Prep Hoops 10 Best: Fossil Ridge at Denver East, 5A Second Round
You knew there would be some fireworks when two of the best scorers in Colorado squared off in Saturday afternoon’s second-round matchup between visiting No. 24 seed Fossil Ridge and No. 9 Denver East. Braxton Bertolette, Fossil Ridge’s 6-2 senior…
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Continue ReadingYou knew there would be some fireworks when two of the best scorers in Colorado squared off in Saturday afternoon’s second-round matchup between visiting No. 24 seed Fossil Ridge and No. 9 Denver East.
Braxton Bertolette, Fossil Ridge’s 6-2 senior guard, is one of the best 3-point shooters in state history, and he entered the game having scored at least 38 points in each of his last four games, a torrid streak that helped the Sabercats finish second in the Front Range League and advance to the second round.
Daylen Kountz, the 6-4 junior wing for Denver East, has been on a mind-bending hot streak of his own, coming off a career-high performance of 42 points in a thrilling Denver Public League championship game against George Washington that East lost 99-96 in overtime.
On Saturday, both players went to work in a major way once again, but it was Denver East that advanced with a 72-56 victory.
The win for East sets up a must-see showdown in the Sweet 16 at No. 8 seed Smoky Hill on Wednesday night.
But first, a closer look at how the Angels took care of business in their playoff opener on Saturday:
MVP: Daylen Kountz, Denver East
For the second straight Saturday afternoon, Kountz was brilliant. He finished with a game-high 37 points, a total that was made even more impressive by the smooth and efficient nature with which the talented lefty got his buckets. Kountz hit 79 percent of his shots, going 11-of-14 from the field. He nailed two 3-pointers from the wing on back-to-back possessions early in the first quarter, and he was off to the races from there. He attacked the basket with little wasted movement. He brought the house down with a posterizing dunk in the third quarter, and he wore out a path to the free-throw line, where he went 11-of-12. Kountz is entering the territory of being one of the elite juniors in the country, and he continues to show it as he elevates his game in the most important moments.
Offensive Player of the Game: Braxton Bertolette, Fossil Ridge
Denver East threw the kitchen sink at the sharpshooter, and he still finished with 29 points. The mark of a great shooter isn’t just someone who can stand in the corner, catch the ball and shoot. There aren’t that many opportunities afforded to great shooters because smart defenses don’t let them get clean looks. So players like Bertolette have to work to create their own shots, and that’s what he did Saturday. In the face of relentless defense designed to slow him down, Bertolette worked tirelessly simply to get the ball from teammates, and often with just a sliver of space he’d deliver on the shot. He hit 7-of-13 3-point attempts, a fitting in to the career of one of the best shooters Colorado has ever produced. We look forward to seeing Bertolette at the next level soon.
Defensive Player of the Game: Joe Abiakam, Denver East
It may be easy to look at Bertolette’s 29 points and not appreciate the job East’s perimeter defenders did, but if you saw the game it was clear how much Abiakam affected the game with his defense. The work Abiakam did in preventing the easy looks for Bertolette made it hard for Fossil Ridge to establish much of what they wanted to do offensively. Abiakam, who had three steals and deflected three other passes, brought pressure that made everything difficult on the Sabercats. The 6-2 unsigned senior has emerged this season as one of the state’s top perimeter defenders, and that skill set should make him a solid find for a program at the next level.
Play of the Game: Kountz
The tomahawk dunk in the third quarter was an eye-popping highlight that pushed the Angels’ lead to 15. They never looked back. The full game video is below. The dunk comes at about the 39-minute mark.
https://www.baller.tv/streams/8495?_branch_match_id=360596011917216183
Most Improved: Assane Diouf, Denver East
The 7-foot sophomore center from Senegal is still raw, but you can see the steps he’s making with each game. His footwork is developing quickly, as he showed with efficient post moves that got him on the board early in Saturday’s game. He was also a force protecting the rim and is developing good instincts on defense. Diouf finished with three blocks and 13 rebounds. East will need him to be big Wednesday against the talented front line of Smoky Hill in the Sweet 16.
Best Underclassmen: Kwane Marble, Denver East
Marble is one of the best players in the 2019 class, and his stock continues to rise. The 6-3 guard was active against Fossil Ridge. He had 16 points, consistently getting the line, where he hit 8-of-8.
Best Under-The-Radar Performance: Garrett Ripsam, Fossil Ridge
The 6-4 junior guard had nine points and three rebounds and brought good energy throughout the game. Ripsam should be poised for a strong spring and summer with Colorado Chaos and should be a key piece for the Sabercats next season.
Best Under-The-Radar Performance, Part II: Scotty Wiese
Wiese hit just 2-of-8 3-pointers and 3-of-10 shots overall for 10 points, but he showed his ability to spread the defense. Wiese has to be accounted for, creating open driving lines for Kountz, Marble and others.
Best Kicks: Kountz
Rocking the red-and-white Jordan 13s that matched the uniforms of the same color, the East star was keeping it clean during his big performance.
Biggest Takeaway: Big matchup up coming
You can’t ask for a much better matchup than the Sweet 16 tilt on Wednesday between East and Smoky Hill, with the winner moving to within a game of the Final Four.