done that recently, and as a result, have won four of their last six contests following an 0-2 start to the season.
“We’ve had different guys stepping up each night,” Pearce said of his team’s recent stretch. “There’s been no doubt in my mind all season whether or not the players we have can get it done, I think it’s just been a matter of getting the younger guys out there and developing that chemistry that all good teams have with the seniors or veterans of the team.”
With three sophomores and one freshman who see considerable time on the court, York’s inexperience shows at times. Pearce says the younger guys continue to adjust to the speed of a varsity-level game and benefit from playing alongside five seniors, especially standout guard Brandon Harvell, who averages a team-high 14.5 points per game on the season.
Harvell, a senior who will play baseball for Longwood University next year, has the potential to be a 20 point-per-game scorer, but hasn’t needed to carry as heavy a load thanks to the strong play of several newcomers.
In last Friday’s 74-67 win over Lafayette, it was junior Josh Smith and sophomore Eric Harp who stepped up. Smith had an terrific all-around game with 11 points and 13 rebounds to go along with six assists while Harp registered a 11-point, 12-rebound double-double. Smith has been one of the Falcons’ better rebounders all season long, and Pearce said his services were sorely missed in York’s loss to New Kent earlier in the month in which the Trojans dominated the glass after Smith left in the first quarter with an eye injury.
Brothers Evan and Maxwell Trice have also stepped up for the Falcons and been regular contributors all season long. Evan, a freshman, has come up huge on several occasions, most notably in the Falcons’ 57-44 upset of Poquoson in which he scored a team-high 14 points.
The list goes on.
Pearce says his team wouldn’t have emerged victorious in back-to-back wins over Hampton Roads Academy (55-50) or Poquoson (57-44) had it not been for the contributions of senior big man Johnny Cruz, who scored 12 and 10 points respectively in the two games.
“Guys like Brandon [Harvell] are proven scorers who know how to get points,” Pearce said. “We’re fortunate to have a player like that, but it’s going to take a group effort to be successful. We have a lot of guys who bring different things to the table, and we’re finding our identity.”
“Tournaments like this are a great way to try and learn more about yourself as a team and address the things you need to work on to be better.”
What: Bayport Holiday Tournament
When: Thursday, December 27th – Friday, December 28th
Where: Tabb High
Thursday’s Schedule:
Poquoson vs. Gloucester, 6 p.m.
Tabb vs. York, 7:30 p.m.
Winners will meet in the championship on Friday at 7:30 p.m. following a 6 p.m. consolation game.
Click Here to check out what other holiday tournaments will be taking place this week.
