Five Takeaways: Foster's three-pointer gets Smoky Hill past Regis

Wednesday night an out of conference battle occurred between two of the state’s top teams in which Smoky Hill edged out Regis on the final buzzer to win 67-65. While the game was full of excitement there were five things that stood out. Here is what we seen.

Foster dominates

Heading into the game it was known that the only way that Smoky Hill would be able to beat Regis is if Kenny Foster had a monster game and he did just that as he put up 28 points, none bigger than his final three-pointer at the buzzer. Foster is on a tear for his final year and certainly looks like the best player in the state. He is scoring at will from all three levels, involving teammates a lot more in his final year and impacting the game on both ends of the court. It’s only December but he’s looking a lot like Mr. Basketball right now. With him playing this style it will be tough to beat this Smoky team.

Battle of the guards

As spectacular as Foster was, Quentin Rock as just as remarkable. Rock has made it a point to truly be the guy that keeps Smoky Hill together. His court vision and awareness are tops in the state and it has been on display this year. This was a game that he was not as aggressive offensively as he only ended up with 11 points and three of those were 3-pointers from beyond the arc, but he was the player that won the Buffaloes the game. He got others involved for the entirety of the game. He set the tone on the defensive end as he switched on to Safieddine after he got started and pushed the pace. Let’s not forget that it was his pass on the final possession to find Foster for the game winner. Rock is one of the top guards in the state and has been one of the most consistent forces throughout the year.

For Regis, it was Jamil Safieddine and Payton Egloff at the guard spot. Safieddine is in more of a lead guard role this year which will take some getting used to as he really dominates off-ball but he made his impact in the game. He found open shooters, got into the teeth of the defense and either kicked it out or finished and he is not only a great ball handler with great size but an above average entry passer. He did not back down from the competition when Rock switched on to him and made high IQ plays to get to the line. Egloff was not shooting it like his usual self so he made sure to make his stamp in other ways. Egloff at the point guard for Regis is a look I like. He is athletic enough to get past his defender and then make a quick decision that typically puts points on the board. He is able to shoot teams out of zones as well as shift in the man and although it wasn’t in the scoring department he made a difference in this game. Regis will be okay once they settle down and knock down some shots but having the ability to have both Safieddine and Egloff at guard to offset other guards help and was one of the most interest aspects in the game.

Regis attacks from within

Regis played a bit different than they are used to as their size made it so they had to adjust. It was successful throughout the game but somehow, they went away from it for key stretches. Daniel Carr carried the scoring load early as he has all season long. He finished with 15 points and had some good looks at the rim using his size and mid-range touch to get on the board. Alongside him was Matt Wheelock who led the Raiders with 18 points. Most of his work came in the second half as he kept Regis in the game as he forced the mismatch and was aggressive download getting the defender in the air and then scoring. He is a big guy that went inside to do his damage which typically comes on the perimeter so it was good seeing him switch it up.

New names step up

Of course, with a game that has players in the top 10 for their respective classes in Safieddine, Foster and Rock we would see those guys step up to the plate but the store of the game was the X factors that ended up being the difference makers. For Smoky Hill three players that really stood out to me was Jalen Weaver who is a swiss army knife. He can shoot it, put it on the ground and drive, set up others and is a versatile combo guard that really changes the game in so many ways. He was great on Wednesday night and is a player that the offense will have to run through at times to get going. Another player that stood out was Jordan Whitaker. Whitaker knocked down multiple jumpers and shifted the defense with his presence. He is only a sophomore but plays well above his age. He is comfortable on the court and uses his size and high IQ to pick apart the defense and that was on display throughout the game. Whitaker and Weaver are underclassmen that are making an impact early and will be asked to do tons of work with much of the defense focused on Foster and Rock. These are two players that surely seen their stock rise and will be a force for years to come.

Last name I want to bring up is Dasani Darnell. He is a big man that is active down low with keeping plays alive and shows the ability to catch and dunk it. His play around the rim is growing and he is progressing each time that I have seen him. He is a raw player with high upside and will start becoming a more important part of the offense. As long as he is aggressive on the defensive end it is going to be tough to keep him off of the court.

A buzzer beater to remember.

Great game, great player, great shot. With the final possession, Rock finds teammate Foster for the final possession who wins it on this fadeaway buzzer beater with the time expiring.

The legend of @KennyFoster22 grows.

He hits the buzzer beater, his 28th point on the night to give @SmokyHillHoops the 67-65 win over Regis. #copreps pic.x.com/kWrnUSrpEP
— Prep Hoops Colorado (@PrepHoopsCO) December 20, 2018