Game Stories, GHSA, GHSA Basketball

Vassell and Moss set tone as Peachtree Ridge races past rival No. 8 Collins Hill

Peachtree Ridge 75, No. 8 Collins Hill 64

Rivalry games bring out the best in both sides, but on Friday night, it was Peachtree Ridge (5-0) that took full advantage of their home crowd, riding the atmosphere to a controlling 75-64 victory. Looking for a statement win in the deep Region 6-AAAAAAA, the Lions proved that they are more than just a Devin Vassell one-man show.

A quick pace opened the game with both teams trading buckets. Senior point guard Darius Moss set the tone with seven quick points, pushing the ball in transition and attacking the basket. With No. 8 Collins Hill (5-1) primarily focused on stopping Vassell, the Florida State-signee allowed his teammates to flourish, 10 Lions scoring on the night. Vassell whipped in an assist to BJ Knight to give Peachtree Ridge a 20-15 lead after one.

Peachtree Ridge ignited a 12-4 run highlighted by a Vassell slam to take a 32-19 lead at the 5:05 mark in the second quarter and never let Collins Hill cut the deficit back to single digits the rest of the way.

While the Lions were using their balance, the Eagles were relying on Northern Illinois-signee Justin Lee, Elijah Wilson and Mandarius Dickerson to keep them in striking distance. Lee, 6-foot-8, opened the game with the first five points for Collins Hill and added in seven more in the second quarter to head into the half with 12 of his 19 points on the night. Wilson scored six of his nine points in the second quarter but was held scoreless in the second half.

Peachtree Ridge took a 43-32 lead into the half and extended it to as many as 17 points at 58-41 with under three minutes remaining in the third quarter. The Eagles closed on a 7-2 run and could have had even more momentum heading into the final stanza, but Chris Parks missed a breakaway dunk with 24 seconds left and Collins Hill had to settle for a 60-48 hole to dig out of in the fourth quarter after Dickerson netted nine of his team-high 21 points in the third.

Devin Vassell provided the kill-shot at the 5:37 mark of the fourth when he threw down his third dunk of the game to push the lead back to 17 at 67-50. Vassell finished with eight of his game-high 22 points in the final period to close out the Eagles.

My Take

After a fun first 8 minutes, it just looked like Peachtree Ridge wanted it more than their rivals. Devin Vassell poured in a smooth 22 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks as the Seminole was in control the entire game and didn’t let the festive atmosphere affect him either way. It was Darius Moss who really provided the energy and paced the Lions attack early. He finished with 12 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists and did a nice job of keeping the pressure on Collins Hill’s guards in transition. 6-foot-11 250-pound junior post Richard Rivers opened up the game with a three-pointer and drilled two on the night. Rivers will be a covetable non-D-1 player with his size and shooting touch. If he can trim down and improve his mobility a little more, it will behoove him at the next level. BJ Knight did a good job of finishing around the rim and I really liked what I saw out of 6-foot-6 junior forward Amari Davis, who entered off the bench and instantly gave Coach Keith Arrington a post presence, collecting 7 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks.

Collins Hill was unable to match Peachtree Ridge’s non-stop energy. Mandarius Dickerson got his with 21 points (3 threes), but couldn’t help the Eagles climb their double-digit hill. Dickerson isn’t a flashy player and won’t necessarily standout, but the 6-foot-2 senior is always good for 14-18 points a night. He will help a program at the next level. Northern Illinois-signee Justin Lee showcased his beautiful touch, but it wasn’t just from the three-point line. He did a very nice job of working the mid-range to the paint and elevating over smaller defenders to kiss the ball off the glass. The only thing I didn’t like was his rebounding total. You can’t be 6-foot-8 in high school and not record a single rebound. I felt like junior Elijah Wilson came out strong in the first half and knocked down two threes, but the 6-foot-3 wing got lost in the shuffle in the second half and didn’t get many looks. I still feel like Collins Hill is at their best when Queens-signee Chris Parks is getting post touches. The 6-foot-5 bruiser’s opportunities were few and far between. I wish there was more of an effort to establish him inside, but credit Richard Rivers and Amari Davis for doing a good job of not allowing him to get position on the block. Senior guard Quincy Carter didn’t light up the scoreboard with 3 points, but he did everything else, tallying 6 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals.

Top Performers

Peachtree Ridge
Devin Vassell – 22 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 3 blocks
Darius Moss – 12 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists
BJ Knight – 10 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist
Richard Rivers – 8 points, 2 rebounds
Amari Davis – 7 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks

Collins Hill
Mandarius Dickerson – 21 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals
Justin Lee – 19 points, 2 assists, 1 steal
Elijah Wilson – 9 points, 5 rebound, 1 assist, 2 steals
Chris Parks – 6 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist
Quincy Carter – 3 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals