Class 3A Quarterfinals: Lutheran vs. Grand Valley
It was Class 3A’s turn at the Denver Coliseum on Thursday, and the first boys quarterfinal game didn’t disappoint.
Lutheran punched the first ticket to the classification’s Final Four by holding off hard-charging Grand Valley, 66-55.
Lutheran has plenty of firepower, demonstrating an inside-outside game that will give them a chance to battle for a state title.
“It’s so exciting for us,” Lutheran coach Brad Brandsma said. “We came in and a lot of people didn’t have a lot of expectation for us, but we came in expecting ourselves to win. Those guys have left it on the court every game and we’ve found ways to win. We never really blow teams out. It’s grinding and grinding, and we get the stops when we need to. What a phenomenal group.”
Player of the Game: Lutheran’s Josh Bjorgum. He finished with a 18 points and got the Lions off to a blistering shot with great outside shooting.
Below is a closer look at some of the standouts on each team:
Lutheran
Will Willis, 6-5 junior forward
Willis has a long, athletic frame he uses with solid coordination. He runs the floor well. He’s decently athletic and has good footwork in the post, and a particularly strong spin move. Has a good nose for protecting the rim, and he demonstrates range that extends beyond the 3-point line. Has the ability to handle it in the open court.
Willis scored a game a game-high 19 points despite, Brandsma said, “being flat on his back the last four days, as sick as a dog.” Willis showed great grit in battling through illness to be a force inside.
Josh Bjorgum, 6-2 senior guard
Strong outside shooter who knocked down three 3-pointers in the first quarter Thursday. Has a great catch-and-shoot release, with strong elevation and follow through. Has a strong build and handles the ball well with both hands. Decent athleticism and good understanding of angles on the attack, and he has a strong pull-up game off the dribble. Certainly a small-college prospect.
Austin Anguilm, 6-0 junior guard
Anguilm is a steady, composed guard who passes the ball well and does a good of running offense. He also has a quick first step that he showed several times in getting into the lane and his playmaking ability by way of penetration, both by scoring and finding open teammates was key in Lutheran being able to pull away in the fourth quarter.
Tanner Rich, 6-5 senior forward
Just a solid-all around post player who provides strong leadership and toughness. He chipped in along with Willis to making scoring inside for Grand Valley a difficult pass. Showed great vision with a pass to cutting teammate Alonzo Smith for an uncontested layup that helped Lutheran extend a fourth-quarter lead. Runs the floor well and has strong touch around the basket.
Grand Valley
Gunner Rigsby, 5-9 junior guard
Though undersized, Rigsby is a tough-nosed guard who can really unleash it from deep. The outside shot wasn’t falling for him often Thursday, but the form was certainly there. And he showed a knock for putting the ball in the basket in other ways. He has a great hesitation dribble that pauses defenders just enough to allow him to get in the lane. He also has strong vision and delivers the ball to players in advantageous scoring position. Certainly under-the-radar playing in a small town on the Western Slope, but he could have an outside small-college shot with some growth in his frame. Unfortunately, Rigsby suffered a wrist injury in the third quarter and was unable to return to the game.
Tanner Magee, 6-4 senior forward
Great hustle player who brings good energy. Scored 13 points by cutting hard to the basket and battling on the glass. Not overly athletic but brings great toughness. And he has nice touch. He delivered a perfect outlet pass for a layup that gave the Lions their first lead midway through the fourth quarter.
John Parker, 6-3 senior guard
Lutheran did a good job containing Parker, GV’s leading scorer this season at 22.5 points per game, but his talent was evident. He’s a strong ball-handler who can play on the ball or off it. He doesn’t need much space to get off his 3-point shot, and attacks the basket with a good knack for drawing contact.