Prep Hoops 10 Best: Golden vs. D’Evelyn
The race for the top of Class 4A in Colorado includes some familiar names. Pueblo West, Sand Creek, Valor Christian and Golden are teams who rode into this season on recent success or big expectations. Then there’s D’Evelyn, a JeffCo…
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Continue ReadingThe race for the top of Class 4A in Colorado includes some familiar names.
Pueblo West, Sand Creek, Valor Christian and Golden are teams who rode into this season on recent success or big expectations.
Then there’s D’Evelyn, a JeffCo League school that entered the year tucked neatly under the radar. Well, that’s where the Jaguars were located anyway.
That’s not the case anymore. An 82-77 victory over Golden on Wednesday night was the latest in a string of big wins for a D’Evelyn team that is looking more and more like a true contender for a state championship as it improved to 14-2 overall and 7-0 in JeffCo play.
The Jaguars share the ball, move with good pace and have a 3-point threat at each of the five positions on the court. They also play solid team defense and turn opponents’ miscues into easy offense.
That was all part of the formula in a win over Golden (12-4, 4-3) that keeps D’Evelyn at the top of the JeffCo League standings.
Here’s a closer look at how the Jags got it done:
MVP: Charles Dinegar, D’Evelyn
The 6-foot-5, 200-pound junior forward was solid and dependable for the Jags, especially in the second half. During one short sequence in the third quarter, Dinegar hit a baseline jumper, nailed a fadeaway off one foot (a la Dirk Nowitzki), finished a tough layup in the crowd and nailed a 3-pointer. Those nine points helped the Jags keep a double-digit lead, even as Golden star Adam Thistlewood was scoring at his own prolific pace. Dinegar finished with a team-high 21 points and eight rebounds. Dinegar also impressed as a ball-handler. He doesn’t get frazzled by pressure, and the Jaguars can run offense through him no matter where he catches it in the halfcourt.
Offensive Player of the Game: Adam Thistlewood, Golden
The Jaguars simply had no answer for the 6-6 junior guard when he asserted himself. Thistlewood scored nine points in the first quarter and was then held without a bucket in the second. He went to work after halftime, scoring 17 of his game-high 26 points. Thistlewood is an above-average jumper shooter who has great elevation on his shot. Combine that with a pterodactyl wing span and a high release point, and it’s a shot he can get anywhere he wants. He also has a great feel for attacking angles and can get to the basket with consistency. He also rarely misses from the free-throw line, where he was 8-for-9. Thistlewood is without doubt one of the best players in the 2018 class and is on the rise.
Defensive Player of the Game: Josh Brinkerhoff, D’Evelyn
The 6-1 senior was giving up some size to Golden’s perimeter scorers in Thistlewood and Kayden Sound (6-5), but that didn’t deter him. Brinkerhoff was constantly getting his hands in the passing lanes, deflecting three passes and grabbing two steals. That kind of disruptive play helped slow Golden’s offensive rhythm for a large stretch of the second quarter, when D’Evelyn outscored the Demons 23-9 to build a 40-30 lead at halftime that it would never relinquish. Brinkerhoff also dished out five assists and scored 12 points.
Play of the Game: Cole Clifton, D’Evelyn
Golden began making a run in the fourth quarter, and when Sund completed a three-point play on an authoritative drive to the basket, the Demons had cut the lead to 68-59 midway through the final period. That’s when Clifton stepped up. He made two free throws after being fouled on the next possession. Then, he coyly lagged in the backcourt and stepped in front of the Golden inbounds pass. He finished the open layup to put the Jaguars up 72-59. Golden made a strong run after that, but the alert play by Clifton had built a lead that was too big to overcome.
Marksman of the Game: Jason Gardner, D’Evelyn
The 6-2 senior looked a lot like his namesake, former star University of Arizona guard Jason Gardner, the way he was draining shots on Wednesday. D’Evelyn’s Gardner hit 4-of-5 3-pointers on the way to 14 points. His long-range shot that just beat the buzzer at the end of the third quarter gave the Jags a 54-42 lead and gave them a big boost of momentum heading into the final eight minutes.
Best Kickstarter: Joe Madsen, Golden
The 6-5 junior forward had seven points in the opening three minutes of the game. He nailed a couple of free throws, hit a rhythm 3-pointer at the top of the key and then grabbed a tough rebound in traffic and finished with the outback. That effort helped the Demons jump to a 17-11 lead in the first quarter. D’Evelyn secured the big victory in large part because they found a way to quiet Madsen after that early spurt.
Best Under-The-Radar Performance: CJ Olson, D’Evelyn
The 6-3 senior guard, who leads the team in scoring at nearly 16 points per game, picked his spots beautifully Wednesday. He’s the kind of player who can create a lot of plays without having to dominate the ball. He doesn’t over-dribble and can pull up on a dime. He scored seven of his 18 points in the second quarter, hitting big shots that helped the Jags turn a four-point deficit into a 10-point halftime lead.
Best Under-The-Radar Performance: Kayden Sund, Golden
It took the 6-5 guard a little bit of time to establish himself, but once he did it became easy to see why Division II Chadron State is excited to have him next season. He scored 13 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter, nearly bringing the Demons all the way back from a 13-point deficit in the final period. He’s long and can create shots for himself.
The Story Going Forward For Golden: Can the Demons step on the gas?
There are stretches that we’ve seen Golden play, when Thistlewood and Sund are being aggressive and attacking the basket, that the Demons are very difficult to stop. The stagnation can come, as it did in the second quarter Wednesday, when those two aren’t being as aggressive. This is as challenging a duo as their is to stop in 4A. If they both can maintain aggressiveness, Golden will remain a team nobody wants to see come the postseason.
The Story Going Forward For D’Evelyn: Can the Jaguars handle the target?
It’s safe to say D’Evelyn flew a bit under the radar during the first round of JeffCo play. That won’t be the case anymore as the Jags prepare for their second go-around against league teams. Big rematches with Evergreen (Saturday), Valor Christian (Feb. 4) and Golden (Feb. 16) loom ahead. If D’Evelyn can handle teams seeking revenge, it can win the league and position itself with a very favorable spot in the 4A state tournament.