The DePaul Prep Rams (19-1, 3-0) defeated the Vashon Wolverines 68-54 this afternoon at the Homewood-Flossmoor MLK Day Shootout. Vashon, a public high school in St. Louis, (12-2) has been Missouri state champions for the last four years. They came into the game with DePaul Prep 11-1. I guess I didn’t know what to expect. As with the first game this year playing an out-of-state team, Mater Dei from Los Angeles at the Chicago Elite Classic, I was just hoping the Rams would play well and not get blown out.
I underestimated the Rams then. I ought to have known better today.
Vashon looked, to me at least, like the best team that the Rams had played all season. The Wolverines were big. They had a size advantage on the Rams on every position except for center where Lashaun Porter had an advantage on Terron Garrett who was listed in the program as a wing.
When the game started, the Wolverines were shooting well, defending furiously and rebounding on both ends.
Midway through the first quarter, the Rams had a nine point lead that Vashon cut to four by the end of the first. They Rams were playing well on defense and dealing with the pressure defense of Vashon about as well has a team could. The Rams were playing about as well as I have seen them play, especially on defense. It was two good teams battling it out. Rykan Woo had nine points in the first. The Rams held a 22-18 lead at the end of the first quarter and maintained that four point advantage at the half, 33-29.
The Rams shined in the third quarter outscoring the Wolverines 15-4. And they never looked back. The full court press that Vashon jumped into only made things worse. The Rams broke the press and ended in layups and back door dunks.
It was as impressive of a game as I have have seen the Rams play. Just so much toughness. Toughness demostrated in no small measure by the elbow inflicted gash that AJ Chambers suffered late in the second quarter. There was an extended time stoppage while the Homewood-Flossmoor janitorial staff mopped the blood off the court. Chambers wasn’t out of the game long. They quickly patched him up and he was back in the game wearing the number 21 jersey at that point.
Junior guard Rykan Woo had 18 points. Junior center Rashaun Porter had 16 points and the player of the game trophy. Senior point guard Makai Kvamme had 15 points. Let’s not forget the 4 points added by Rob Walls whose defense is worth three time as many points as he scores. Jonas Johnson came off the bench and added 7 points. AJ Chamber added 6 points, at least I think he did when I add up the scores of numbers 3 and 21. Gus Donohue added a bucket.
Maybe I am too close seeing too many DePaul Prep games. I can’t really judge how good they are. Let’s just say they are No. 1 and only getting better. IC Prep away on Tuesday and then Brother Rice at home on Friday night.
