by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports Richmond
slewis@digitalsports.com
Highland Springs is getting better, and better and better.
It showed Monday night in a 64-39 victory over Collegiate in the Times-Dispatch Invitational final at VCU’s Siegel Center.
The season began with a whole new group leading Highland Springs. Now at 7-1, players are starting to step to the forefront. Positions are being established.
Call Xavier Parham The General. The point guard’s confidence builds with every dribble.
He directed a beautiful first-half outing, sandwiching two 3-pointers around three pretty assists, including a ridiculous look to Natwan Young, who had a game-high 18 points.
Parham was also key to getting Collegiate’s Jake McGee cooled down.
McGee stroked two treys over Highland Springs’ zone early, before coach George Lancaster went to a diamond-and-one look to slow him down, with Parham in his jersey the rest of the night.
Then there’s The Marksman. Highland Springs usually has a bunch of these, but this season it seems Jarvis Threatt is the hired assassin from long distance.
The sophomore buried two 3-pointers, one at the end of the third and another to start the fourth that pushed the lead to 18 points. It was part of a 10-0 run that put the Cougars away.
So it looks as though the Springers, ranked fifth in the latest DigitalSports Top 10, are returning to their recent history with guys like Sage Reed, Trey Williams, Derrick Hopkins, Jeri Mask and Young able to pick up the scoring load at any moment.
But something is missing. A go-to guy.
Maybe that is Young, MVP of the TDIT. The 6-5 senior has been sensational after a tough start to the season in the Rebel Invitational.
He was the only Springer to score in double figures in each of the TDIT games, averaging 19 per start.
Defensively, rarely does he not come up with the rebound and you can’t come into the lane and toss anything up. He’ll toss it out.
“Coach just told me to put my hands up,” said Young, a matchup nightmare, “and don’t try to block it so it will draw a foul.”
He did get in a little trouble, but Highland Springs was way too tough this night to be knocked off in a similar fashion as John Marshall was by Collegiate.
All-tournament pick McGee put in 12 to lead the Cougars, while Stephen Stites added seven for a second-place Collegiate will gladly take.
“Excited for what our guys did accomplish this weekend, and disappointed in a tough loss tonight,” Collegiate coach Alex Peavey said. “John Marshall’s had a great season so far with a lot of good talent. I thought our guys showed a lot of heart and character, fight and resolve to pull away and get that win.
“Proud of them tonight as well. We didn’t come away with the win, but also not satisfied with just being in the championship. But proud of where we’re going.”
Highland Springs 20 13 11 20 – 64
Collegiate 14 8 7 10 – 39
Highland Springs (7-1): Threatt 10, Parham 8, Lewis 0, Alston 2, Hodnett 6, Young 18, Mask 0, Judon 2, T. Williams 7, Booker 0, Hopkins 2, Reed 6, S. Williams 3. Totals: 23 14-27 64. 3-point goals: Threatt 2, Parham 2.
Collegiate (4-3): Corrigan 6, T. Kelley 6, C. Kelley 0, Hungerford 3, Hawthorne 0, Wiltshire 5, Franz 0, Foley 0, Gottschalk 0, Stites 7, McGee 12, Foster 0, Agee 0. Totals: 12 11-15 39. 3-point goals: McGee 2, Hungerford, Stites.
All-tournament team: Natwan Young, Highland Springs (MVP); Trey Williams, Highland Springs; Jake McGee, Collegiate; Travis McKie, John Marshall; Antone Exum, Deep Run
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