People say a lot of things about Memphis. Most of it negative, but one major positive is how the city comes together for high school basketball. That was evident by the huge crowds over the Memphis Hoopfest weekend at Briarcrest Christian School. Whether it was Bryce James that many of the young and older fans wanted to see or a really good Dynamic Prep, there was no denying that the excitement for high school basketball in this city is amazing. To cap off the Hoopfest, the most anticipated game of the season locally took place, and it was a wire-to-wire showcase of Memphis excellence.
The Whitehaven vs Bartlett Game Was Must See TV!
From the very beginning, it looked like Whitehaven wanted to send a message early and they did just that. The action kicked off with 3 transition lay-ups and a 3 ball by 6’5 2026 Dorion Bowen quickly pushing the score to 11-2 forcing Bartlett into an early timeout. I thought Bartlett looked a little anxious offensively, which got the Tigers going at the start of the game. Whitehaven, during the whole game, was at their best when they were able to play faster than Bartlett. In the 3rd quarter they were able to get out and get easy scores beating Bartlett up the floor.
When Bartlett tied it up to get into overtime, the Tigers could have hung their heads. They didn’t do that, they simply said “okay, we have to do it now in OT.” They could have wilted because everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong but Whitehaven dug deep and found a way. They were able to get stops against Bartlett when they needed them in the extra period and limited Bartlett in what they wanted to do. When Whitehaven can get out and play quicker than the next team, when they can turn you over and rebound, there isn’t a tougher out than them in the city.
Ultimately, it was Whitehaven who came away with a nice win against a team ranked as one of the best in the city and state.
Youth & Experience Showed Up
Bartlett is a more of methodical team that can play fast but they are at their best when they kind of wear you down over the course of the game with their bench depth. The key for them was their depth but their youth was a major factor at certain times of the game. The Tigers capitalized off their mistakes early and were able to make them pay.
Bartlett was able to get back into, not once but twice after being down 9 in the game. Expending that much energy takes a toll and it showed particularly in overtime. Whitehaven’s older and more experienced players stepped up when they had to. From Taquez Butler to Dorion Bowen to Cameron Brown to Bob Dickson, all played roles in their win on Saturday night. Cam Brown hit some big-time mid-range jumpers in the 3rd, Bowen hit timely shots including the first 2 of overtime to get Whitehaven on the board. Taquez Butler was really good attacking off the bounce using his first step and length to get to the rim and go finish on a few straight-line drives. In overtime, he scored 8 out of their 10 points and didn’t miss a free throw in overtime. He played as well as I’ve seen him play when they needed him the most. That’s a signature game for Whitehaven and also a signature game for Butler. He’s their go to and he showed why Saturday night.
What Does the Win Mean for Whitehaven?
This was a game people wanted to see. Whitehaven came out and proved they belong in the discussion as the best team in the city. Does it mean they are the best team in the city? Maybe, but the loss to Houston lingers. Whitehaven definitely showed they have what it takes to make the run a lot of fans talked about before the season began.
Sometimes when a team loses like they did against Houston, people tend to forget just how talented their starting 5 can be. That 5 man crew can go anywhere in Memphis and start for any and every team in the city and most teams in the state. The Bartlett victory was a big confidence booster and should help the squad regain some of the early season swagger. It doesn’t mean they can let up because again, this is Memphis, everyone wants to beat a team like Whitehaven. Every night in their league, it’s going to be a fight early on… but don’t expect a lot of upsets, although upsets can happen.
I still like Whitehaven to come out of their district and coming off a big win, they have to be riding high. They need to find a way to get 6’7 Rashad Bryant going on the offensive side because the more engaged he becomes, the better Whitehaven gets as the season continues. The Tigers have a few things to work on:
- They must figure out the end of game situations. Who’s taking the ball out for them in big moments?
- They have to do a better job of valuing the ball. They had some huge turnovers down the stretch including one that sent the game into overtime on a layup by Bartlett. The game could have very well gone the other way just based on inbounding the ball cleanly.
What Does the Loss Mean for Bartlett?
It’s the first loss of the season… in town. People are actually saying the season is over for Bartlett. Bartlett isn’t good anymore. Not so fast. Do they have some things to look back on from the game? Absolutely. They have some sloppy moments. Things looked uncharacteristic. Bad shots, a few bad possessions, rebounds they should have had that would have turned the complexion of the game, free throws were an issue late… but those are parts of game they will look to clean up.
One thing to take from that game was the heart of KJ Neville. He hit some huge shots he may not have taken in the past. KJ showed increased confidence in his 3 ball, which is something that will follow him for the rest of season. I think Braylon Williams and DJ Okoth will get better and better. Right now, you can’t call them freshmen anymore. They are as big a part of Bartlett as anyone is to the team. Technically they 9th graders, but mid-season, they look more and more like seasoned varsity basketball players.
Axton Perry was good defensively with 5 blocks in the game. He did a really good job on Bob Dickson for Whitehaven, making things tough on him inside by challenging his release with great timing and going to get it. The more he plays, the better he becomes. I think he’s going to play heavy minutes for them from now on. I thought Dylan Jones had a few moments from the weekend but he’s more talented than he showed. They need him more than he knows especially in those big-time games. I have a lot of confidence that he will find his way.
That game is over. They can’t have any hangover because they have to get ready for a Houston team that has its eyes on beating Bartlett tomorrow night.
