4A Playoffs: Second Round Standouts

<p>There were 16 games on tap for the second round of the 4A state playoffs. With the entire season on the line, it is about which team comes out and wants it more as records and previous meetings do not matter. There were standout performers on Saturday that tried their best to ensure the victory with some being new names. Here are the standouts on the day. </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/nick-jacobs/">[player_tooltip player_id="915380" first="Nick" last="Jacobs"]</a> – Mead</strong></p> <p>With the way that Mead dominated in their first playoff game, it is easy to see why they are the favorites as of right now. They shared the ball as good as they have all season, they defended well and got out on the break. While other players stood out in the game, a player that had his way with Air Academy was <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/nick-jacobs/">[player_tooltip player_id="915380" first="Nick" last="Jacobs"]</a>. Jacobs finished with a game-high 15 points, and that was with only missing one shot. He hit both of his 3-pointers taken and was his usual productive self. Jacobs is a player that fits whatever role it is that you need him to. He scored the basketball but also got on the boards as well. Jacobs finished with a game-high six rebounds as well, and when he is also involved in the offense and breaking teams down both inside and out, then Mead becomes a more complete team.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Eddie Kurjak – Longmont</strong></p> <p>Longmont just keeps on rolling, and in the second round, they came in with a mission and accomplished it. Longmont did not allow Palisade to get in the game and applied pressure from the opening tip. That pressure included 6’8 forward Eddie Kurjak, who finished with a game-high 23 points in the game. His size ended up being too much for the undersized Palisade team and the Trojans made sure to continue feeding him. Kurjak’s boost is rising and rising, and his consistency on a talented team has him in a great spot right now as Longmont looks to win it all this season.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/tj-bamba/">[player_tooltip player_id="914081" first="TJ" last="Bamba"]</a> – Lincoln</strong></p> <p>One of the games of the weekend was a Division I matchup between two of the best combo guards in the entire state. Bamba versus <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/javonte-johnson/">[player_tooltip player_id="605549" first="Javonte" last="Johnson"]</a> was a much-anticipated battle that did not disappoint. Bamba was in foul trouble and still found a way to look like the best player on the floor on the night. He finished with 23 points in the game but also played the center position in this one and finished with 15 rebounds in the game. The versatile guard showed that he could play multiple positions and take over in a game if needed. Bamba attacked, attacked, attacked, and it paid off as he put together one of his best games on the season and got the Lancers a 56-48 win.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/ty-foster/">[player_tooltip player_id="915290" first="Ty" last="Foster"]</a> – Lincoln</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/tj-bamba/">[player_tooltip player_id="914081" first="TJ" last="Bamba"]</a> ended up being the leading scorer in the game with 23-points and also showed why he was a highly touted recruit that ended up committing to Washington State to play next season, but the player that made the game was <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/ty-foster/">[player_tooltip player_id="915290" first="Ty" last="Foster"]</a>. Foster played with so much poise and control that Lincoln ended up pulling what some are calling an upset. Foster handled double, and sometimes triple teams sent his way that broke the Cheyenne Mountain defense down and then made the right play. Foster also calmed things down for the Lancers when it looked like Cheyenne Mountain was making a run as well as when Bamba was out of the game due to foul trouble. This was one of Foster’s better games on the year and was a huge reason why Lincoln got the victory.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Nathan Wiggins – Golden</strong></p> <p>Golden got by, barely. Discovery Canyon gave the No.4 seed all that they could handle in the second round but a big game by junior wing/forward Nathan Wiggins made sure that the upset did not happen, and Golden continued on their run. Wiggins finished with 17 points in the game on only three field goals. That’s right, Wiggins hit two 3-pointers in the game, but the rest of his work came from the free-throw line as the Demons lived there all evening. Wiggins went 9-11 from the charity stripe to close Discovery Canyon out. Golden will want to play better in the next round but was able to rely on a player that has played well for them all season long.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Gage Robertson – Skyline</strong></p> <p>One of the most impressive scoring lines of the day had to come in Skylines 58-48 victory over Wheat Ridge. Senior guard Gage Robertson who is averaging 13.3 points a game, popped up with quite a playoff performance. Robertson had the hot-hand finishing with 30 points in the game. He hit four 3-pointers, got out in transition for a few baskets, and also got to the rim as well as Wheat Ridge attempted to slow him down. Skyline will continue to lean on their senior guard, who has been able to prove that he is a consistent scorer that has to be guarded, or else he will show that he can have games like Saturday’s second-round explosion. </p>