Tuesday’s top scorers: Week 8

<p>Week 8 brought some interesting games but on Tuesday there were plenty of blowouts to go around. In these blowouts, there were some big-time scoring performances and efficiency seemed to be key to the wins. Here are some performances from Tuesday that stood out.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jalen-ashley/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jalen-ashley/">Jalen Ashley</a></a> -- Rocky Canyon </strong></h3> <p>This was actually one of the closer games on the day as Rock Canyon got by and won 66-64. The Jaguars needed every single thing that the Senior combo guard had to bring them. <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jalen-ashley/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jalen-ashley/">Jalen Ashley</a></a> ended with a game-high 24 points on the night. He was not as efficient, but that is okay because Rock Canyon rode their senior leader to victory. Ashley hit a few outside shots but he also made sure to get inside and try and attack the mismatch at the guard spot. He slashed and found open spaces in the defense, he played off of the ball and also created for himself. Ashley was also crashing the boards from the wing spot and bringing the ball up the court which led to easy scoring opportunities. We haven't heard a ton about him this season but he has been having a pretty good start.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>Maliq Alford – Gateway</strong></h3> <p>A player that we have never wrote about but seems to be off to a pretty good start of the season is Maliq Alford over at Gateway. In Gateway’s blowout win over Westminster the Senior guard was able to get himself going as he finished with 22 points on 9-11 shooting from the field. He made it a point to be aggressive in the game and teammates fed him the ball. In fact, his only two misses in the game were on heat check 3-pointers. Gateway found their hot man as he was all over the court on Tuesday. He rebounded, assisted and played the passing lanes well and had himself another good game for the Olympians.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/tyce-baldwin/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/tyce-baldwin/">Tyce Baldwin</a></a> – Fossil Ridge</strong></h3> <p>Fossil Ridge gave Mountain Range an absolute shellacking on Tuesday evening. They won by 37 points and had to go to their bench but a player that stood out before having to sit it down for the game was the Sabercats leading scorer on the season, junior wing <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/tyce-baldwin/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/tyce-baldwin/">Tyce Baldwin</a></a>. Baldwin put up 21 points on the night and the best part about it was the efficiency. He only missed a single shot on the night and it came on a contested shot that Fossil Ridge ended up rebounding and scoring on. He went 2-2 from beyond the arc, got five rebounds in the game and also got a block. It was one of his most efficient games on the season and was worth speaking about.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/owen-koonce/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/owen-koonce/">Owen Koonce</a></a> – Centarus</strong></h3> <p>27 points in their big win over Mountain View. He was able to be ultra-efficient and got what he wanted in the game. He went 9-12 from the field and that was while going 3-3 from beyond the arc. He got to the free throw line as the Mountain View defenders could not slow him down and he had himself a day. He is a physically gifted athlete and one of the best remaining unsigned seniors. He also had nine rebounds and five steals in the game which showed how locked in he was. He is putting up 17.5 points a game but had one of his better games on both ends of the floor all season as he matched a season-high in points.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/patrick-steed/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/patrick-steed/">Patrick Steed</a></a> – Denver East</strong></h3> <p>East remained undefeated in league play but things did not come easy for the Angels as Lincoln gave East all that they could handle. Denver East ended up beating Lincoln 76-69. A player that really stood out in the game was Senior point guard <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/patrick-steed/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/patrick-steed/">Patrick Steed</a></a>. While Steed did not lead the team in points he was very productive in the game and his play led to East winning the game. Steed finished with 23 points in the game. He hit a 3-pointer in the game but his work was done inside. He got inside of the lane, penetrated the defense and either kicked it to the open man or finished down low. He also was able to grab six boards in the game and ran with it as he pushed the pace. He got two steals in the open court and made sure to get out and be aggressive on the day. It was a good game for him and he definitely stood out on the day.</p> <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>Ryan Collins – Broomfield</strong></h3> <p>Ryan Collins had the most impressive game of any player in the state on Tuesday as he had the high score on the day. He finished with a career-high 38 points in the game and not only was it in dominating fashion but he was also efficient. Loveland had no answer for the 6’8 big man that also stepped out and showed that he also can space the floor. He had an inside-out attack as he hit three 3-pointers in the game but also showed just how spectacular he is down low as he took everything the defense gave him. He finished with 15-19 from the field and jumped on our radars.</p>