Bulldog Bash Tournament - Day Two Wrap Up
CHANTILLY, VA - Late December had a distinct March-like feel to it Tuesday, as Day Two of the 8th Annual Bulldog Bash Holiday Basketball Tournament at Westfield High School featured a slew of competitive contests in advance of Wednesday's championship games.
In an all-Northern Region affair, the Centreville Wildcats and Langley Saxons will battle for the boys' title, while the host Lady Bulldogs will engage in a border war against the Freedom Lady Eagles from nearby South Riding for the girls' crown.
Gameday was there to broadcast live video for three of the winners' bracket games.
Tuesday's Results
Girls
St. Hubert's 65, Centreville 55
Flint Hill 52, McDowell 37
Freedom 64, Potomac 49
Westfield 50, Madison 34
Boys
West Potomac 66, Woodbridge 57
Flint Hill 67, Freedom 63
Centreville 65, Patrick Henry 63
Langley 68, Westfield 59
The day's most exciting, March Madness-esque matchup occurred in the Boy's Bracket between the Centreville Wildcats and the Patrick Henry Patriots.
The drastically undersized Patriots let it be known that they had not travelled up from Roanoke to lay down to the Northern Virginia squads. Patrick Henry came up from a nine-point halftime deficit to valiantly battle the Wildcats to a near tie. Wooney Banks' last-second 3-ball rimmed out, and the Patriots collapsed to the floor in disappointment as the Wildcats exploded in relieved celebration.
The versatile Warren Denny paced Centreville with 30 points, despite fouling out near game's end. The Wildcat big men were effective against the smaller Patriots, as Bobby Warhurst and Cameron Owens dropped in seven points apiece. Terrell Wilson accumulated 19 to lead Patrick Henry.
In the game to decide Centreville's opposition for the championship round, the hometown Westfield Bulldogs fell to the Langley Saxons in a contest that was much closer than the nine-point margin would indicate.
Westfield was seeking their third win of the young season, and a note of respect in the Northern Region by vanquishing the stalwart Saxons, who captured their sixth victory on the year.
The Bulldogs, before the partisan home crowd, led the Saxons by a point at the half, but ultimately succumbed to Langley's stable of speedy guards. Two of those guards, Austin Vasiliadis and Colin Jones, contributed 15 and 14 points respectively.
The battle within the war was down low, as Langley's 6'6" Austin Kriz and Westfield's 6'9" sophomore Zach Elcano jostled and raised elbows all game long. Kriz, a senior, got inside for 19, while the Elcano delivered 21. Mack Spees drilled three 3-balls on his way to 13 points for the Bulldogs.
On the girls' side of the ledger, Freedom ran its record to 7-0 with an easy win against Group AAA opponent Potomac. The Eagles put it through the hoop from all over the court. Their primary bigs, Kelsey Buchanan and Jasmine Merritt, were big with 14 points each. DiDi Scott and Jessica Escorza added 12 apiece.
Kyana Jacobs gave an outstanding effort in her attempt to keep the Panthers in it, notching 19 points and playing a steady point guard spot. It was not enough to counter the skilled size of the Freedom Eagles.
The Bulldog Bash progresses to its series of placement games Wednesday, culminating in the boys' and girls' championship tilts.
Wednesday Schedule
9:15 am -- Centreville vs. McDowell (girls 7th place)
10:45 am -- Woodbridge vs. Freedom (boys 7th place)
12:15 pm -- St. Hubert's vs. Flint Hill (girls 5th place)
1:45 pm -- West Potomac vs. Flint Hill (boys 5th place)
3:15 pm -- Potomac vs. Madison (girls 3rd place)
4:45 pm -- Patrick Henry vs. Westfield (boys 3rd place)
6:15 pm -- Freedom vs. Westfield (girls championship)
8:00 pm -- Centreville vs. Langley (boys championship)
Gamedaymagazine.com will have all of the action of the four final games live on Gameday TV, starting at 3:15 p.m.
