Hagerman's shooting, all-around play fuels Millbrook
Millbrook’s Julien Hagerman makes a 3-pointer over Handley’s Demitri Gardner during the Pioneers’ 50-42 overtime win last Friday. The senior leads Millbrook with a 14.6 scoring average.
Millbrook senior guard Julien Hagerman has improved his all-around game this season for the Pioneers, who have won 10 consecutive games. He leads the team in scoring (14.6 ppg) and three pointers made (34) and is third in rebounding (3.6 rpg).
At the end of Tuesday’s practice, the Millbrook High school boys’ basketball team engages in an intrasquad scrimmage for one quarter.
The Blue Team leads the White Team by three points as the clock winds down to under 10 seconds left when the White Team’s Julien Hagerman gets the ball with an open look from more than 20 feet from the basket.
“We just tied it,” says White Team member Tarelle Hayden before Hagerman fires his shot. And Hayden is right as Hagerman hits nothing but string to tie the score at 15-15.
While it’s just practice, the basket speaks to the danger of letting Hagerman get loose and the confidence his teammates have in the senior to deliver.
Hagerman’s offense and improved overall play have been part of the Pioneers’ big turnaround since starting the season 2-4. Millbrook (12-4) has won 10 straight and taken a two-game lead in the Class 4 Northwestern District with an 8-0 record.
Hagerman, deadly from 3-point range, is scoring more points (14.6 ppg) and shooting at a better rate (42 percent) than ever before. His scoring was huge at the beginning of the winning streak as he averaged 20.5 points in the first six games.
The leading scorer in a balanced lineup, Hagerman is averaging five more points per game than a season ago. He’s already scored more points (233) and made more 3-pointers (34) than he did all of last season.
Hagerman says he’s benefiting from a new offense under first-year head coach Steven Grubbs.
“The new system has helped a lot,” Hagerman said. “Now that we’re all moving together and moving without the ball, everybody will get an open shot. Last year, we had a certain set amount of plays and we just stayed in one spot and used only half the court.”
Grubbs said that with the personnel the Pioneers had last season, especially in the paint, Hagerman’s job was to loosen the opposing defenses from long range. With a more guard-oriented squad this year, that opens the floor.
“He’s attacking a lot more whereas in years past it was more of making sure that he was spacing out that defense so we have people inside that can get the ball,” Grubbs said. “But now with him being able to go off the dribble, it forces teams to be a little bit more honest with him.
“I think development-wise, he’s become a lot more well-rounded player. It’s starting to show up in a lot of areas — with his assists, his shot percentages going up. He’s not taking the 30- or 25-footer. Now he’s got some in the 4- and 5-foot range. He’s taken more foul shots this year (43) than he did all of last year (27).”
“I think I am being more aggressive,” Hagerman agrees. “My free throw (72 percent) and 3-point percentage (36 percent) improved drastically.”
Hagerman said he worked hard after last season to improve his game on all levels. Playing over the summer helped tremendously.
“I practiced with a great AAU team [Virginia Elite] down in Reston all summer,” he said. “We were on the Under Armour circuit so we played in New York, Kansas City stuff like that.”
Being able get to handle the ball, get to the basket and to be just a well-rounded player was important to him. He’s third on the team in rebounding (3.6 per game), second in blocks (0.2) and fourth in assists (1.2).
“It is very important because in the end it will help me the most in the long run to hopefully get to college and play some more,” he said. “I’d rather be known as somebody who can do everything instead of just stand there, catch and shoot.”
“It’s not just the shots for him,” Grubbs said. “He’s impacting games in different areas. [On Friday], he took a charge in the fourth quarter and it was huge. … I think he’s starting to fully develop as a player where he’s growing and understanding that he can get confidence from anywhere.”
Grubbs not only believes that Hagerman has honed his physical skills in four years in the Millbrook program, but the senior is also stronger mentally in his approach. Hagerman exudes confidence, but has a measure of patience launching 3-pointers, which is why his shooting percentages have gone up.
“I think that’s a byproduct of picking and choosing when to take them,” Grubbs said. “If he didn’t take threes last year, there wasn’t really anyone else that took them. He was taking volume-wise a lot more that are not really the best shot but it has to be taken or no one is leaving the paint. This year, his selection of them has improved greatly.”
Hagerman, who started to play the sport at age 3, said he inherited his deadly long-range accuracy from his father Keith. Hagerman said his father never got to play as a high school senior because of a family move.
“He can shoot the lights out,” Hagerman said of his father. “He’s probably still a better shooter than I am, but I think I’m catching up a little bit.”
Opponents will agree. As he did during that six-game stretch, Hagerman will fill it up when he gets open. The signature contest in that stretch came against Sherando when Hagerman erupted for 20 points in the second half of a 25-point effort as the Pioneers rallied past the Warriors.
