A 12-3 overall record against difficult competition has led to a national ranking for the Bishop O’Connell Knights boys basketball team.
The private-school team was ranked 15th in the most recent national poll by MaxPreps, and second in Virginia. Some of O’Connell’s opponents are or have been ranked nationally, as well.
The Knights have started strong despite having just one returning starter and only one other returning player back from last year’s high-school squad.
“We have had zero easy games and we have played a ton of close games and that has been awesome for us,” O’Connell coach Joe Wootten told ARLnow. “Playing a tough schedule is a challenge, but is what a young team like ours needs to get better and have a chance to win championships later in the season.”
The Knights have played in multiple tournaments so far, including events in Maryland, Texas, Tennessee and the Bahamas.
O’Connell’s lone returning starter is senior guard Darius Bivins. He was chosen first-team Division I all-state and first-team all-Washington Catholic Athletic Conference last season.
Bivins is the Knights’ leading scorer this season, averaging 18.5 points entering O’Connell’s 59-57 Jan. 6 home loss to the visiting Carroll Lions (14-3) in a conference contest. He also leads the team in assists and steals.
The other returning player is senior forward Justin Edwards. He averages 11.7 points per game, but has missed the last eight contests with an injury. He is expected to return soon. Edwards was a top substitute last season.
Two other top players are junior guard Corey Dixon and junior guard/forward Jaron Rucker. Dixon averages 17 points per game and Rucker 10.6.
Junior guard/forward Tristan Franklin (7.1 points per game), sophomore guard Hudson Mustashami (3.5) and junior guard Jackson Wootten are other key players.
The loss to Carroll was O’Connell’s second straight of the season.
“I thought they dictated the tempo better than us later in the game once they got the lead,” Wootten said.
In its previous contest, the Knights lost to the Webb Spartans, 61-59, of Knoxville, Tenn. in the championship game of a holiday tournament in Bristol, Tenn. Webb is ranked 12th nationally by MaxPreps.
O’Connell’s other loss was to the Milton Eagles (10-2) of Georgia, 75-66, ending the Knights’ seven-game winning streak to start the season.
Milton is ranked fifth in Georgia by MaxPreps.
Seven of O’Connell’s victories are by eight points or fewer, including two wins by two points.
The difficult schedule continues as the Knights next play Saturday, Jan. 10 at 5:15 p.m. against DePaul College Prep (14-2) in Chicago, then play at longtime WCAC power DeMatha (10-4) Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 7:30 p.m. in conference action.
DePaul is ranked 33rd nationally by MaxPreps and fifth in Illinois. DeMatha is ranked first in the state of Maryland.
O’Connell stands 2-1 in the WCAC, with wins over Good Counsel, 63-55, and Gonzaga, 60-47. Rucker scored 20, Bivins 17 and Dixon 16 against Good Counsel. Against Gonzaga, Bivins scored 16, Edwards 15 and Franklin 10.
“We have been a very connected team offensively and defensively, and we need to keep getting better,” Joe Wootten said.
O’Connell finished with a 23-10 record last season and second in the Division I state tournament, losing in overtime in the championship game.
