By Chris Stevens, Editor
Eight becomes four tonight as the DIAA boys’ quarterfinals take place from the East Side of Wilmington to Hockessin. Want to know what to watch for? Read along!
All games start at 6:30 pm, check each school’s Website4Sports page for streaming info.
No. 1 Sanford (13-2) vs. No. 8 Appoquinimink (13-2)
How they got here: Sanford defeated St. Georges 59-50 in Round 2, defeated Delcastle 84-56 in Round 3. Appoquinimink defeated A.I. duPont 66-52 in Round 2, defeated Mount Pleasant 50-42 in Round 3.
Key players: Sanford – Nnanna Njoku, Carter Ruby, Brandon Dwyer, Amin Johnson, Dayon Polk. Appoquinimink – Lorenzo Carrier, Ja’Bree Green, Demetrius Lyn-Brown, Thomas Vaughn, Jason Young.
Outlook: What would’ve been a dynamite Final Four matchup a season ago is now an Elite Eight game in 2021, yet it still promises to be just as compelling. Two high-caliber D1 bigs will be battling for post supremacy – Nnanna Njoku of Sanford (committed to Villanova) and Appo’s Lorenzo Carrier (U. of Miami-bound for baseball). Hopefully the baskets are reinforced as they both dunk with bad intentions.
The key will be guard play as the Flight A co-champion Jaguars have a cache of perimeter players who can drive and kick or take the ball straight to the rim. If Sanford’s guards can match Appo’s playmaking ability and sharpshooter Brandon Dwyer gets open looks, then the Independent Conference champion Warriors are a lock for their seventh final four in eight years.
No. 2 Salesianum (11-3) vs. No. 10 Tatnall (11-4)
How they got here: Salesianum defeated Indian River 70-29 in Round 2, defeated Dickinson 71-39. Tatnall defeated Brandywine 40-32 in Round 2, defeated St. Elizabeth 45-40 in Round 3.
Key players: Salesianum – Rasheen Caulk Jr., Ethan Hinds, Justin Molen, Brett O’Hara, Jackson Conkey. Tatnall – Omari Banks, Bryce Scott, Za’an Burrell, Devyn Benson.
Outlook: This game is the wild card – Salesianum can look like world beaters (slowing down the pace to beat Sanford) or a team that lets a game get away from them (two close losses to Tower Hill). Tatnall is comparable with a win over Sanford in the regular season, their heart-stopping third round win at St. E Saturday night…and a loss to Wilmington Christian.
That said, there is star power in this game – smooth Rasheen Caulk Jr. leads Sals into battle while the dynamic Omari Banks is the head of the table for Tatnall. Both teams have perimeter play mastered, so the key is if Sals’ 6’6 bruiser Jackson Conkey can keep Bryce Scott and Devyn Benson of Tatnall from doing too much in the paint.
No. 3 Howard (12-2) vs. No. 6 Smyrna (16-0)
How they got here: Howard defeated William Penn 77-58 in Round 2, defeated Newark 58-33 in Round 3. Smyrna defeated St. Mark’s 46-27 in Round 2, defeated Caravel 63-46 in Round 3.
Key players: Howard – De’Mere Hollingsworth, Jahsir Gloster, Rahsaan Matthews Jr., Darius Brown Jr., Antonio Randell. Smyrna – Robert Wiley, Elijah Credle, Olumuyiwa Salako, Elisha Gregory.
Outlook: In a normal year, it’s likely this game would be at Smyrna, but instead, the Henlopen champion Eagles are taking the ride up Route 1 to Wilmington to face Flight B champion Howard, a team that loves to push the pace and bombs away from the outside. Smyrna’s capable of the same style, so those lucky enough to be spectators might have sore necks from watching these two teams go back and forth.
Post play will be vital as Howard’s Jahsir Gloster and Smyrna big man Olumuyiwa Salako will be the matchup to watch. Whoever wins that battle gives their team the best chance to win. Robert Wiley vs. De’Mere Hollingsworth is another one as these two floor generals will be responsible for setting up their team’s respective offenses.
No. 4 Tower Hill (11-2) vs. No. 5 Seaford (13-2)
How they got here: Tower Hill defeated Conrad 65-35 in Round 2, defeated Wilmington Christian 68-41 in Round 3. Seaford defeated Delmarva Christian 71-55 in Round 2, defeated Dover 59-57 in Round 3.
Key players: Tower Hill – Donoven Mack, Ricky Deadwyler Jr., Jaeden Fitzhugh, Dean Shepherd, Dylan Shepherd. Seaford – Tyrese Fortune Jr., Brent Ricketts, Careen Bolden, Zion Mifflin, Wesnel Romain.
Outlook: As the late, great Gorilla Monsoon used to say on WWE pay per views back in the day, the Irresistible Force meets the Immovable Object – Tower Hill’s senior trio of Donoven Mack, Jaeden Fitzhugh and Ricky Deadwyler Jr. will battle Seaford’s young guns Tyrese Fortune Jr., Brent Ricketts and Careen Bolden. Seaford has no seniors, so the fact that this team’s best days could still be ahead of them is a scary thought.
The advantage the Hillers have is size – Fitzhugh and Deadwyler Jr. both measure out to about 6’5 and Mack as a 6’3 point guard could lead to matchup problems. However, the Henlopen South champion Blue Jays can run and gun with the best of them and if Tower Hill falls behind early, that could mean trouble.