It wasn’t long after that win that teams began changing how they defended the Pioneers.
In a key district battle, James Wood had its best inside player and shot blocker Lavaughan Freeman primarily defend Hagerman. Most recently, Handley had its best player Demitri Gardner defending against Hagerman.
“Yeah, they all start to face-guard me and pick me up right at halfcourt so I can’t get the ball,” Hagerman said. “It gets frustrating but I just keep moving without the ball so I can help get my teammates get open looks.”
And that has happened. Tyson Stewart, Jordan Jackson, Ben Oates and Hayden have had big double-figure games in recent Pioneers wins.
“We’ve talked about it a few times with him and I’ve told him, ‘Take that as a compliment. if teams are spending time specifically targeting you,’” Grubbs said. “… We think he’s done a tremendous job of just understanding the situation. If you’ve got someone tight on you because they’re afraid you will shoot, that’s opening up lanes for everybody else. It is kind of the ultimate teammate setup of sacrificing yourself for the betterment of everybody else.”
And because Hagerman is making the sacrifice now and his teammates are hurting the opposition, Grubbs believes the defenses will loosen.
“Eventually, people are going to start to forget about it,” Grubbs said. “Now we can’t be so tight on you because we need someone over here. And, his will come back.”
And when his team needs a basket, like the end of Tuesday’s practice, Hagerman isn’t bashful when the pressure is ratcheted up.
“It’s just fun,” Hagerman said. “I used to get nervous when I was younger and scared to mess up. Now, it’s just a game. … Yeah, I like all kinds of pressure. I like having the ball in my hands at all times.”
Hagerman, who wants to major in physical education or history, hopes to play college basketball and Grubbs has no doubt that the lanky 6-3, 160-pounder can do it.
“Right now he’s getting some looks and I think if he continues to develop like he has been he should be fine,” Grubbs said. “He’s 6-3. He’s a good shooter. As a guard that’s good size for playing at that next level.”
Hagerman says he’s having a blast right now as the Pioneers look to close out district play in first place and advance to regional play.
“I’ve known all of these guys since I was in fourth or fifth grade,” he said. “They are just like family.”
And he looks forward to pressure moments, especially in games against local rivals.
“Those are the funnest games because the crowd is loud and there’s all this pressure on you to perform,” he said. “It just makes it even more fun.”
Millbrook’s Julien Hagerman makes a 3-pointer over Handley’s Demitri Gardner during the Pioneers’ 50-42 overtime win last Friday. The senior leads Millbrook with a 14.6 scoring average.
- WALT MOODY/The Winchester Star
Millbrook senior guard Julien Hagerman has improved his all-around game this season for the Pioneers, who have won 10 consecutive games. He leads the team in scoring (14.6 ppg) and three pointers made (34) and is third in rebounding (3.6 rpg).
- WALT MOODY/The Winchester Star
At the end of Tuesday’s practice, the Millbrook High school boys’ basketball team engages in an intrasquad scrimmage for one quarter.
The Blue Team leads the White Team by three points as the clock winds down to under 10 seconds left when the White Team’s Julien Hagerman gets the ball with an open look from more than 20 feet from the basket.
“We just tied it,” says White Team member Tarelle Hayden before Hagerman fires his shot. And Hayden is right as Hagerman hits nothing but string to tie the score at 15-15.
While it’s just practice, the basket speaks to the danger of letting Hagerman get loose and the confidence his teammates have in the senior to deliver.
Hagerman’s offense and improved overall play have been part of the Pioneers’ big turnaround since starting the season 2-4. Millbrook (12-4) has won 10 straight and taken a two-game lead in the Class 4 Northwestern District with an 8-0 record.
Hagerman, deadly from 3-point range, is scoring more points (14.6 ppg) and shooting at a better rate (42 percent) than ever before. His scoring was huge at the beginning of the winning streak as he averaged 20.5 points in the first six games.
The leading scorer in a balanced lineup, Hagerman is averaging five more points per game than a season ago. He’s already scored more points (233) and made more 3-pointers (34) than he did all of last season.
Hagerman says he’s benefiting from a new offense under first-year head coach Steven Grubbs.
“The new system has helped a lot,” Hagerman said. “Now that we’re all moving together and moving without the ball, everybody will get an open shot. Last year, we had a certain set amount of plays and we just stayed in one spot and used only half the court.”
Grubbs said that with the personnel the Pioneers had last season, especially in the paint, Hagerman’s job was to loosen the opposing defenses from long range. With a more guard-oriented squad this year, that opens the floor.
“He’s attacking a lot more whereas in years past it was more of making sure that he was spacing out that defense so we have people inside that can get the ball,” Grubbs said. “But now with him being able to go off the dribble, it forces teams to be a little bit more honest with him.
