Deer Valley/Peoria

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On Friday, February 3rd <strong>Deer Valley </strong>traveled to <strong>Peoria</strong> for Senior Night and the regular season finale for both teams. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>From the outset of the game, Deer Valley set the tone of the game. By the end of the first quarter, the Skyhawks had built up a 20-13 lead. Going into the beginning of the 2nd quarter they had extended the lead to 25-13 on good team balance offensively and tough defense. Peoria began to find their groove and cut the lead down to 28-27 before [player_tooltip player_id='831129' first='Eric' last='Perkins'] hit a half court shot to end the 2nd quarter. Deer Valley took a 31-27 lead into halftime. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The third quarter was one of runs for both teams. Peoria started out with a 8-0 run getting them a 35-31 lead. Deer Valley countered with a 8-3 run of their own, recapturing the lead 39-38. Heading into the 4th quarter, Peoria's defensive pressure went up a notch as the caused Deer Valley to turn the ball over and shots were not falling. Peoria pulled away late in the game by getting some easy buckets and making their free throws. The final score was <strong>Peoria 66 Deer Valley 50</strong> in a battle of playoff teams. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Here are some of the standout players from this game. </strong><br><br>[player_tooltip player_id='814508' first='Andrew' last='Camacho'] <strong>Peoria</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The senior returned from a lengthy injury in time for senior night. He played a steady floor game and hitting clutch shots in the 2nd half to help Peoria pull away. <br><br>[player_tooltip player_id='1334763' first='Calvin' last='Windley'] <strong>Peoria</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An active wing who led the way early on with his slashing and attacking of the rim. He has really learned to cut down on fouls and has become a beast on the boards. He had almost half of the Panthers rebounds.<br><br>[player_tooltip player_id='1674458' first='Travis' last='Vasquez'] <strong>Deer Valley</strong> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A crafty ball handler, Vasquez did a very good job of protecting the ball and setting up his teammates for good looks. He can shoot the ball and knows how to play. He should break out next season. <br><br>[player_tooltip player_id='831129' first='Eric' last='Perkins'] <strong>Deer Valley</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Perkins showed very good form and touch from the outside. He understands the game and knows how to get to his spots. <br><br><strong>Saieed Hasan SG 6'1 2023 Peoria</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Saieed was a excellent glue guy for the Panthers in that he didn't excel in one area but was good in every area down to not turning the ball over at all. Every successful team needs a player like this. <br><br>[player_tooltip player_id='1032531' first='Jaydon' last='S Cameron'] <strong>Deer Valley</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Though his time on the court was cut short by a knee injury he showed that he can shoot it with the best of them. He displayed his quick release and terrific touch. His length makes him a tough cover for any guard. <br><br>[player_tooltip player_id='1333653' first='Christopher' last='Brookins']<strong> Peoria</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of the quickest if not the quickest guard in the AIA continuously put pressure on the defense. He also showed an improved touch from mid range on offense. He collected multiple steals with his quick hands. <br><br>[player_tooltip player_id='1334752' first='Caden' last='Bass'] <strong>Peoria</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The lengthy wing wasn't hitting his shots at a high clip as he normally does, but he found other ways to contribute to his team. He aggressively hit the boards and was a pest on defense. Bass also showed good court vision as a passer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->