Prep Hoops 10 Best: Holy Family vs. Denver South
Hot, hot, hot. That’s the simplest way to describe the shooting performance from Denver South on Saturday afternoon during its 71-55 win over visiting Holy Family in non-league action. The Rebels hit 16 3-pointers and nailed them at a high…
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Continue ReadingHot, hot, hot.
That’s the simplest way to describe the shooting performance from Denver South on Saturday afternoon during its 71-55 win over visiting Holy Family in non-league action.
The Rebels hit 16 3-pointers and nailed them at a high clip.
“We put up a lot of threes, so live by it and die by it at times,” South coach Malik Fletcher said. “We shot it really well today.”
The Rebels moved to 11-3 in its first season at the 5A level. The Tigers, who were led by sophomore Kyle Helbig, dropped to 9-4 but are a perfect 4-0 in the 4A Tri-Valley League.
A closer look at the game:
MVP: Connor Nelson, Denver South
The 6-5 senior was a force on both ends of the court. He crashed the boards, deflected passes and blocked shots on the defensive end and nailed five 3-pointers while finishing with a game-high 26 points. Nelson also displayed impressive floor vision in what was a complete two-way performance.
Offensive Player of the Game: Kyle Helbig, Holy Family
The 6-5 sophomore scored 23 points in a variety of ways. He was aggressive in attacking the basket and routinely got the free-throw line, where he only missed one attempt. Helbig has good size and proved difficult to stop once he got downhill.
Defensive Player of the Game: Cortney Dean, Denver South
Make no mistake, Dean got work done on offense, hitting three 3-pointers and scoring 15 points. But his best work was on defense, where the 6-5 junior used his length to disrupt Holy Family’s offensive rhythm. Dean is a strong rebounder who can push it himself as soon as he gets the ball off the rim, and he’s good at altering passes and shots with his active arms.
Play of the Game
How about 16 splashes? The 3-point barrage from the Rebels was one of the most impressive outside shooting displays we’ve seen since jumping on the prep hoops scene here a couple years ago.
Role Player of the Game: Tucker Cargile, Denver South
Cargile is the resident sharpshooter for South. Run off the ball, get to your spot and let it rip. That’s his mission, and he passed it with flying colors on Saturday. The 5-11 senior guard nailed 6-of-9 3-point attempts for 18 points. Cargile is a must mark on any scouting report, opening up plenty of space on the inside for Nelson, Dean and others to go to work.
Best Underclassmen: Tanner Baird, Holy Family
The 6-1 sophomore guard was second on the team in scoring with nine points. He’s efficient with his movement and is a crafty finisher once he gets to the basket. Baird also defended hard and showed touch on his mid-range jump shot. Look for a big spring and summer with the Colorado Titans out of Baird as he continues to grow his game.
Best Kicks: Cargile
The first player we’ve seen this season rocking the new Kobe A.D. kicks. The crispy white low-tops blended perfectly with South’s home white unis.
Best Under-The-Radar Performance: Cameron Miller, Holy Family
The 6-1 senior forward gives up a lot of size most nights at his position, but he never uses that as an excuse. Miller finished with eight points and rebounded well most of the game.
The Story Going Forward For Denver South: 5A Ready?
The Rebels certainly look like they are. At 11-3, with its only losses to Denver East, Rampart and Vista Ridge in triple overtime, South looks like a team that will have the horses to compete in its new classification, especially if it keeps shooting the way it did Saturday. A big test against George Washington on Jan. 27 will provide some answers.
The Story Going Forward For Holy Family: Ready for big Tri-Valley stretch?
There is no shame for the Tigers in falling to an athletic 5A team on a day it just couldn’t miss from long range. Coach Pete Villeco is an expert at getting his team concentrate on the next task ahead. For the Tigers, upcoming Tri-Valley games against Erie and Mead could go a long way toward determining that league’s race.
First quarter
D – Cargile 3-pointer. 0-3.
H – Miller on baseline Golter feed. 2-3.
D – Cargile 3-pointer. 2-6.
D – Dean inside hook. 2-8. (5:57).
H – Helbig layup/foul. Made. 5-8.
D – Cargile 3-pointer. 5-11.
H – Helbig layup. 7-11.
D – Ater 1/2 FT. 7-12.
H – Helbig floater. 9-12.
D – Ater layup. 9-14.
H – Golter tough layup. 11-14.
D – Nelson 2/2 FT. 11-16.
D – Nelson 3-pointer. 11-19.
H – Helbig inbounds lob. 13-19.
D – Nelson layup/foul. Made. 13-22.
Second quarter
H – Baird layup/foul. Made. 16-22.
D – Mandzic 3-pointer. 16-25.
D – Nelson 2/2 FT. 16-27.
H – Helbig layup. 18-27.
H – Zeman 3-pointer. 21-27.
D – Nelson 3-pointer. 21-30.
D – Dean 3-pointer. 21-33.
H – Baird layup. 23-33.
D – Dean 3-pointer. 23-36.
D – Nelson 3-pointer. 23-39.
H – Helbig layup/foul. Made. 26-39.
D – Nelson 2/2 FT. 26-41.
H – Baird jumper. 28-41.
H – Hunter 2/2 FT. 30-41.
H – Helbig 2/2 FT. 32-41.
Third quarter
H – Helbig 1/2 FT. 33-41.
D – Dean layup. 33-43.
D – Dean 3-pointer. 33-46.
H – Helbig steal/layup. 35-46.
D – Nelson 2/2 FT. 35-48.
D – Nelson 3-pointer. 35-51.
D – Munthali 1/2 FT. 35-52.
H – Miller baseline jumper. 37-52.
H – Helbig 1/2 FT. 38-52.
D – Cargile 3-pointer. 38-55.
D – Cargile 3-pointer. 38-58.
Fourth quarter
D – Nelson 3-pointer. 38-61.
H – Miller layup. 40-61.
H – Golter 3-pointer. 43-61.
D – Dean 2/2 FT. 43-63.
H – Miller layup. 45-63.
D – Munthali layup. (Nelson!) 45-65.
D – Cargile 3-pointer. 45-68.
H – Helbig runner. 47-68.
D – Cargile 3-pointer. 47-71.
H – Baird layup. 49-71.
H – Kinoti 3-pointer. 52-71.
H – Sanders 3-pointer. 55-71.