Ten Best: Tri-West vs. Southmont
It was a high scoring affair that came to Southmont on Thursday night in a hotly contested Sagamore conference game. Southmont came out and hit five threes in the first half but Tri-West one upped them and made seven to give themselves a 47-36 lead going into the half.
Tri-West continued their high scoring into the third quarter scoring 23 more points to open up a 70-53 lead into the final quarter. Southmont had no answer for Tyler Watson as he scored a game high 30 points to lead the team to the 90-70 victory.
Leading scorers: Southmont: Cam Chadd 24, Kaleb Swick 19, Justin Howard 13. Tri-West: Tyler Watson 30, Ryan Wiggins 13, Jake Hill 10.
Leading rebounders: Southmont: Kaleb Swick 8. Tri-West: Jake Hill 5.
MVP: Tyler Watson (Tri-West)
Watson came out and pretty much hit everything he shot. He was coming off screens and shooting it and driving to the rim and laying it in. He had everything going his way tonight. He was 5/7 in the first half for 16 points and continued that performance in the second half. Watson was efficient as they come finishing the game with 30 points on 11/17 from the floor.
Best offensive performance: Cam Chadd (Southmont)
Chadd showed that he wasn’t afraid to shoot it from anywhere at any time. He made a few shots from very deep and had 12 points in the first half. Chadd didn’t need much space to get his shot off and that showed with the quick firing that he did. He also created space really well in order to drive to the rim. Chadd finished the game with 24 points which included a couple late baskets.
Best defensive performance: Jake Hill (Tri-West)
Hill was really solid on defense as before he went out with an injury he had five rebounds, two steals and a block. He was active and never stopped hustling on the defensive end of the ball. Hill was a task for Southmont because he was active and in your face the whole time.
Best stat sheet stuffer: Peyton Hendershot (Tri-West)
Hendershot would tell you he played a really bad game but the impact that he had on it didn’t go unnoticed. Hendershot finished with five points but also added in six assists to go along with four steals and two rebounds. Hendershot really made life difficult inside and showed that he could knock down an outside shot if need be.
Play of the Game: Matt Chinn hits a step back three at the halftime buzzer
Chinn hit a step back three-pointer at the end of the half to give Tri-West a 47-36 lead and all the momentum going into the half.
Co-Best underclassman: Justin Howard (Southmont)
Every time I see Howard he intrigues me a little bit more. He scored a bit in the last game I saw of him and it intrigued me, I wanted to see more of it and he performed better than I thought he could have. He’s a really long and lanky kid and although he doesn’t look like it he’s pretty athletic. He can shoot a bit from the outside and could turn into a very formidable two guard. H
Co-Best underclassman: Ryan Wiggins (Tri-West)
Wiggins is another guy I kind of wanted to see play an extended amount of time and for the most part he did. He’s a legit 6’6 and has a nice solid body on him. He’s at a point already where his body looks ready for the college game but I think he needs to get inside a little more than he does. His shooting is definitely there for a kid his size. He finished with 13 points on 5/5 shooting with three of those from deep.
Best under-the-radar performance: Kaleb Swick (Southmont)
Swick scored 19 points and really impacted the game. He scored seven of his points at the line but also was 5/7 from the floor including two three-pointers off offensive rebounds. Swick will be a nice project piece for a small college looking for a guy who can stretch it out at the four spot and can improve each year he’s there.
Best passer: Chase Cassida (Southmont)
Cassida played a nice game off the bench making some unbelievable passes and for a 6’1 forward, really impacted the game. He does have some weight on him which limits how long he can play but he impacts the game because he knows how to use it. He has a great IQ and really good court vision.
Best shooter: Matt Chinn (Tri-West)
Even though he didn’t show it in this one, Chinn is a really good shooter. He made a huge shot at the end of the first half and then shot it a few more times but only made that buzzer beater in the game. He finished with nine points and has a good looking repeatable shot. He likes to stay on the wings and shoot the ball. Committed to Wabash College.
Best takeaway: Southmont has a few nice pieces between Chadd, Howard, and Swick they just need to figure out how to use them effectively. There are too many players standing around and no offensive plays whatsoever. If Chadd could run off screens and Swick could get the ball inside they would be really good. Tri-West needs Watson to score to be successful and he did just that tonight with 30 points. Hendershot had an off night but still impacted the game moreso than anyone. Tri-West will be fine come tournament time.