Santa Margarita vs. Orange Lutheran: Superlatives

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA — Friday's Trinity League matchup between Santa Margarita and Orange Lutheran was a game of contrasting styles and, to be frank, a contrast of rosters in the case of bigs vs. smalls. The Eagles boast one of the biggest rosters you'll find in the state with a starting lineup that features wings and forwards standing 6-feet-7, 6-feet-8 and 6-feet-9, while the Lancers' tallest major contributor is a 6-foot-4 guard. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Orange Lutheran used its three-point shooting ability to hang tough for two quarters but once Santa Margarita dropped back in it's 1-3-1 zone defense, with the aforementioned big men disrupting the top and wings with their length, the Eagles took control in the second half en route to a 102-81 victory. Below we take a closer look at some of the game's top performers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Best Scorer: [player_tooltip player_id='1956542' first='Kaiden' last='Bailey'], Santa Margarita</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Georgia Tech-bound combo guard took over the game in the second half with his ability to score in bunches from the perimeter taking away any momentum Orange Lutheran may have had. Bailey was hitting deep and fading three-point shots off the dribble, got to the rim in transition and many of his shots are simply deflating the opposing defense. Bailey finished with a game-high 31 points in the win.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Best Two-Way Performance: [player_tooltip player_id='2425665' first='Drew' last='Anderson'], Santa Margarita</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Anderson was a beast inside on both ends of the floor and it led to him scoring a double-double with 30 points and 11 rebounds. The 6-foot-9 Oregon State-commit exposed the major size mismatch he had inside and scored high percentage buckets around the rim, got to the free throw line and threw down some impressive dunks. He also controlled the defensive glass and did a good job of contesting shots around the rim without fouling.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Most Versatile: [player_tooltip player_id='1956520' first='Brayden' last='Kyman'], Santa Margarita</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 6-foot-8 forward had his dribble, pass, shoot and create skill-set on full display. Kyman, an Eastern Washington-commit, got it going from three-point range in the second half and hit some key perimeter jumpers that allowed the Eagles to stretch their lead. Kyman also made an impact on the glass and as a passer on the low block and at the top of the key. He finished with 14 points, nine assists and six rebounds.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Glue Guy: Markee White, Jr, Santa Margarita</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>White doesn't get as many offensive touches as the other four starters but his impact on both ends of the floor is - and will continue to be - very important for the Eagles to continue winning, especially in the loaded Open Division playoff field. The 6-foot-7 provides offensive versatility with his ability to drive to the rim and score through contact and make plays for teammates in a point-forward role. White battled some first half foul trouble but flashed his ability to defend multiple positions in the second half.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":4} --> <h4 class="wp-block-heading">Best Shooter(s): [player_tooltip player_id='2888818' first='Josh' last='King'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2893813' first='Noah' last='Zeola'], Orange Lutheran</h4> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>King and Zeola have emerged this season as one of the most prolific and dangerous three-point shooting duos in the state. King, a 6-foot-3, pushing 6-feet-4 combo guard is the more comfortable off-dribble three-point shooter of the two and his ability to lull defenders to sleep with his handle and knock down deep triples makes him a lethal perimeter shooter. Zeola is more of a threat in catch-and-shoot situations as his lightning quick release and confidence allow him to get his shot off quickly with no need for space from a defender. Zeola, a sophomore, finished with 22 points and four three-pointers, while King added 19 with four triples.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->