Spencer’s Takes: Open Division Standouts Round 1-2

I ([player_tooltip player_id='2716510' first='Spencer' last='Goldberg']) attended the first week of the AIA Open Division games, the first 2 rounds, and I was able to see two elite matchups. For the 1st round, I watched #12 Arcadia host #21 Central on Wednesday (2/18). This matchup was close for most of the game, it came down to the wire with both teams keeping it close.   And in round 2, I decided to head over to Central Phoenix to catch the #8 Brophy Broncos host #9 Mesa Jackrabbits. This was looking like a blowout early on, but Mesa was able to stay within striking distance to make it interesting in the 4th quarter.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Here are some players that stood out</h2>   [player_tooltip player_id='1150901' first='John' last='Mattingly'] Central   John put on an impressive showing against Arcadia in round one. He literally scored from all over the court. In this one, it didn't matter who the defender was; he got to his spots, and it showed, making some difficult-looking ones, too. He finished with a game-high 32 points, most from the midrange. Something which he's improved on is his three-point range, as he is becoming more consistent on very deep threes. His play making abilities also helped his teammates get going. He is a shot-first point guard for this Central team, but found his teammates when they are open. It will be interesting to see how his game continues to expand as he heads to the University of Nevada next season.    [player_tooltip player_id='1873639' first='Grant' last='Mattingly'] Central   Grant is starting to come into his own, taking a leap into a bigger role for the Bobcats. Although he is a natural point guard, he had to play off the ball most of the time alongside his brother, John. When he did take the ball up, he was extremely smooth; he found the right read every time, as evidenced by his 6 assists. It felt like he always got his teammates the ball right when they needed it, and his passes were consistently on target. He also worked his way into the scoring column, hitting 3 triples and utilizing step-throughs and other cerebral moves. Grant tallied 17 points in this game and was a huge reason why Central secured the win.   [player_tooltip player_id='1759332' first='Dom' last='Rojas'] Central   The small but mighty guard played a ginormous role in Central's win. He performed his usual duties, which consisted of being a pest on defense and drawing a couple of offensive fouls, a real momentum shift for his team. He did that in this game and more. Dom was able to attack the basket and get to the foul line; he also made open shots for the Bobcats, ending the night with 13 points. He continued to prove that he could make an impact in every game.   [player_tooltip player_id='2767903' first='Jacobi' last='Thompson II'] Arcadia   In his first career Arizona high school playoff game, Jacobi showed out. The freshman phenom continued to put up fantastic numbers. In this one, he attacked the basket nonstop right from the tip-off. Jacobi finished with a team-high 29 points, with his baskets coming from a variety of places. He was able to attack downhill and draw numerous fouls; as his foul shooting had improved throughout the season, he capitalized on those opportunities, going 9-11 from the charity stripe. One of his strengths was his defense and rebounding, which was stellar in this game; he finished with a team-high 9 rebounds. It felt like whoever he was guarding wasn't scoring. Arcadia is seemingly one of the favorites in the 4A division, and Jacobi is a huge reason why.     [player_tooltip player_id='1986845' first='Mason' last='Kendrick'] Arcadia   The dynamic senior combo guard helped keep the team in this highly contested ballgame. Despite picking up fouls early, Mason was still able to get into a groove. He does so many positive things that don't show up in the box score, as his enthusiasm for the game is electric. He finished with 10 points, below his season average, but he capitalized on his opportunities with midrange pull-up jumpers and three-pointers. His energy doesn't go unnoticed and will continue to be a key piece for Arcadia.   [player_tooltip player_id='2315516' first='Max' last='Straus'] Arcadia   This cerebral point guard showcased his scoring ability in the first-round matchup against Central. He used his change of pace extremely well to get past defenders with ease, and he is extremely crafty around the rim, finishing well in traffic. Along with getting to the basket, he has become even more consistent, knocking down his outside jumpers, shooting a very high percentage from behind the arc. Max fought extremely hard on both sides of the ball, forcing opponents to commit unforced errors. With him being the true point guard for this team, it is super critical that he continues to perform at a high level in the 4A playoffs if they plan on hoisting a trophy come March.    [player_tooltip player_id='2146268' first='Brock' last='Knee'] Arcadia   The junior sharpshooter got into a rhythm early against Central. He was able to hit multiple trey balls to help Arcadia stay in this game early on. On the defensive side of the ball, he has improved throughout the season, and in this game, he helped disrupt passing lanes. He also did a nice job rebounding the ball, grabbing 4 rebounds to go along with his 8 points on the night. He continues to make defenders have to stay with him on the perimeter, opening up driving lanes for his teammates. Brock will remain a crucial part of Arcadia throughout their 4A run to the championship.    [player_tooltip player_id='1490239' first='Daylen' last='Sharper'] Brophy   The Stanford football commit had the best game I've ever seen him play on the basketball court this past Friday night against a solid Mesa team. He was on triple-double watch as he finished this game with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists. Daylen utilized his size advantage in this matchup, even against one of the nation's top point guard recruits. He got the ball in the low post a lot this game and made the defenders pay. All of his baskets were around the rim, and he even got in a few crowd-rousing dunks. If a double team came, he used his IQ to find the open cutter. Daylen will be a major part of Brophy if it pulls off an upset win over #1 Sunnyslope on Friday, 2/28, in the highly anticipated Open Elite-8 matchup.   [player_tooltip player_id='2297971' first='Hale' last='Hansen'] Brophy   Hale continues to show off his athletic ability, and in the game against Mesa, it was on full display both offensively and defensively. He had some of the nastiest chase-down blocks, where he flew through the air and pinned the ball on the backboard! A few times, Mesa forgot to box out, and Hale took advantage, scoring a poster-worthy put-back dunk that brought the crowd to their feet. He did all of this offensively while also taking on the toughest defensive assignment, guarding Jayki Miles, which he handled well. Brophy will need another top-notch performance from Hale in the Elite-8 if they want to make it to the Final-4 of the Arizona Open Division.   [player_tooltip player_id='2297438' first='Oliver' last='Burbach'] Brophy   This junior guard has taken full advantage of his opportunity. Earlier in the season, he was coming off the bench; Oliver is now in the starting lineup and plays a phenomenal role for this talented Brophy team. His energy on the defensive end is part of his role for the team, and he is doing everything they need him to do to win ball games. He was knocking down open shots, hustling on the defensive side of the ball, and getting out for buckets in transition…and in transition, he was able to finish well around the rim with ball and head fakes. Oliver showed his continued improvement tonight and will be someone to watch throughout their playoff run and into next season, as he is expected to take an even bigger leap.    [player_tooltip player_id='1651788' first='Jakyi' last='Miles'] Mesa   This star-studded guard showed why he deserved that high national ranking in this one against a well-rounded Brophy squad. KyiKyi is such a smooth ball handler and plays with such poise on the floor. He contributed the majority of his team's points, scoring 31 points while even being double-teamed throughout the game. And when he wasn't scoring, he was helping his teammates get buckets; he finished with 9 assists. He is a three-level scorer, a fantastic teammate, and truly does it all for his Mesa team. He continues to evolve as a well-rounded player because of his situation. He gets a lot of accolades for working with a traditional AIA team, and will guide them into a deep run of the 6A tournament, as they are the number one seed and received a first-round bye.

I ( Spencer Goldberg Spencer Goldberg 6'3" | SF Arcadia | 2028 State AZ ) attended the first week of the AIA Open Division games, the first 2 rounds, and I was able to see two elite matchups. For the 1st round, I watched #12 Arcadia host #21 Central on Wednesday (2/18). This matchup was close for most of the game, it came down to the wire with both teams keeping it close.