Kellam Rallies Past #4 Smithfield
VAPREPS CLASSIC FINAL - KELLAM 50, #4 SMITHFIELD 45
Using a 10-0 run in the game's final 2:58, the Kellam Knights rallied past the Smithfield Packers for a 50-45 win in the 8th Annual VirginiaPreps.com Basketball Classic Presented by Cox Sports on Saturday night at Green Run High School in Virginia Beach.
Coming through down the stretch was senior forward Noah Singer. Committed to play his College Basketball close to home at Division III Christopher Newport University, Singer's three-pointer with 58 seconds to play broke a 45-all tie. He later hit two free-throws to extend the lead.
Singer finished with nine points - seven in the second half - to take home Player of the Game honors. The Knights, who still hold the records for most points scored in the event (92) and three-pointers made (12), pushed their record to 4-1 all-time at the Classic.
Smithfield, making its debut in the VaPreps Classic, led for 25:59. Headlining their attack was Sascha 'J.R.' Stafford, a 6-foot-4 junior that ended up with a double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds. Stafford added three steals and two blocks.
For Kellam, it was their fourth win in a row as Norman Hassell's Knights improved to 13-6 overall and sit atop the Coastal Conference 1 standings, needing two road wins over Cox and Tallwood this coming week in order to secure an automatic berth to the 6A-South Region Tournament.
Ranked #4 in the state in Group 4A, Smithfield saw its seven-game winning streak snapped. They rallied from double-figures down the night before to beat Jamestown. Richard Pullen's Packers are now 17-3 overall.
MOMENTUM BOOST:
Smithfield's largest lead of the contest was six points, established early in the second period. Kellam began to chip away at it to close the first half and tied things on a deep three-pointer from senior point guard Connor Campbell.
Being recruited by a host of Division III programs at the next level, the senior point guard showed his worth in a battle with Smithfield junior Ryan Jones (10Pts. 3Ast.) - another potential collegiate prospect - by recording six points and five assists.
His numbers weren't overwhelming, but Campbell's steady and sturdy play from the point guard position is a big reason why Kellam is on the cusp of earning a regional playoff berth as well as returning to the 6A Top Ten.
NUMBERS THAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE:
Neither team shot it well at all from the free-throw line in the first half; Kellam a woeful 1-of-8 and Smithfield just 0-for-2. They both also struggled from long distance through 16 minutes of play with the Packers misfiring on nine of ten attempts behind the arc, while Kellam went just 2-of-7 on its three-point tries.
Where did Kellam gain an advantage? Specifically, two areas. The Knights outscored Smithfield 24-16 in the painted area, plus held a 13-4 advantage in second chance points. That comes only as a surprise in that Smithfield grabbed twice as many offensive rebound - 18 - as their Virginia Beach opponent.
Jalen Craig could've easily been tabbed MVP for his performance. The 6-foot-5 junior center has continued to progress since the off-season, finishing up with 11 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting and grabbed six rebounds in 20 minutes of play.
Smithfield did damage when it was able to run, scoring 10 fast-break points. However, the Packers showed signs of fatigue - playing their fourth game in six days - in not scoring a field goal over the final 3:55 of the contest.
With two-sport standout Chris Pierce also sidelined due to injury for the Packers and not expected to return this season, Kellam took advantage with a deeper bench. The Knights outscored them 12-8 with their reserve, getting lifts from Caesar Amici (8Pts. 8Reb.) and Kevin Swihart (4Pts. 2-2FG in seven minutes).
After the rough first half free-throw shooting, Kellam went a remarkable 7-of-7 at the charity stripe in the second half. Smithfield was 3-of-4 there over the final two quarters.
STATS COURTESY OF STATVA:
Box Score Link (HTML Version) Here
Box Score Link (PDF Version) Here
VirginiaPreps.com Classic Stat Page Here
WANT TO WATCH?
We'll have a Replay of this VirginiaPreps.com Classic match coming soon on the web site for our premium members to view. You can also order a DVD for $8 by e-mailing us at hatfieldsports@gmail.com.
Matthew Hatfield serves as State Basketball Analyst for VirginiaPreps.com, part of the Rivals.com Network, and is a staff writer for Tar Heel Illustrated. Check out Hatfield’s Twitter page for more sports related updates, and you can also read his work in the Suffolk News Herald. To contact Matthew, please e-mail hatfieldsports2k4@yahoo.com, and don’t forget to listen to him every Saturday at 10AM on ESPN Radio 94.1, plus watch him on the Cox 11 Sports Report.