Five Takeaways: Gonzaga vs. DeMatha

Adam Ayalew

January 14, 2020 @ 05:00 PM

<p><em>WASHINGTON, DC</em> -- There was a palpable buzz in the gym in anticipation of Gonzaga's meeting with DeMatha. The Eagles took control early, opening the game on an 11-2 run and keeping the lead until the Stags came alive in the fourth quarter. DeMatha took its first lead in the opening stages of the final period and ultimately held on to defeat Gonzaga by a final score of 70-67. Here is a look at five takeaways from this hard-fought contest.</p> <h5>HARRIS ASSERTS HIMSELF</h5> <p>Butler commit <strong>Chuck Harris </strong>played a key part in Gonzaga's fast start to this game. He was constantly looking to get downhill and either score or find the open man. Harris initiated most of his team's offense and had a whale of a game when it was all said and done. He shot 11 of 15 overall, including 3 of 3 from downtown on his way to scoring a game-high 25 points. Harris also added 6 assists and 5 rebounds to go along with a steal. </p> <h5>TIMBERLAKE REBOUNDS FROM SLOW START</h5> <p>Miami commit <strong>Earl Timberlake</strong> struggled to find his shot early in this game, but that didn't affect his effort level. Timberlake played with high intensity throughout the game. He consistently attacked the glass, aggressively looked for scoring opportunities, and ultimately got into a groove. Timberlake made guys around him better and defended at a high-level. </p> <h5>DEMATHA THROWS A BLOCK PARTY</h5> <p>DeMatha blocked 5 shots in this game while Gonzaga didn't block any. Michigan commit <strong>Hunter Dickinson</strong> had 4 and<strong> Earl Timberlake</strong> had 1. When you consider that Gonzaga shot about 43% from two-point range and DeMatha shot 54% from two, those 5 blocks make a huge difference.</p> <h5>FREE THROWS HURT GONZAGA</h5> <p>Gonzaga missed three front-end one-and-ones in the fourth quarter, and that certainly hurt them as the game winded down. Overall, they shot 9 of 15 from the line while DeMatha shot 11 of 14.</p> <h5>STAGS FRESHMAN COMES UP BIG DOWN THE STRETCH</h5> <p>DeMatha freshman <strong>Jacoi Hutchinson </strong>played his part and played it well. His three-pointer early in the fourth gave the Stags their first lead of the game. He went on to score a total of 7 points in the final stanza. There is a poise and moxie that stands out when you watch Hutchinson. He has a great feel, is always under control, and is not afraid to take and make big shots. </p>