Ten Best: McCutcheon at Zionsville
Game Recap: McCutcheon at Zionsville Final Score: McCutcheon 54 – Zionsville 45 In a slow, low-scoring outing, Zionsville was in control early but McCutcheon made some shots down the line to pull the win out. Zionsville lead after the first…
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Continue ReadingGame Recap: McCutcheon at Zionsville
Final Score: McCutcheon 54 – Zionsville 45
In a slow, low-scoring outing, Zionsville was in control early but McCutcheon made some shots down the line to pull the win out. Zionsville lead after the first behind a strong first quarter from sophomore Nathan Childress. McCutcheon wasn’t matching his intensity on the glass and found themselves down 13-12 heading into the second quarter. McCutcheon started to get it going when Gavin Dunbar started connecting on some three-point shots from the corners. McCutcheon lead 24-21 at the half.
Phinisee came out in the third quarter and got himself a few good looks to get their offense going. He was also able to keep Dunbar involved and hot, finding him multiple times for wide-open jumpers. Isaiah Thompson started to get good looks as well for Zionsville. McCutcheon lead 41-31 heading into the final quarter.
Junior Will Alcock was the tallest player on the floor last night but he was also the point guard for Zionsville as he could pass over the zone. He put together a good game with is passing and rebounding for Zionsville. Deaton got himself involved on the defensive end for McCutcheon and helped them pull out the game late with some steals and defensive rebounds. McCutcheon edged Zionsville 54-45 in a defensive game.
MVP: Gavin Dunbar (McCutcheon)
Dunbar was great in this contest. The senior kept McCutcheon in the game with his shooting from deep. Dunbar finished with a game high 22 points (6-9 3FG and 4-4 FT), 6 rebounds (5 defensive and 1 offensive), and 2 assists. Gavin did the majority of his damage from the corners as McCutcheon had him as the baseline runner against Zionsville’s zone defense. Dunbar was the recipient of the drive-and-kick action with Phinisee all game long.
Best Offensive Performance: Gavin Dunbar (McCutcheon)
Not only did he lead the game in scoring, Gavin Dunbar did it at a high rate. He finished 67% from the three-point line and 100% from the free-throw line to score 22 points. He was smart with his offensive positioning and stepped into his shots with confidence. He made a couple tough, contested jumpers late in the game that helped McCutcheon extend their lead and kept their offense in somewhat of a rhythm. He was also able to make the extra pass a few times to add 2 assists to his game high in scoring.
Best Defensive Performance: Haden Deaton (McCutcheon)
Deaton’s offensive struggled carried over from two nights ago, when McCutcheon lost to Logansport. Haden was getting good looks hasn’t been converting at the rate he typically does, especially from the free-throw line. Deaton finished with 13 points (2-4 2FG, 2-5 3FG, and 3-6 FT), a game-tying high 10 rebounds (9 defensive and 1 offensive), 3 assists, and a game high 4 steals. Deaton read the play multiple times and stepped in the passing lane to take the pass. He also grabbed some tough rebounds in the fourth quarter on the defensive end to seal the win.
Best Under-The-Radar Performance: Isaiah Thompson (Zionsville)
Isaiah Thompson is one of the best shooters from deep in the state and has really been working on his ball handling and creative finishing ability. Thompson finished with 15 points (3-9 2FG and 3-10 3FG), 4 rebounds (3 defensive and 1 offensive), 4 assists, and 2 steals. Although he didn’t shoot well from the floor, he was the main focus of both Zionsville’s offense and McCutcheon’s defense. He made some crafty moves as he was pressured all the way out at the volleyball line and showed off his floater in the lane on a couple of occasions. Thompson is also a good defender as he reads offensive tendencies well.
Best Quiet Impact: Dominic Genco (Zionsville)
Genco is one of six guys on this roster with significant varsity experience and it showed last night. The senior guard has really been working on his ability to make the three-point shot at a higher percentage this season and he is crafty off-the-bounce. Genco quietly finished with 11 points (4-5 2FG and 1-2 3FG), 4 rebounds (3 defensive and 1 offensive), 3 assists, and 2 steals. He was great on both ends but didn’t seem to get any opportunities down the stretch.
Best Passer: Robert Phinisee (McCutcheon)
Phinisee couldn’t get it going from the floor but was able to keep Dunbar involved and find the open man when he drew multiple defenders. Robert is good off-the-dribble getting into the lane and finding his open teammates for wide open shots. Phinisee finished with 8 points (4-12 2FG and 0-3 3FG), 4 rebounds (3 defensive and 1 offensive), a game high 8 assists, 3 steals, and 1 blocked shot. His willingness to do the little things to help his team win was what kept them in the game and gave them the opportunity late to get the win.
Best Intangibles: Nathan Childress (Zionsville)
Childress was quiet with his production aside from his two-handed baseline dunk in the first half. He rebounded well, scored at a high rate, and made McCutcheon’s guards adjust their shots around the basket. Nathan finished with 12 points (6-9 2FG), 6 rebounds (2 defensive and 4 offensive), and 1 blocked shot. He doesn’t need the ball to be effective and that speaks high volumes of the sophomore forward. He was able to affect the game in a positive way for Zionsville without stuffing the stat-sheet.
Best Rebounder: Will Alcock (Zionsville)
Will Alcock put together a peculiar stat-line in last night’s game against McCutcheon. The junior forward was the tallest player on the floor for either team standing at 6’5” and also used that to lead the game in rebounding. Alcock finished with 1 point (0-3 2FG and 1-2 FT), a game-tying high 10 rebounds (6 defensive and 4 offensive), a team high 7 assists, and 2 blocked shots. Alcock was the primary ball-handler for Zionsville but he also attacked the glass on both ends of the floor to give the Eagles extra possessions and put an end to some of McCutcheon’s possessions.
Best Underclassmen: Isaiah Thompson (Zionsville)
Isaiah Thompson was the best underclassmen to get playing time last night. Teammate Nathan Childress could also be in the discussion but Thompson’s game is much more defined and skilled. Thompson is an elite ball handler and shooter. He is working on getting stronger and quicker as he takes his play to the EYBL level again this summer. Thompson has been drawing attention from multiple Big Ten schools and Iowa was in last night to watch him play.
Biggest Takeaway: McCutcheon’s Offensive Struggles
McCutcheon seemed out of sorts against the zone last night and shot 43% from the floor as a team. With the looks they were getting and the shooters that they have, they easily could have won this game by 20+ and shot 60%+ from the floor. McCutcheon was coming off a loss from Logansport in which they dominated the first half. They are a good team and they will continue to win games as long as they can step up and make their shots. Zionsville put together a good effort but also struggled a bit from the floor. The defensive end is what won this game for McCutcheon.