3A’s Great 8 Playoff Preview

<p>If you’re looking for something exciting to watch on Thursday, well look no further as the 3A playoffs are here with some incredible matchups. Here are a few players to watch from each game. </p> <p><strong>Aspen v. Resurrection Christian -- 10:15 AM</strong></p> <p>Aspen went 24-0 on the year, and it was behind the twin brothers. </p> <p>Shae Korpela had a monster season as the 6’5 senior forward put up 16.2 ppg. Shae’s game translates to the next level, and he will make a school happy. He has a polished game and does a bit of everything. He can certainly score and do whatever he wants on the court. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1160721" first="Braden" last="Korpela"] matched everything that his brother did this year, and the two make a ridiculous duo. Braden was the team’s second-leading scorer at 13.7 points a game, and they certainly had that brotherly connection. When other needs to get themselves going, they go through each other and will need more of that as they are up against a well-coached Resurrection Christian squad. </p> <p>For RC, they were a bit different. [player_tooltip player_id="1369818" first="Ty" last="Yoder"] led them, and he was only a freshman, The 2025 standout was sensational this season in all facets of the game. Yoder sees the game well, and it comes easy to him. The offense ran through him all season long, and he made the right decisions while also putting up 14.4 points, 4.9 assists, and 3.9 rebounds. He must be prepared for a physical game where he will see plenty of different looks. </p> <p><strong>Manual vs. Sterling -- 1:15 PM</strong> <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/IMG_6066.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1061219" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/10/IMG_6066-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a></p> <p>This will be the game of the day and one that everyone will tune into. </p> <p>Every time that they have played each other over the years, it has been a good game. </p> <p>For Manual, it was the [player_tooltip player_id="618880" first="Jordan" last="Reed"] show.</p> <p>Reed had one of the best stat lines in all of the state as he delivered for the Thunderbolts in every single way. He put up an eye-popping 29.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 4.9 assists a game which made it extremely difficult for popping teams to slow him down. He is not afraid to score the ball whenever he gets it but also feeds the open man when the double-team comes. He’s a smooth lefty that shoots lights up and is offensively gifted. </p> <p>With all eyes on Reed, it is 6’4 sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="1139988" first="Deshawn" last="Fox"] who is also a problem for opposing teams.. He does what he wants, stuffs the stat sheets, and is capable of winning the game for Manual if he is left open. This season, he stepped up as he put up 11.9 points and 6.7 rebounds a game and offers relief for Reed. They are a tough tandem when they are both going and will have to get going against this Sterling squad. </p> <p>The Tigers go as [player_tooltip player_id="618870" first="Jackson" last="Keil"] allows them. The Senior guard put up 20.7 points a game, and the game comes a bit too easy for him. He is a veteran n the floor that is never sped up. He is also a tenacious defender, and the matchup against Reed is with the price of admission alone. Expect fireworks. </p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1284480" first="Ryder" last="McConnell"] will be tasked with breaking the press and controlling the pace and Manual will surely try and speed him up. He also has to be the relief for Keil as he will be tied up with a big matchup with Reed, if McConnel and Dylan Diorio step up scoring and also protecting the paint, this is a game that they can control Manual doesn’t have the size to matchup with Diorio.  </p> <p><strong>St. Mary’s vs. Eagle Ridge Academy -- 5:30 PM</strong> <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Sam-Howery.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1172103" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/04/Sam-Howery-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a></p> <p>Junior standout Hunter Hill is having a monster year, and Eagle Ridge had a quiet season where they dominated. He helped lead them with 15.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and over two steals a game. James Kyren Allen is the man in the middle at 6’6 and has the ability to be the X-factor in the game. He averaged near a double-double at 9.3 points and 8.3 rebounds a game. Eagle Ridge will need him to continue to play at a high level and dig even deeper as there is only one flaw on this St. Mary’s team, and it is size. </p> <p>For St. Mary’s, they’ve been blessed with one of the state’s top point guards for the last four seasons. [player_tooltip player_id="918901" first="Sam" last="Howery"] led the nation in assists as a junior and seemed to just up the ante in his senior season. Howery will likely be the player of the year for 3A after putting up video game-type stats. He averaged 26 points, 9.2 assists, and 8.6 rebounds. He led St. Mary’s to a 23-1 record, and they will always have a chance if he is leading the way.</p> <p>Andon Mindrup was a pleasant surprise and standout for the Pirates. He put up 15.4 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 6.2 assists a game this year as one of the state’s best under-the-radar gems. Mindrup and Howery had this chemistry brewing as they played alongside each other all summer with Pluto Prospect, and it has them ready for this moment. </p> <p><strong>Centauri vs. Colorado Academy -- 8:30 PM</strong> <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/06/IMG_0564.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1220345" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/06/IMG_0564-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p> <p>Centauri went 22-1 this season, and it was behind high-scoring guard Baron Holman. He averaged 17 points a game. he just accomplished getting to 1,000 points scored for his career, a feat not many accomplish. He gets to his spots and where he wants to go and scores in bunches as a creative finisher around the rim. </p> <p>Colorado Academy went 19-3 on the year, and two of those losses were to teams still battling in the Great 8. This team plays hard and for one another and have a Senior tandem in [player_tooltip player_id="1050953" first="Elliott" last="Cravitz"] (17.9 ppg) and [player_tooltip player_id="1050954" first="Abhil" last="Woldeyohannes"] (11.7 ppg), who bring it night in and out. Both of them play with poise, and when they have Cravitz scoring and Abhil creating for others, they are dangerous. It will all come down to how those two play on if Colorado Academy keeps fighting in this playoff run and they have stepped up to the challenge all year. </p> <p>Let the games begin. </p>