Final Four Takeaways: Thunder Ridge versus Chaparral  

<p>Friday evening was the Final Four game between the Wolverines and the Grizzlies. Grizzlies held a lead until the half but Chaparral’s defense showed up and the Wolverines won 57-46.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Quick start for the Grizzlies</strong></p> <p>It looked as if this was going to be the one for the Grizzlies as they got out to a great start. They used their size to get inside and they finished at the rim which had things looking a bit difficult for the Wolverines. They did not push the pace but rather controlled it and on defense they overwhelmed Chaparral early with giving Kobe Sanders different looks in the zone and Chap was not able to hit shots. At the half the Grizzlies led 31-21 and it was Kevin Sax and Austin Holt who ran the show combining for 12 points eight rebounds. Off of the bench they also got some help from Chris Franquemont as he had eight points and three rebounds. It would be short lived but it was the type of start that you would like to get out to especially in a game of this magnitude.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Austin Holt gets hurt</strong></p> <p>The Grizzlies went into the half with a 10-point lead and it was on the back of their best player this season, Austin Holt. Holt made the switch from big man to guard and looked to be one of the best the state had to offer. He sees the floor well, finishes at the rim, is capable of knocking down the open shot. On their tournament run he put all of that on display and was well on his way to another big game that possibly seen his team advancing and suddenly a lower leg injury happened.</p> <p>Holt appeared to injure his leg on a play that seen him go to the trainer’s table and then return to attempt to give it a few more possessions but ended up being too much as he did not re-enter the game. In that time frame Chaparral pulled off an improbable comeback that seen the Grizzlies commit over six turnovers straight before scoring a basket. Without the Grizzlies primary ball handler, they had a tough time breaking the press and it ultimately ended up being a big reason for the loss.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Second half defense</strong></p> <p>The Wolverines offense was not showing up early as they went into the half with a 10-point deficit. Shots were not falling, scorers were bottled in and they did not have the same confidence that has been on display all season long – that was until Tizell Lewis and the defense showed up in the second half.</p> <p>The Wolverines came into the second half with a surge on the defensive end. There were blocks, steals and plenty of deflections that allowed Chaparral to get in the open court and start scoring. Lewis and Tanner Giles got into a rhythm defensively with Bryce Matthews and Dalton Waldron manning the middle. Lewis had four steals and Giles had five and the press that Chaparral came out with in the second half ended up being the biggest difference in the game as they finished the game with 17 steals.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Tanner Giles show</strong></p> <p>With the game looking as if it were going to be out of balance it was Tanner Giles that provided the spark that the Wolverines needed. He went into the halftime intermission with 11 of the Grizzlies 21 points and also showed off his leadership qualities. Giles told coaches to leave and led the halftime speech which allowed Chaparral to go on their biggest run in the game. He went on to match his first half play with 11 points in the second half as well and he finished the night with 22 points and five assists as the only player to record double-digits for the Wolverines. Giles is one of the state’s top seniors and it is truly a shocker that he is not signed already. This weekend he displayed how he can affect the game on both ends of the floor and has a bright future.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Trip to the Finals</strong></p> <p>With the win, Chaparral continued on with their mantra of “Unfinished Business.” Chaparral has been on a tear this season playing with a chip on their shoulder all season long. They have a team that can turn on the switch at any moment and can get going with both offense and defense. They are a team that is balanced and plays with joy and that approach was seen in this game as they got it going defensively. In the championship they will go up against a Range view team that has guards that can handle the press. The Raiders are a disciplined bunch that is very athletic and has strong guard play and a deep bench. They also have big man Quincey Jewett down low that can match Matthews which will be a great matchup to watch.</p>