5 Takeaways: Fairview versus Eaglecrest
The third week slate of games is another good one as teams got ready to go out of state and also tournaments around the state as well. One game that was on the docket for a solid contest was Eagle…
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Continue ReadingThe third week slate of games is another good one as teams got ready to go out of state and also tournaments around the state as well. One game that was on the docket for a solid contest was Eagle crest welcoming in Fairview. It was a back and forth game that went into overtime as Eagle crest pulled it off winning 63-62. Here are our five takeaways from the game.
Quickstart for Eagle crest
It is good for fans that the first few possessions aren’t how the rest of the game went or this would have been a blowout. The Raptors came out with an extreme focus on both ends of the floor, pushed the pace and built a quick lead. Zion Ruckard got out to the quick start as he had the first few baskets of the game and it set up his big game. Eagle crest also defended very well and turned their steals into baskets. Ty Robinson got to the rim and finished and it set the tone early although Fairview finally rallied and made it a game. Adrian Price’s defense early in the game was a big reason that Eagle crest went into the second frame with a 17-11 lead as he had two blocks to begin the game and altered two other shots as well. I have seen Eagle crest play a few times and they start games out well. They attack from the very beginning and are the aggressors instead of seeing how teams will play them before they make their move. The way they begin games has been something to watch.
Big-time players step up
This was a game that had some big-time players in it in Zion Ruckard, Ty Robinson, Skylar Wilson, and Jalen Page and none of those players disappointed. Ruckard has looked like the most improved player in the state and has been on a tear on both ends of the floor. He finished with a team-high 22 points and has used his speed to get inside of the defense and finish no matter who is guarding him, Robinson continues to be a force inside with soft touch around the rim and finishes over defenders and Wilson uses an inside-out approach to keep the defense on their feet. For Fairview, Page was very patient and is a player that picks and chooses when to go. He does not force many shots, uses his size and strength to finish through defenders and also sets the tone with his defense as he takes pride in guarding the best player on the opposing team. He finished with 19 points in the game and kept Fairview in it.
Greysen Carter, a player
While there were some big-time players in the game, a player that has truly stepped up this season and has put his name in as one of the best-unranked players that we have seen this year is junior wing Greysen Carter and that will change here in the next two weeks as we will rank him accordingly. He has been impressive to begin the season on a team that will go into the playoffs and most likely wins a game or two. He scores with ease and was able to lead his team with 22 points. He got it done outside knocking down two 3-pointers, he got inside and finished and what I enjoyed most is his confidence in himself. He feels as if he can score on or post up any player that is against him no matter the size or fact that he is not a big man. He kept some plays alive and we really enjoyed what we saw from him on Tuesday.
Third-quarter run
Tuesday’s game was very interesting but the best part had to be the final half. The third quarter is when both teams went on their runs that set up the rest of the game. The third quarter started with an early Knights run with Carter and TJ Williams getting them going and pushing Fairview out to a 34-28 lead. It looked as if all momentum were going Fairview’s way until Ruckard went on a mini-run of his own for his best quarter of the evening. He had seven points in the frame alone and also assisted on the other two Raptors baskets in the frame. The Raptors rallied back and got within striking distance to set up for a fourth-quarter that they managed to win and tie things up to force overtime.
Free basketball
This was a game where four quarters were enough to be a good game and it got even better when we got the extra period. The extra period is where both teams buckled down defensively but remained aggressive on offense which led to a couple of contested baskets and free throws. Here is how overtime went. Robinson got Eagle crest on the board first with a contested finish but Mark O’Neill answered back on his own. Ruckard then got a runner to take the lead. O’Neill stayed aggressive and got fouled in which he hit one of his free throws. Seyi Oladipo responded back with a free throw. Grant Page hit a basket and then it got down to attempting to waste the clock which led to a bit of stall ball until Ruckard’s FT which allowed Fairview the opportunity to win it. With two seconds left on the clock and a 63-62 lead O’Neill had an open look but instead passed it to Page for a 3-pointer. He wasn’t able to get a clean look and the time expired and the Raptors secured the win.