COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The best players in basketball take over in 'winning time.' With Hilliard Bradley in a tied game in the fourth quarter, Matt Allocco did just that to lead the Jags over London in game five of the Jared Sullinger Play By Play Classic.

Going on his own 7-0 run, Allocco powered the Jags to a 38-31 lead with two minutes remaining in the game as Hilliard Bradley improved to 15-1 on the season.

In a defensive slugfest, the tempo played to Hilliard Bradley's preference. However, London responded well and fought hard for the entire game, staying within a few points of the lead for the vast majority of the game. 

While he struggled to get anything going in the first half, junior guard Trey Woodyard woke up in the second half and scored 13 of his game-high 15 points.

London took a momentary lead in the early going of the second half, but Hilliard Bradley, as they had done all night, responded like the elite team they are and quickly took it back.

Allocco was outstanding on both ends, doing a great job on Woodyard and not giving him much of anything off the bounce. The Jags didn't have a whole lot of scoring outside of Allocco, as junior guards AJ Mirgon and Keaton Norris combined for 15 points, while senior Chris Mayfield pitched in six points off the bench.

With the win, Hilliard Bradley is off until next Friday when they host Delaware Hayes in OCC-Cardinal play, the same Pacers team that took them to overtime in their previous matchup.

For London, Woodyard's 15 points were a game-high, as no other Red Raider player had more than six points. Despite the loss, we were impressed with London's toughness and shot making ability they showed in the first half to make it competitive, knocking down five triples in the first two quarters.

London will look to bounce back next week with three winnable games, two of which in Central Buckeye Conference league play.

Matt Allocco (6'4 PG / Hilliard Bradley / 2020): WINNING PLAYS. That's what Allocco makes, as he did it once again in the fourth quarter when London tied the game at 31. Going on his own 7-0 run which included a transition three, a backdoor cut for two and a tough contact finish at the rim, Allocco put the game out of reach in the final frame as Hilliard Bradley picked up another gritty win. The 6-foot-4 senior communicates at an elite level, as he is never not moving around and getting his guys in the right spots. That leadership alone is why this Bradley team is so good. When your best player is the hardest worker and cares most about winning, you have a chance to be elite and that's why both Allocco and Bradley are elite. The senior is shooting the ball with more confidence which has expanded his game and made him the toughest cover out on the perimeter in the area. We have always said that he reminds us of Upper Arlington legend Kevin Vannatta and we wouldn't be surprised to see him lead Hilliard Bradley where Vannatta led the Golden Bears in 2014 - all the way to the state championship. 

Trey Woodyard (6'7 WG / London / 2021): While he started off a bit slow, Woodyard woke up in a big way in the second half. The junior guard knocked down three triples, one off the catch and two off the bounce where he showed the confident shot-making ability that we saw from him all fall when he led his team to the 270 Hoops Fall League championship. Woodyard is a gifted passer, who at 6-foot-7, can see the entire floor and deliver difficult passes to the weak side of the floor. Defensively, Woodyard is a threat as a rim deterrent, as he blocked two Allocco drives in help side defense. We liked what he showed as a finisher when he did get to the rim, converting a spin finish and another contact finish. Receiving all types of mid-major attention, Woodyard is an extremely coachable kid who gives 110 percent each time on the floor. While many high school kids would use the big notoriety that comes with being a Division I recruit in a small town, Woodyard has not let that get to his head, as he is as humble now as he was as an incoming freshman without any hype two years ago.