All Entries in the "2008-2009 Season" Category
Warriors Set for National Championship Showdown
ESPN — For the second straight day ESPN RISE FAB 50 No. 1 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) played a sluggish opening half. And for the second time the Warriors delivered again in the last 16 minutes, toppling No. 4 St. Benedict’s (Newark, N.J.), 74-66, Saturday in the semifinals of the ESPN RISE National High School Invitational at Georgetown Prep’s Hanley Center. Lamont “MoMo” Jones scored a game-high 22 points and Keith “Tiny” Gallon added a double-double, with 13 points and 14 rebounds as OHA (40-0) extended its win streak to 46 games, bridging two seasons. The Warriors will battle second-ranked Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) on Sunday at 3PM (ET) on ESPN in the title game after Findlay overtook Montrose Christian 60-43. Montrose’s only previous two losses came at the hands of the Warriors. Click Here to Read More, View Photos & Watch Video
Warriors Win Opener of Nike Invitational 83-64
ESPN — What started as a first-half standoff turned into a second half blowout for top-ranked Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) in the opening round of the inaugural ESPN RISE National High School Invitational. Doron Lamb scored 26 points and Lamont “MoMo” Jones netted 10 his 20 points in the decisive third quarter as the Warriors crushed Pinewood Prep (Summerville, S.C.), 83-64, Friday afternoon at Georgetown Prep’s Hanley Center. Pinewood’s Milton Jennings recorded a double-double, with 24 points and 12 rebounds. The Warriors play again Saturday at 11 a.m. ET (ESPN2), against St. Benedict’s (NJ). Pinewood, the four-time South Carolina Independent Schools AAA champion, finished 29-6.
‘Tiny’ Gallon Named Gatorade Virginia Boys Basketball POY
In its third decade of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in partnership w/ESPN RISE, today announced that Keith “Tiny” Gallon of OHA as its 2008-2009 Gatorade VA Boys B-ball Player of the Year. Gallon is the 7th Gatorade VA Boys Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from OHA.
Gallon is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys basketball player of the Year award to be announced in late March. Gallon has signed a letter of intent with the Univ. of Oklahoma. Gallon joins other past OHA Gatorade VA Boys B-Ball POY winners Brandon Jennings (07-08), Nolan Smith (06-07), Tywon Lawson (05-06).
Warriors Rise to #1 Spot in ESPN, Prep Nation Polls
The Warriors victory over nationally-ranked Montrose Christian on ESPN2 last week, combined with a loss by Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) has propelled the Warriors to #1 in two of the nation’s top high school basketball polls — ESPN Rise and PrepNation.com. The team also moved up to #2 in the USA Today rankings.
The Warriors are scheduled to close the season the first week of April at the star-studded, ESPN-televised National High School Invitational outside Washington, D.C., a tournament that includes several top-ranked teams and may determine the nation’s top team.
Coach Steve Smith Named Naismith High School Coach of the Year
Warriors’ Coach Steve Smith was named this week as the Naismith Boys’ High School Coach of the Year, the first time the award has been bestowed on the veteran Oak Hill coach. Smith has led Oak Hill to a 38-0 record in what many believed would be a rebuilding year for the Warriors, especially after losing to graduation Brandon Jennings, the reigning Naismith National Boy’s High School Player of the Year. Along the way Oak Hill has defeated 10 nationally-ranked opponents, all on the road. In 24 seasons, Smith has amassed a 756-44 record, and his teams have claimed seven mythical national championships.
Oak Hill Takes Down Montrose Christian
A nationally-televised matchup against two of the country’s top teams didn’t disappoint, with the Warriors coming away with a road victory in Maryland against Montrose Christian 69-63.
Oklahoma bound Tiny Gallon led the team with 20 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots. Oak Hill moves to 38-0 and handed Montrose its second loss of the season (both to the Warriors). The game was held at Georgetown Prep in Bethesda, Md., just down the road from Montrose. Both teams are expect to play the venue again April 3-5 in the National High School Invitational that is aimed at deciding the true national champion in high school basketball.
USA Today: No. 3 Oak Hill smothers sixth-ranked Montrose Christian
Five Warriors in Double Points in Convenant Christian Win
Five Warriors scored in double points Monday night and the team’s record is now at 37-0 after defeating Covenant Christian (Georgia) 101-73.
Bryon Allen scored 17 points, Tiny Gallon added 15 and 8 rebounds, Momo Jones lead the team with 21 points and 9 assists, Baye Keita hit for 10 points and Jordan Gallagher added 11. The team had nine blocks and 12 steals in the game, to go along with 29 assists. (Download the Box Score – PDF)
Five Warriors Headed to Division I, Tiny Named to McDonald’s Team
Austin Alecxih has verbally committed to the University of North Carolina-Asheville, the fifth Warrior to commit to a Division I school this year.
