Totino-Grace 75 Prior Lake 61: The Player Review

Prior Lake held the lead for much of the game until the TG pressure defense turned the game into a second half transition masterpiece. We review all 18 players on the floor and the flow of the game!   The Game Flow   At the half the home team (Prior Lake) was up 33-30. With ten minutes to go Prior Lake was up 51-42. With seven minutes to go the Lakers held a 57-53 edge. Prior Lake had the scoreboard edge for about 85 percent of the game. Things changed with four minutes and 13 seconds to go as [player_tooltip player_id='1956268' first='Shay' last='Jackson'] found Deangleo Dungey with back to back full court pass connections (after turnovers were forced) to give the Eagles a 59-57 lead. It was about a 20-4 run to finish the game and the Eagles won 75-61 but it was closer than the final scored indicated for about 34 or the 36 minutes.   When I cover a game I take stats for both teams and I am trying to get video. It's really hard to do that and notice all the game plan changes that take place but I do think the Eagles made some type of second half defense tweak (or two) that really increased the pressure and led to a lot of late game transition success.   Prior Lake is a good team, a deep team that will win a lot of games. But matching guard for guard with a team like Totino-Grace was not going to work out in the long run. The Eagles are bigger, quicker and more talented when you compare Dungey, Jackson, [player_tooltip player_id='2126117' first='Malachi' last='Hill'], Jalen Hynes, and [player_tooltip player_id='1560835' first='Tian' last='Chatman'] to the five that the Lakers have in their backcourt.   What the Lakers do have is a size advantage with 6'7 [player_tooltip player_id='2635710' first='Colten' last='Gunderson'], 6'7 [player_tooltip player_id='2052332' first='Trey' last='Theis'] and 6'6 [player_tooltip player_id='2126466' first='Kobby' last='Sambrew'] rotating up front. We've seen this trio play plenty, there is talent there. But they produced 22 points and 15 rebounds on 6 of 16 shooting (10 of 14 foul shooting) while [player_tooltip player_id='2126113' first='AJ' last='Taban'], [player_tooltip player_id='1560740' first='Dothan' last='Ijadimbola'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1895712' first='Daniel' last='Zoa'] scored 23 points with 12 rebounds but on 10 of 17 shooting (2 of 4 foul shooting). I think the Eagle size outplayed the Laker size and I surely felt that the Eagle size was in better position on the court where they touched the basketball to make an impact. In comparison the Laker four men turned the ball over or struggled with the ball regularly trying to put it on the deck 18-20 feet from the cup (and the ball just didn't move to Gunderson near the rim quite enough). Not enough quality touches for what could have been an advantage, in better spots on the floor.   But that is a tough thing to do when the Eagles have a group like Dungey, Hill and Jackson pressuring the ball more and more as the game wore on. And you surely saw the Lakers get worn out by the defense, and then you saw mistakes made along with late clock attempts.   Top Prospect Performances   [player_tooltip player_id='1560835' first='Tian' last='Chatman'] of Totino-Grace (6'4). Tian didn't start and it took some time for the impact to come, but when TG made that late run Chatman was all over it. He first ran the floor for a lay-up, then it a massive corner three that was maybe the biggest momentum play of the game, and then was fouled on an attack and hit both foul shots late. Scored nine of his ten late and it was a huge momentum boost for his team. A good sized guard that seems to find ways to impact games in different ways.   [player_tooltip player_id='1560824' first='Deangelo' last='Dungey'] of Totino-Grace (6'1). We have spoken at length about what the transfer portal has done to high school guards, especially combo guards in that 6'1/6'2 range. They are up against it right now coming out of high school. But if somebody from this class has that break through from the group it could be Dungey. He appears to be such a spark plug, such a jolt of energy. He scored a game high 17 points making seven of eleven attempts and he was another huge performer for his team late making six of his last seven attempts.   [player_tooltip player_id='2635710' first='Colten' last='Gunderson'] of Prior Lake (6'6/6'7). If Colten wasn't a North Dakota football signed talent - which doesn't surprise me one bit watching him move - I would be talking about him as a forward for D3s and maybe even D2s to look at. He is a very good rebounder and when he gets touches around the rim in good spots he is a strong finisher. That two hand And1 dunk last night was nasty. Had eight points and ten boards taking eight shots.   [player_tooltip player_id='2126117' first='Malachi' last='Hill'] of Totino-Grace (6'0). What I would say about Malachi is that he is the type of player that steadily over time gets to you. It's not always an explosive run, it's the time after time after time of getting to spots on the floor and making the right read or making the shot. It's the defensive steps that later in the game he gets to forcing a mistake. It's board run downs and the quick transitions. Not a banner game but a solid 13 point, six rebound showing making 5 of 11 shots and getting to the foul line five times.   More Top Players   [player_tooltip player_id='1956268' first='Shay' last='Jackson'] of Totino-Grace (5'11). The junior started the game and was a major game changer. Between his defense just harassing Prior Lake guards that didn't have the speed to deal with him, and his transition push as well as ball movement to eight assists, it was a great first start for Jackson. He made the Prior Lake guards so uncomfortable with his defense I felt uncomfortable for them.   [player_tooltip player_id='2126113' first='AJ' last='Taban'] of Totino-Grace (6'6). Taban was the best frontcourt player on the floor last night. He got the ball in good spots to help his team and he took advantage. Some of that was the offense, and some of that was AJ's work to spots to get these touches. Taban scored 12 points on five of seven shooting including a three.   New Names to Know   [player_tooltip player_id='2175456' first='Ian' last='Wang'] of Prior Lake (6'2). A hard working, 6'2 forward that started at the three for the Lakers. Wang collected eight boards as he is a strong 200 pound plus player that also hit a pair of corner threes scoring ten points on his five shot attempts (and two of four foul shooting). Like the toughness he brings, good role player for this team as he has comfort inside and out.   Cole Brinkman of Prior Lake (6'1). A senior that hit his first four shots last night including two threes, Brinkman forced the defense to locate him after a hot start. He cooled off in half two missing his second four attempts but it was a ten point night.   Prospect Notes   [player_tooltip player_id='2126466' first='Kobby' last='Sambrew'] of Prior Lake (6'6).Got to the foul line for 11 free throws and made eight of them. Put the ball down a lot and will pry do that with success against other teams that don't have the athletes with size, and TG pry made him catch higher and forced him to use more dribbles leading to turnovers. Kobby did a good job on Dothan at times defensively and he scored ten points but was 1 of 5 from the field.   [player_tooltip player_id='2052332' first='Trey' last='Theis'] of Prior Lake (6'7). Occasionally you will see a guy play for a really good spring/summer team and then play for a good high school team and the comfort and confidence just don't seem to match. Trey scored four points last night and brought some energy in his 14-15 minutes but he didn't catch in a lot of good spots and had some trouble with the Eagle pressure. Trey is a good prospect and a good player, things just didn't look very comfortable last night.   [player_tooltip player_id='1560740' first='Dothan' last='Ijadimbola'] of Totino-Grace (6'6). Dothan had a player of similar size and agility defending him and it was a tougher shooting night at three of eight but he did make some key shots and I thought did a good job of settling into where the game was and playing a role.   [player_tooltip player_id='1895712' first='Daniel' last='Zoa'] of Totino-Grace (6'6). Came off the bench and scored five points and four rebounds in about 15 minutes. Another player that moved with the Laker size and forced them to catch in higher spots where the bigs didn't have a comfort.   [player_tooltip player_id='2433515' first='Kolby' last='Thompson'] of Prior Lake (6'0). Shot four of eight for 11 points but the Eagle quickness was all over his every move and really didn't allow Kolby the space to create for himself or others. Has faced likely the toughest guards he will see all year in his first two games of the season (Wayzata was the other).   [player_tooltip player_id='1560784' first='Woeser' last='Jenpa'] of Prior Lake (6'3). Had 11 against Wayzata in the opener but got in foul trouble and really never got into the flow of the game. Missed the four shots he took.   [player_tooltip player_id='2126166' first='Jaylan' last='Hynes'] of Totino-Grace (6'3). Did a lot of the hustle things helping TG turn the Lakers over, grabbed six boards, scored twice and was a factor off the bench.   Others   [player_tooltip player_id='2119585' first='Luther' last='Bunge'] of Totino-Grace (6'6). Played a few post minutes.   Max Dubore of Prior Lake (5'10). Junior came off the bench, passed it well getting three assists, made two of the four shots he took.   Drew Brinkmann of Prior Lake (6'2). Senior was very aggressive with the ball taking seven shots off the bench making two plus got to the line for one set.

Prior Lake held the lead for much of the game until the TG pressure defense turned the game into a second half transition masterpiece. We review all 18 players on the floor and the flow of the game!