Five Takeaways: Chaparral versus Denver East
A Look Around the crowd
A Top 10 matchups between Denver East and Chaparral was arguably the game of the week and lived up to expectation as it had one of the top juniors in the state in Ronnie DeGray III and maybe Mr. Basketball for the state of Colorado this year in University of Colorado commit Daylen Kountz. The Colorado Buffaloes weren’t even 24 hours removed from one of the most stunning upsets in NCAA basketball this year when they beat No.4 Arizona State and Tad Boyle was out at the game to get a look at his recruit. Other notable names in the crowd were Head Coach for the University of Denver Pioneers Rodney Billups as well as a surprise appearance by former Nuggets Head Coach George Karl.
Kountz and Marble
Daylen Kountz averages 22.2 points on the year so it didn’t surprise many when he went off for 28 points and kept his team afloat. He displayed his full arsenal on Friday night as he shot, dunked, passed and defended at an elite level throughout the game. He’s one of the best players in the state of Colorado for a reason. Alongside him was junior standout Kwane Marble. Marble finished with 20 points and changed the game on both ends of the court. East’s success rides on the shoulder of these two and as long as they’re putting up big numbers their team has a chance.
Joseph Dalton’s Huge Game
Chaparral had a surprise performance of their own. On the year Joseph Dalton is averaging 10.5 points and 6.2 rebounds but, big time players step up in big time games and that’s exactly what he did. The 6’4 Junior erupted for 25 points and caused issues for the Angels all game. He showcased his ability to extend the defense as he knocked down shots beyond the arc, he kept the defense honest as he had finishes at the basket and was Chaparral’s ball handler for most of the night as he penetrated the defense and set up others. It’s easy to see why he’s one of the top SG’s in the class of 2019.
Full Court Zone Gives Angels Momentum
Chaparral found holes in the zone and passed it around to the open man and were well on their way to an easy win until Denver East went into their notorious press in the 3rd quarter. A 46-38 lead quickly evaporated. Charles Young came off the bench and used his speed and quick hands and immediately got three steals to change the full quarter. An eight-point Chaparral lead turned into a three-point lead with only 1:05 remaining in the 3rd. It was all of a sudden, a game. In that same time, DeGray got into foul trouble and all momentum seemed to be siding with the Angels. Fourth quarter the Wolverines settled down and finally found a way around it using patience and an extra man to break it but it could’ve easily been an East win and the press was where they gained momentum.
Under the radar player that stood out
Chaparral is one of those teams that anybody could get hot at any given time. There isn’t one player taking all of their shots and they play with a fast pace, but control. One of the players that stood out was Bryce Matthews. Prior to the game Matthews averaged 8.9 points and 6.8 rebounds a game. He finished with 12 points and impacted the game in more ways than it says on the scoreboard. He’s an athletic player that plays bigger than his size and uses his size, speed and strength to make his mark on the game. His and-1 finish that gave Chap the 10-point lead was a big play in the game and plays like that are the reason that Chap hasn’t lost in state. Put him on your radars.