Catlin Gabel 74, Horizon Christian 68 (OT): Five Takeaways
Take an initial look at the overall record of Catlin Gabel so far this year and it isn’t pretty. The Eagles have played one of the toughest schedules in 3A this season and there’s no doubt they’ve taken some lumps.…
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Continue ReadingTake an initial look at the overall record of Catlin Gabel so far this year and it isn’t pretty. The Eagles have played one of the toughest schedules in 3A this season and there’s no doubt they’ve taken some lumps. But there’s hope in the struggles that they build character and some of that showed on Saturday as Catlin Gabel won a hard-fought overtime Lewis & Clark league contest on the road over Horizon Christian, 74-68.
“It was really rewarding to have that tough non-conference schedule playing against some of the top teams in the state and I think that helped out out a lot as guys have figured out how to close out games,” Molloy said. “When we went into overtime, the guys wanted it more and it showed.”
Coming into the game with a 5-10 record and a eight-game losing streak, Catlin Gabel was weary. And when they entered the fourth quarter trailing 50-44, it looked like another loss could be on the way. But the Eagles went into a zone press which changed the momentum of the game. Led by junior point guard Jett Sheng, senior forward Sasha Agapiev, and sophomore post Jonah Zeller, Catlin Gabel slowly chipped away at the lead and eventually got over the hump holding a 59-56 lead with seconds left, but the game was tied at the buzzer on a three by reserve post Josh Thompson.
In overtime, Catlin Gabel immediately jumped out with a 6-0 run thanks to four free throws (two thanks to a Horizon technical foul) and a layup and the Eagles never looked back and snapped their losing streak.
“I told the guys that this was a really important game for us so if they really wanted it we needed to come out in the fourth quarter and showcase our talent, we’ve got to come out and get it,” said Catlin Gabel head coach Shawn Molloy. “It was a great win for us as a team overall.”
Five takeaways from the game:
Sheng’s Game Shaping Into Form
Jett Sheng has seen all of the ups and downs this season and while the win over Horizon Christian was certainly a highlight, even within the game there were some ebbs and flows. Overall though the 5-foot-10 junior had good control over the offense, knowing when to shoot the open shot (hitting 4-for-10 from three), drive to the basket – where he drew a lot of fouls – and dish to open teammates for shots. True, Sheng inexplicably missed a lot of free throws early but he hit them when they really counted, sinking 7-for-8 in overtime alone (he finished 11-for-18 overall). A solid D-III recruit at this stage, we caught up with Sheng and will post an update son.
Zeller Is One to Watch
There aren’t many 6-foot-8 guys in the state who are long and athletic, so even though he’s only a sophomore Jonah Zeller has already drawn attention. He was a bit invisible in the first half on Saturday but a lot of it was because he was unable to get many touches against the Horizon zone. The touches Zeller did get were with what appears to be his go-to move, a catch and turnaround mid-range jumper at the right elbow. Things changed in the second half as Zeller started posting up stronger inside where he finished a couple of buckets off some passes from teammate Sheng. Zeller was strong on the boards and had a couple of blocked shots – one of which was a closeout on the perimeter on one of Horizon’s three-point shooters late in the game in a key situation.
Zralka Continues to Shine
There’s no question that Connor Zralka is the main focus of the Horizon Christian offense. While it wasn’t the best game for the 6-foot-4 senior, there was a distinct difference in the Hawks when he was and he wasn’t in the game due to some foul trouble. Zralka is extremely dangerous off the dribble whether it’s facing the hoop or posting up, and he is able to find creative ways of finishing around the basket. He will also step up and hit some perimeter jumpers to keep defenses honest. Zralka fought hard on the boards with 11 rebounds and finished with 22 points on 6-for-15 shooting, 9-for-11 from the free throw line before fouling out in overtime.
Free a Three-Point Threat
If the game had ended in regulation with a Hawks win, senior guard Kyle Free would have been the most outstanding player. The well-built 6-foot guard has a smooth stroke from beyond the arc and he capably got himself open for catch and shoot situations and ended up hitting 5-for-12 from three. Free was solid in his ball-handling and defense, staying with his assignment the best he could. Unfortunately the technical foul in overtime was called on him after he was called for a foul against Sheng at the start of the period, which ended up coloring his overall performance.
Eagles Will Be Dangerous in League Play
Despite their overall record, Catlin Gabel will still be a threat to finish second in the Lewis & Clark League. The Eagles have a good point guard in Jett Sheng and emerging big man in Jonah Zeller, which are two things that can take a team a long way at the 3A level. And when supporting cast members such as senior Sasha Agapiev (25 points and seven rebounds) and junior Josh Foster (six points) can add toughness down low, Catlin Gabel will find itself in the middle of every contest they play in, no matter who the opponent. The importance of the win over Horizon Christian cannot be underscored in terms of the kind of momentum it gives the Eagles as they move forward in league play.