Highland Springs boys win their bracket in 804 Coaches for Change tournament

His stroke was true, and his shots found their mark with uncommon regularity.

Close range putbacks? For sure. 

Layups in transition? Oh, yeah…and in abundance.

A catch-and-shoot from behind the arc? Yep, one of those as well.

That’s how Highland Springs guard E.J. Thompson racked up a career-high 42 points in the Springers’ 96-66 victory over Hanover in the Change Bracket championship game of the 804 Coaches for Change Community Classic contested Tuesday at the Henrico Sports & Events Center in Glen Allen.

The 6-1 senior captain’s monster night wasn’t part of his plan, though.

“When I go into a game, my main focus is always to win whether I have 40 points or zero points,” said Thompson, the tournament MVP who went 18-for-25 from the field and 5-for-6 from the free throw line. “However I can help my team win is what I’m going to do.

“If they need me to score, I’ll score. If they need me to rebound, I’ll rebound. If they need me to defend, I’ll defend. It just so happens I had 42 tonight, but that’s because I have a good team around me that trusts me and believes in me.

“We all work hard and work together, every single day.”

Five minutes into the game, the Hawks (5-2) were holding their own, clinging to a 12-11 lead, and competing grittily and confidently.

Undeterred, the Springers (7-0) then launched into a defensive intensity-driven, high-octane 16-3 run to take a 27-15 lead into the second period and set the tone going forward.

“The mentality begins in our locker room,” said 6-1 junior guard Davion Allen of the Springers’ quick-strike capability. “We don’t want to have a close game with anybody. We want to come out and take care of business.”

Thompson, who scored eight points in the first quarter, added 15 more in the second.

“The points came mainly from us playing defense and putting pressure on them,” said Thompson, who also had eight rebounds, four assists, and five steals. “It also comes from sharing the ball. We do this drill before games called One More Pass. That just brings us as a team to know to always look up ahead and make that extra pass. One more pass can never hurt.”

Thompson scored 12 more points in the Springers’ 27-18 third quarter and added eight more in the fourth before repairing to the bench with five minutes remaining.

The game began at NASCAR speed and, the margin of difference notwithstanding, never diminished.

“We like to put pressure on people and run up and down (the court) fast,” Thompson said. “We don’t want teams to feel comfortable when they play against us. We should always be in control. That’s what we did tonight.”

The Springers harried Hanover into 20 turnovers and myriad rushed passes and shots with its defense, installed in the '70s by the late Coach George Lancaster, which presents as a 2-2-1 but includes a variety of twists and wrinkles.

“Defense gets us into our flow,” said veteran coach Reggie Tennyson. “When we can apply pressure to people and get them to turn the ball over, get steals, and get out into transition, things become easier for us.

“For 30 or 40 years, we’ve had a philosophy that Springers have more fun because we play defense and run. That came from my predecessor (Lancaster), the legend himself. I played for him, I coached with him, so I’m not reinventing the wheel. I’m just greasing it. 

“He was a firm believer that when you play defense and run, good things happen.”

Allen added 20 points to the Highland Springs offensive effort.

“My teammates trust me,” he said. “I also know my spots and contribute where I can help my teammates.” 

The Springers, who connected on 36-of-64 field goal attempts, scored 52 points in the paint, recorded 13 steals, dealt 27 assists (including Joseph Williams’ nine), outrebounded the Hawks 35-24, forced 20 costly turnovers, and allowed 25-for-55 shooting.

Arrie McWilliams led the Hawks with 17 points. Ashton Kemp added 16 and Joel Nicholson 13.

“This particular (Springers) team has a cohesiveness and a love for each other,” said Tennyson. “They really enjoy playing with each other. They hang together. They share the ball. They really believe that they’re that good.

“We have to continue to play with energy, effort, and enthusiasm in order to reach the mecca. Our ultimate goal is to get downtown (to the VISAA state tournament at the Siegel Center). These guys believe they can do it, and I believe in them.”