Scott Phillips is no stranger to adversity and after coaching high school basketball for as long as Phillips has, adversity is not infinite. The Wildcats have battled injuries and have been forced to alter their lineup all season long.
The Edgewood Academy boys basketball team participated in a New Year’s Eve contest against Trinity, and won by a score of 44-34.
The Wildcats nursed a lead throughout most of the entirety of the game displaying their collective efforts on emphasizing the defensive pressure.
“We try to control the pace, we try to change, and we try to change defenses every two or three times down because we're because we're long enough to do that, and so we're giving a man, we come down, and then all of a sudden we get in a zone,” Phillips said. “ The important thing is, we are deve;oping awareness and gaining a feel for the game,” Phillips said.
The Wildcats, currently sit at 11-5 on the season, sustain a very well coached and calculated approach to their floor schemes. Avery Haskew is a source of direction for the Wildcats from his point guard position, and most of the scoring output comes courtesy of the big man, Brock Whitt.
Haskew dished out 8 dimes to his teammates during the game, and allowed for high percentage shot opportunities due to his elite court vision. Whitt was the leading scorer for Edgewood against Trinity, as he finished with 14 points to go along with 9 boards off the glass. Whitt provides a strong level of physicality to the Wildcats while also being very capable of handling the ball as well.
Ultimately, Phillips chalks up the Wildcat’s victory to them playing sound defense, and being relentless on both ends of the floor.
“We defended and that's what we pride ourselves on… I tell them we will defend in any game we play, and so that's kind of where we were today, but we really need to start trying to control the pace in which we play every possession," Phillips said.
