Slope wins vs St. Mary’s in one of the big games this season

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On Saturday Dec 13th I attended the match-up of 6A&nbsp;<strong>Sunnyslope Vikings</strong>&nbsp;hosting the 4A&nbsp;<strong>St. Mary's Knights.</strong>&nbsp;The Vikings are one of the best teams in 6A and the Knights are one of the best teams in 4A. Both teams have a chance to stay in the Final-8 of the OPEN and both teams will get better when [player_tooltip player_id='1464983' first='Mick' last='Riordan'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1574517' first='Jaylin' last='Ideran'] become eligible after they sit 9 games. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I checked out all three levels with Freshman, JV and Varsity.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Here were the standouts on the night&nbsp;</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Freshman Game</strong>&nbsp;(<strong>50-46 Sunnyslope won)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='3225713' first='Ryan' last='Hagerty'] Sunnyslope&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A wing forward with a little size who can shoot the three. He is aggressive to score towards the basket but he can shoot the three off the catch. He has a little size and length on defense to block shots and defend in space. He scored 15 points.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='3225711' first='Daniel' last='Molina'] St. Mary's&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A combo forward with decent size can play from inside and out. He has plus post footwork, he uses counter moves and he is patient in the paint. He will score with alley-oop layups and offensive put backs using his length to rebound off the glass. He scored 13 points.        </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='3225835' first='Zeke' last='Chavez'] St. Mary's</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An undersized point guard who can score and facilitate. He is a needle threader in traffic as he will whip it to a teammate. He will collect steals with his quick feet and he is one of the faster players on the court. He can shoot it from the three point line and scored 11 points with multiple assists.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Junior Varsity Game (64-56 St. Mary's won)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2869827' first='Nick' last='O'Neal'] St. Mary's</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A very controlled point guard with pinpoint passes who can score it. He will drive and kick it straight into a shooting pocket as he threads it in easily with a great feel for the game. He will also score with threes off the catch, mid-range pull-ups and quick speed drives. He scored 15+ points with 5+ assists. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2506549' first='Sebastian' last='Ondoua'] St. Mary's</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A quick on quick scoring point guard is lightning quick with the ball. He is super confident and can jet past defenders effortlessly. He is a very quick on-ball defender and will score and make plays. He uses the pick and roll game and makes the read and will score with speed dribble drives, one dribble mid-range pull-ups and his floater game is very polished. He scored between 15-20 points.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2956838' first='Jacob' last='Cuen'] St. Mary's</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A scoring guard/wing will fill it up with dribble drives into a layup, he will ball fake and get downhill with a sneaky burst and he will spin off of his defender to score it. He likes the floater game and he will rebound in his area. He scored close to 10 points.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2749319' first='Luke' last='Zarob'] St. Mary's&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A combo forward who can play from inside and out. He is a quick leaper to score inside the paint and will step out and shoot the three off the catch. He grew a little in the last year and he is a sneaky good passer and plays with a motor to board in and out of his area. He scored close to 10 points.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='3226217' first='Julian' last='Villa'] Sunnyslope</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A scoring point guard who has a nice handle and a scoring mentality. He will score with quickness to the basket, mid-range pull-ups off the dribble and catch threes. He makes some smart reads with a 3-5 assists and scored 11 points.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='3226220' first='Linus' last='Turner'] Sunnyslope</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A long and smooth bigger combo guard can play on or off the ball. He can score with pull-up threes, dribble drives to the basket and he is a smooth athlete on the break and very fluid. He scored 15+ points with a few assists. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Varsity Game (65-43 Sunnyslope won)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1482165' first='Rider' last='Portela'] Sunnyslope</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the top performers in the big game was Rider. He did it all from scoring with driving layups, pull-up threes, mid-range jumpers, fall aways and bursts to the rim. He makes passes with either hand and defends nearly every position on the court. He had an impressive stat line unofficially with 19 points, 3 blocks, 2 steals, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and a charge </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1555179' first='Darius' last='Wabbington'] Sunnyslope</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The big man was impressive on both sides of the court. He is clearly moving better and was super active on defense vs [player_tooltip player_id='1612468' first='Cameron' last='Williams'] on the perimeter and in space. He collects steals and gobbled up rebounds. He can shoot it from the three point line, uses soft hands to score it around the basket and his floater game is polished. He will hit shots from mid-range and he is a very intelligent player to make a play. He scored 10 points.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1555180' first='Delton' last='Prescott III'] Sunnyslope&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the top pure point guards in the state has the ball on a string. His speed and quickness pops off the page but it is his decision making that you admire. He will keep his dribble alive until the last second until he has to shoot it with mid-range pull-ups or rope passes in the lane. He will score with back door layups, use the floater and will grab a rebound and go coast to coast. He scored 12 points with multiple assists. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1758975' first='Nash' last='Parmley'] Sunnyslope&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A bigger wing is the perfect compliment with their team. He will catch and shoot from the three point line, score with back door layups and he will even dunk it in traffic, as he getting a little more athletic. He is a good defender in space and he is a sneaky good passer. He also was chasing rebounds giving his team extra possessions. He scored 9 points with 5+ rebounds.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1482163' first='Cristian' last='Simmons'] Sunnyslope&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A good sized forward missed a little time recently but came in the game and got hot quickly. He will score with back door layups and will rattle in threes off the catch. He rebounds well in his area and will defend a few positions. He scored 11 points.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1612468' first='Cameron' last='Williams'] St. Mary's&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the biggest forwards in the country had some special moments. His defense is truly next level. He is an elite shot blocker as he moves so fluidly from end to end with his quick twitch reflexes and length. He will score with hook shots with either hand, dribble drives to the basket, threes off the catch, spin moves off of a dribble drive and he will drive and kick it to a teammate. He scored 15 points with 6 blocks and close to 10 rebounds.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2194808' first='Carter' last='Bagley'] St. Mary's</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the stronger scoring guards in the sophomore class is tough and comes with a lot of skill. He has next level post moves once he gets deep inside to score plus he has a pretty looking stroke from the perimeter. His three point stroke looks better then a year ago and he will grab in traffic rebounds and collect steals. He is also a smart passer. He scored 7 points.  </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1633050' first='Sebastian' last='Hatsakorzian'] St. Mary's</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An athletic wing forward does a little bit of everything for the Knights. He defends multiple positions, rebounds the ball well, scores it and he is an unselfish teammate. He scores it with threes off the catch, transition layups and tough and-1's in traffic. He scored 7 points with almost 5 rebounds.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2223500' first='Noah' last='Ondoua'] St. Mary's&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A tough two-way point guard handles most of the team's ball pressure and defended on the ball with his quick feet and hands. He will collect steals and hit the open three. He scored 3 points with assists and steals.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1694989' first='Brody' last='Postorino'] St. Mary's&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The team's sixth man in the game (normally the starter) played thru an injury with a broken finger. He showed his toughness getting downhill with a quick burst past his initial defender and he will hit the three off the catch. He manages to get himself to the free throw line with his IQ and crafty play. He scored 10 points.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->