Oklahoma-bound (signed) Keith “Tiny” Gallon was named recently to the 2008-09 McDonald’s All American Team. He is the 24th OHA player to be named to the squad. The game will be in Miami, FL on April 1st, televised on ESPN. He’ll play on the West squad.
Also verbally committing are: Lamont “MoMo” Jones to Virginia Tech, Bryon Allen to West Virginia and Junior Baye Moussa Keita to Syracuse.
Warriors Take Down Charlotte Christian, Montrose Awaits
After a week off, the Warriors prepped for a big week that tops off this Friday with a rematch against Montrose Christian on Friday. Playing at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena on Saturday, the Warriors topped Charlotte Christian 76-66. (Download the Box Score – PDF)
Lamb scored 23, Jones 17, Gallon had 12 points and Howard 11. The Warriors jumped out to an 11-point lead after the first quarter, and the teams played almost dead even the rest of the way.
Tickets for Friday night’s matchup against Montrose Christian (#6 USA Today) at Georgetown Prep in Bethesda, MD are available online. The game at 7pm ET will also air on ESPN2.
In Top 5 Battle, Warriors Overtake St. Patrick’s 73-64
From NJ.com: Bryon Allen scored nine of his team-leading 17 points in the fourth quarter as Oak Hill Academy of Virginia defeated St. Patrick, 73-64. The score was tied at 53-53 with 5:30 remaining when Oak Hill, ranked No. 3 by USA Today, made the game-deciding run. Allen scored five quick points to give Oak Hill the lead for good at 58-53 with 4:35 remaining. Paris Bennett pulled St. Patrick, the top-ranked team in The Star-Ledger Top 20 and the No. 4 team in the USA Today poll, within 60-57 with 3:50 remaining, but the Elizabeth school would come no closer. Glenn Bryant added 15 points for Oak Hill, Doron Lamb had 14 and Pe’Shon Howard contributed 12. Read the Full Story on NJ.com. Also check out this story: Top boys basketball programs nationwide must travel to be successful
Warriors Take Pair Over Weekend, Now 32-0
The Warriors took both games this weekend to move to 32-0 on the season heading into Saturday’s matchup against Top-10 ranked St. Patrick’s (NJ) in Trenton. On Friday, the Warriors defeated the Blueridge School, 78-55. Glenn Bryant had 27 points and 12 blocks on Saturday night, taking a home game against Sound Doctrine Academy (GA) 112-60.
The Warriors travel to Trenton for the Saturday night matchup against St. Patrick’s, who defeated Top 3-ranked St. Benedict’s this week. The Warriors were also recently featured in an ESPN Rise article, Oak Hill Boosts Virginia’s Resume. Box Scores will be posted when available.
Warriors Stay Undefeated, Move to 30-0
The Warriors sit at 30-0 after five more wins this week, starting with a 101-57 victory over Providence Day School (Charlotte, NC) on Tuesday, January 27th. The following day, the team defeated National Christian Academy (MD) 76-56. Friday night’s matchup again Veritas Sports Academy in Bristol, VA was a 53-43 win. The big game of the week had the Warriors taking on William Fleming High School from Roanoke at the Salem, VA Civic Center. Tiny Gallon had 20 points and 11 rebounds with Baye Moussa Keita adding six blocks in the first half to propel the team to a 75-45 victory. Oak Hill wrapped up the week with a 89-60 win over Mountain State Academy (WV) Sunday, with Tiny scoring 21 and Doron Lamb adding 19.
Week of Wins Moves Warriors to 25-0
The Warriors won four games this week, moving to 25-0. On Monday, the team came away with the victory 75-58 over previously undefeated and #18 USA Today-ranked Christ School (NC). The Warriors went on a 17-0 run, with Lamont Jones contributing 34 points. Tiny Gallon added 14 rebounds.
In a matchup Thursday against High Point Christian, also in North Carolina, the Warriors put on an offensive show with a 105-41 win. Playing before a packed crowd at Bearden High School in Knoxville (TN) Friday. OHA came away with the 96-86, topping the Bulldogs who came into the game with just one loss as one of the state’s top teams. The Warriors survived a barrage of three-pointers to take a 88-79 victory over Our Savior New American (NY) at the Bill Keightley Hoopfest in London (KY) Saturday.
MoMo’s Diary #3 – Go Warriors
Throughout the 2008-2009 season, OakHillHoops.com will feature personal stories from our players.
Well, it has been a while since I last wrote due to school projects and all of our games and traveling over weekends & the holidays. Since my last journal entry a lot has happened. We’ve traveled to NC, WV, KY and WI. We had an awesome trip and tournament championship in Hawaii and then a 3 week break from school. So far our season has been great. We’ve gelled together as a team and are finally one. We’ve pulled off some close games. Read my full post!