“I think development-wise, he’s become a lot more well-rounded player. It’s starting to show up in a lot of areas — with his assists, his shot percentages going up. He’s not taking the 30- or 25-footer. Now he’s got some in the 4- and 5-foot range. He’s taken more foul shots this year (43) than he did all of last year (27).”
“I think I am being more aggressive,” Hagerman agrees. “My free throw (72 percent) and 3-point percentage (36 percent) improved drastically.”
Hagerman said he worked hard after last season to improve his game on all levels. Playing over the summer helped tremendously.
“I practiced with a great AAU team [Virginia Elite] down in Reston all summer,” he said. “We were on the Under Armour circuit so we played in New York, Kansas City stuff like that.”
Being able get to handle the ball, get to the basket and to be just a well-rounded player was important to him. He’s third on the team in rebounding (3.6 per game), second in blocks (0.2) and fourth in assists (1.2).
“It is very important because in the end it will help me the most in the long run to hopefully get to college and play some more,” he said. “I’d rather be known as somebody who can do everything instead of just stand there, catch and shoot.”
“It’s not just the shots for him,” Grubbs said. “He’s impacting games in different areas. [On Friday], he took a charge in the fourth quarter and it was huge. … I think he’s starting to fully develop as a player where he’s growing and understanding that he can get confidence from anywhere.”
Grubbs not only believes that Hagerman has honed his physical skills in four years in the Millbrook program, but the senior is also stronger mentally in his approach. Hagerman exudes confidence, but has a measure of patience launching 3-pointers, which is why his shooting percentages have gone up.
“I think that’s a byproduct of picking and choosing when to take them,” Grubbs said. “If he didn’t take threes last year, there wasn’t really anyone else that took them. He was taking volume-wise a lot more that are not really the best shot but it has to be taken or no one is leaving the paint. This year, his selection of them has improved greatly.”
Hagerman, who started to play the sport at age 3, said he inherited his deadly long-range accuracy from his father Keith. Hagerman said his father never got to play as a high school senior because of a family move.
“He can shoot the lights out,” Hagerman said of his father. “He’s probably still a better shooter than I am, but I think I’m catching up a little bit.”
Opponents will agree. As he did during that six-game stretch, Hagerman will fill it up when he gets open. The signature contest in that stretch came against Sherando when Hagerman erupted for 20 points in the second half of a 25-point effort as the Pioneers rallied past the Warriors.
It wasn’t long after that win that teams began changing how they defended the Pioneers.
In a key district battle, James Wood had its best inside player and shot blocker Lavaughan Freeman primarily defend Hagerman. Most recently, Handley had its best player Demitri Gardner defending against Hagerman.
“Yeah, they all start to face-guard me and pick me up right at halfcourt so I can’t get the ball,” Hagerman said. “It gets frustrating but I just keep moving without the ball so I can help get my teammates get open looks.”
And that has happened. Tyson Stewart, Jordan Jackson, Ben Oates and Hayden have had big double-figure games in recent Pioneers wins.
“We’ve talked about it a few times with him and I’ve told him, ‘Take that as a compliment. if teams are spending time specifically targeting you,’” Grubbs said. “… We think he’s done a tremendous job of just understanding the situation. If you’ve got someone tight on you because they’re afraid you will shoot, that’s opening up lanes for everybody else. It is kind of the ultimate teammate setup of sacrificing yourself for the betterment of everybody else.”
And because Hagerman is making the sacrifice now and his teammates are hurting the opposition, Grubbs believes the defenses will loosen.
“Eventually, people are going to start to forget about it,” Grubbs said. “Now we can’t be so tight on you because we need someone over here. And, his will come back.”
And when his team needs a basket, like the end of Tuesday’s practice, Hagerman isn’t bashful when the pressure is ratcheted up.
“It’s just fun,” Hagerman said. “I used to get nervous when I was younger and scared to mess up. Now, it’s just a game. … Yeah, I like all kinds of pressure. I like having the ball in my hands at all times.”
Hagerman, who wants to major in physical education or history, hopes to play college basketball and Grubbs has no doubt that the lanky 6-3, 160-pounder can do it.
“Right now he’s getting some looks and I think if he continues to develop like he has been he should be fine,” Grubbs said. “He’s 6-3. He’s a good shooter. As a guard that’s good size for playing at that next level.”
Hagerman says he’s having a blast right now as the Pioneers look to close out district play in first place and advance to regional play.
“I’ve known all of these guys since I was in fourth or fifth grade,” he said. “They are just like family.”
And he looks forward to pressure moments, especially in games against local rivals.
“Those are the funnest games because the crowd is loud and there’s all this pressure on you to perform,” he said. “It just makes it even more fun.”
