Five Takeaways: Holcomb v Scott City
In a 3A battle on Tuesday night, Scott City dominated early and eventually defeated Holcomb 57-43. Prep Hoops recaps five key takeaways from this matchup. Scott City is playing team basketball With this victory, Scott City improved to 4-1 in…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingIn a 3A battle on Tuesday night, Scott City dominated early and eventually defeated Holcomb 57-43. Prep Hoops recaps five key takeaways from this matchup.
Scott City is playing team basketball
With this victory, Scott City improved to 4-1 in league play and are clicking at a good time in the basketball season. They held a Holcomb team to just 14 first half points and Holcomb is a team that averaged above 50 points per game.
Scott City was able to dominate the rebounding game early, limit second chance opportunities, and stayed disciplined on defense particularly in the first half.
If they play that way, they area as good as any team in 3A basketball in the state of Kansas right now and could contend for a state title. Their rotation features a lot of upperclassmen who will have the necessary experience when it comes to playing games late in the season.
Holcomb is struggling but can bounce back
With this loss, Holcomb falls to 5-7 on the year and is really struggling in league play (1-3). However, hope is not lost for their season.
They seem to be at their best working through the big man down low, Damon Kepley (2019), a Holcomb football standout. He is a solid passer out of the post and is able to find shooters across the three-point arc.
Holcomb does have shooters that can get hot, which is what we saw in this game at the beginning of the second half, as they nearly doubled their production in the second half.
Jackson Stoppel (2020), River Amos (2019), Zion Mason (2019), and Zephyn Mason (2021) are all capable of making catch and shoot threes on kickouts from the post.
If those guys can get hot, they can be as good as anybody in a 3A gym.
The most underrated player on the floor was Hunter Yager (2020)
In what could have been a bigger game for Hunter Yager, he still had a solid performance on Tuesday night.
The six-foot junior has length for his size and is a very active defender, often disrupting the flow of Holcomb’s offense and causing turnovers. In addition to that, he is able to create his own shot with good options off the dribble and solid handles to limit turnovers.
He appears to have a good build at the guard position and had a couple of shots bounce out, otherwise he could have had a really great game. Keep an eye on Yager heading into this summer and his senior season.
Upperclassmen to Watch
Parker Vulgamore (2019)
The 6’2” forward at Scott City plays bigger than 6’2” as he was an absolute animal in this matchup. Parker was phenomenal from 15 feet in, driving to the basket, crashing the offensive boards, and finishing in the paint as he scored 17 in the first half with his high motor. He will continue to be a force to be reckoned with in 3A basketball this season.
Joe Evans (2019)
The 6’6” center for Scott City used his length to help protect the paint and make an impact rebounding the ball on both sides of the court.
He was able to score with his back to the basket and will need to be really good in the paint for Scott City to make a postseason run.
Zion Mason (2019)
In order for Holcomb to be good, Zion has to get hot from the three-point line. He showed that he has some upside in shooting ability and the more he is involved, the better the Longhorns will be going forward.
Marshall Faurot (2019)
Marshall showed his offensive prowess as he scored in double figures in the contest and is another critical piece to the Scott City offense. They are a selfless bunch who have a lot of guys you can plug into the lineup and get productions out of. Marshall is one of those guys and is able to shoot the deep ball well.
Jackson Stoppel (2020)
Although the Holcomb guard stands at just 5’9”, he was a big part of their offense and can do multiple things on the court for that team.
He can handle the ball and get into the defense or shoot the ball from the outside.
Damon Kepley (2019)
The 6’6” 240 pound center won’t be playing basketball at the next level, as he has a promising football career ahead of him but he will have to be an active part of the Holcomb offense if they are to be successful. They don’t need him to score in double digits each game but facilitate from the low block and control the boards effectively.
Underclassmen to Watch
Zephyn Mason (2021)
The younger brother of Zion Mason is a similar player to his older counterpart for Holcomb. He moves well and is getting a lot of great varsity experience but still has some work to do on making his presence felt within the flow of the game.
He has the potential to be a force off the dribble and be a creator in years to come.
Harrison King (2021)
Harrison won’t fill up the stat sheet but is able to get his teammates involved and help facilitate offense. As he gets more experience and time on the varsity level, he should be an asset for Scott City as he has good size for his age and position.