Friday Night Action: Western Heights vs. Bethany Standouts

Friday night saw some great games across the state. A number of matchups went down to the wire, while we also saw several outstanding team performances. Today, we will look at arguably the best game of the night, including a deep dive into how players performed and what we can expect these two squads to do moving forward.   Bethany entered the contest winning three of four, including a 10-point victory over Tuttle most recently. Ranked #12 in Class 4A, the Bronchos are working to peak at the right time and have been able to pile up wins in the last month and a half. As for Western Heights, they entered the night 11-4, sporting a three-game win streak. Entering the night, this game had all the indications of a solid matchup. Let's dive into the action.   Final:   Bethany 48   Western Heights 46   Bethany   Bethany's defense was extremely active for large portions of this game. At times it looked like they had an extra player on the court because of how solid they rotated defensively. Offensively, it took a little while for everything to start flowing. However, eventually the solid defense led to some fastbreak points, and some solid ball movement produced some quality open looks. The Bronchos also worked hard on the offensive glass to provide second shot opportunities throughout the game.   [player_tooltip player_id='2408658' first='Breck' last='Brady'] was a force to be reckoned with in this one. The 6'5 forward utilized his size and strength to score in the paint. He showed a nice turnaround jump shot as well to compliment his power game. In the second half, the sophomore provided a spark with an and-one spin move inside to stretch the lead for his team. When things got tight down the stretch, he again came up clutch with a one-handed tip in to bump the lead back to 3 points.   Conor Sydnes helped keep Bethany in the game early, providing second chance opportunities by working hard on the offensive glass. Sydnes also shows his strength with two solid finishes in the paint. His ability to play his role shows the depth and versatility this team has with its complimentary pieces.   Dempsey Neal has been arguably the most consistent threat for this team as a shooter all season long. The sophomore provided two more 3-pointers in the first half to help give Bethany the lead at the break. Look for Neal to continue to expand his game as he utilized his dribble well in this one to produce assists for others.   [player_tooltip player_id='2884497' first='Denton' last='Jaggers'] continues to be active on both sides for Bethany. He showed the full arsenal in this one, making a 3-pointer, finishing at the rim and working hard on the boards. His baseline rip through move in the second half provided momentum as he finished above the rim. Jaggers also grabbed an offensive rebound and finished once again to extend the lead in the second half.   Western Heights   The Jets had to work hard against the Bronchos zone defense to generate quality looks at times. They hit a handful of 3-pointers in the first two quarters to help soften the defense. Western Heights got quality looks when they moved the ball quickly from one side to the other, forcing the defense to react late at times.   In the second half, the Bethany defense continued to disrupt the flow offensively for the Jets. The Bronchos built a 14-point lead in the third quarter, 36-22. Some solid activity on defense and tough shot-making pulled Western Heights back in once again, as they cut the lead down to eight points. Cruz Bluitt scored 10 points in the 4th quarter to pull his team within one, but it wasn't enough as some missed free throws came back to haunt the Jets.   Bluitt was the star of the night, six 3-pointers in total, with the majority coming in catch-and-shoot situations. Many of these looks were over a contested hand, providing momentum to the entire squad. This will also be a learning experience for the senior, as he split a couple of sets of free throws that proved to be the difference.   Nickolas Henderson provided a lot of activity and ran the show for the Jets throughout the night. His energy on defense allowed for his team to stay in it and ultimately make a run late. Henderson forced multiple turnovers and had a fantastic baseline save to steal another possession for his team. The senior led his team in assists and moved the ball well on the perimeter when attacking the Bronchos zone. Henderson also showed some clutch shot-making with a floater that cut the lead to just one point with under two minutes left.   Jaden Diaz was another key contributor in this one for Western Heights. The 6'4 forward ran the floor well and battled inside for rebounds. His ability to get fouled and convert at the free throw line was on display throughout the night as well. Diaz brings a post presence with some very good athleticism, as he beat the defense back in transition on two different occasions.   Moving Forward:   Bethany:   Purcell Tournament, Thursday, TBD   Western Heights:   vs. Shawnee, Tuesday, 7:30 PM

Friday night saw some great games across the state. A number of matchups went down to the wire, while we also saw several outstanding team performances. Today, we will look at arguably the best game of the night, including a deep dive into how players performed and what we can expect these two squads to do moving forward.