Scotland Campus tapped into the veteran leadership department en route to a wild 71-64 upset of Virginia Academy at home on Thursday night. The radiant troika of Louis Bleechmore, Johannes Kirsippu, and Oli Jacquot, all of whom are playing significant roles under head coach Blake Kingsley for the second consecutive season, ultimately were the main sources propelling Scotland to the euphoric and signature win.
Bleechmore scored 23 points and pulled down a team-best 10 rebounds. He did it while displaying an all around game and the type of soaring, high-end athleticism prioritized throughout the Division-I level. He knocked down 3-pointers, delivered a trio of dunks (two in the first quarter) and turned in a pair of traditional 3-point plays in traffic. He also was the aggressor against a physically imposing Virginia Academy frontline, as the 6-foot-7 forward battled for supremacy on the glass against 6-foot-10 high major prospect Durosinmi Oluwasegun.
Such a performance, especially on a stage of this magnitude, is a telltale portent of how far the high-rising Australian has come since he arrived at Scotland as a spindly sophomore.
The Class of 2020 Bleechmore shouldered a tremendous leadership burden in this one. He was cognizant that upping his performance was a necessity with high-scoring Class of 2020 guard Gerald Jarmon and 6-foot-7 Class of 2021 starting forward Aime Ciza on the shelf with nagging injuries.
To worsen matters while simultaneously heightening the void in the middle, 6-foot-6 forward Kobe Samake was saddled with early foul trouble, whistled for three early in the first half.
Kirsippu, a native of Estonia, turned in an efficient account of himself. The Class of 2021 guard scored 23 points, stretching out Virginia Academy with an early 3-point barrage and also knifing into the lane and finishing.
Scotland nearly squandered the lead during a prolonged third quarter drought, albeit Kirsippu bucketed another 3-pointer and Bleechmore got free for a putback while drawing the foul to quell the cold streak.
Jacquot, a poised piece who has provided that calming senior influence throughout the season, scored nine points. He sparked the Knights with a corner 3-pointer and a tough traditional 3-point play over a draping defender as Scotland built a 43-29 halftime lead.
Amiko Khazilia provided meaningful minutes, popping off the bench to hit a loud 3-pointer that padded the first half lead. Khayden Stewart, with his instinctive and pressure-spiked shoulder to shoulder defense, was additionally impactful.
Coached by former NFL star and soon to be Tampa Bay Bucs offensive assistant Antwan Randle El, Virginia Academy was paced by Amir Nesbitt‘s 23 points.
Nesbitt, a hard attacking guard with offers from James Madison, Bryant, Stony Brook, North Texas and several others on the table, scored 17 in the second half as Virginia Academy staged a powerful rally. It was ultimately a chippy affair with plenty of stare downs, trash talk, and extra bumps and elbows along the way.
Jaylen Cole-Williams scored 14 points for Virginia Academy, including four 3-pointers during the first half.
