Russ Blake On Charlie Villanueva
While teammate Luol Deng struggled, 6-9 junior Charlie Villanueva sparkled for Blair Academy in its 56-55 victory over Life Center Academy last Saturday night at the Scholastic Play by Play Classic.
Villanueva pumped in 22 points and kept the Bucs afloat for much of the contest until a fourth quarter run propelled them past Life Center.
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Villanueva put on an offensive clinic, finishing with both hands at the rim, knocking down jumpers and finishing the break with a flourish. He even made a few eye-catching passes, which is typically the forte of Deng.
And he even helped out on defense, which is the one area of his game that is not always consistent.
"He made big plays at both ends of the court," said Blair Head Coach Joe Mantegna. "When his concentration is there, he can be a factor on the defensive end."
"Everyone knows what he can do on the offensive end," Mantegna continued. "He's a versatile scorer."
Villanueva was all of that and then some against Life Center. Deng scored just 11 points, yet he was the only other Buc player to hit double figures on the night.
When both Deng and Villanueva are clicking on all cylinders, Blair can be almost impossible to stop.
But last Saturday, Villanueva was offensive enough -- especially to Life Center!