C3 Challenge: Day 1 Observations
The C3 Challenge tipped off Tuesday at Arapahoe and Rock Canyon high schools, with seven teams beginning the tournament with perfect 2-0 starts.
Here were the standings after the first day of action:
Day 1 of the C3 Challenge is in the books. Here's a look at the complete standings: pic.twitter.com/cmHEh5W1gY
— Prep Hoops Colorado (@PrepHoopsCO) June 13, 2017
Here are a few things that stood out:
— Overland continued its strong start to the summer. Coming off a win at the Metro State Team Camp and a convincing win over a strong Smoky Hill team Monday night, the Trailblazers came back with a pair of wins Tuesday over Ponderosa and Rock Canyon, the latter had yet to lose to an in-state opponent this month. Danny Fisher’s squad has good talent, starting with rising senior point guard Tucson Redding, and now the group is really starting to gel.
— Kobe Sanders is on a tear. The rising 6-0 guard for Chaparral was absolutely on fire in the two victories we watched him play against Chatfield and Grandview. He runs with great consistency behind the defense and has a quick release off the catch, making him hard to pin down. On top of that, he’s making plays for others with the ball in his hand. The young guard, who we highlighted last week, continues to play with strong confidence. Ronnie DeGray and Tanner Giles were also impressive for stretches Tuesday in the two wins.
— Sam Bannec has really expanded his game. The 6-3 rising senior guard at Regis Jesuit has really improved as a ball-handler, and he really projects well as a combo guard at the next level. He’s always had good fluidity to his game since he’s been in high school, but what we saw Tuesday was a tighter dribble that helped him get where he wanted to go on the court with more efficiency. He’s a natural playmaker, so having him on the ball more often should mean good things are happening. He also stood out on the defensive end. We counted roughly six blocks in the two games he played, and he really gets on the glass for his size.
— Elijah Martinez had the hot streak of the day. The rising senior point guard for Regis Jesuit swung a tight game against Grandview in the final minutes in the Raiders’ favor by hitting 3-pointers on THREE consecutive possessions. Shortly after that, he added a layup, giving him 11 points in a flash that helped the Raiders hang on.
— Sam Masten had the day’s big game-winner. The Rock Canyon guard, who will be a candidate to watch for player of the year heading into his senior season, cut to the basket on an inbounds play under his own rim, with Rock Canyon trailing Smoky Hill by one. Blake Williams dropped a pass on the money and Masten finished above his defender just before the buzzer sounded to give the Jaguars a one-point one. Don’t be surprised if those two teams see each other next March in the postseason.
— Though Grandview went 0-2, with losses to Chaparral and Regis Jesuit, previous role players and newcomers continue to show promise. Tyler Unger, a rising junior who played sparingly on varsity last year, is a 6-3 guard who displayed some real range Tuesday. He’s got a smooth, consistent stroke and can get it up quick off the catch. Though Davon Walker didn’t have the best shooting day, he the transfer guard from Douglas County showed that he’ll be able to make plays for this group. As should Levi Dombro, who had some heady plays off the bench.
— Finally, here’s a nice dunk from Smoky Hill’s John Harge in transition off a nice feed from Quentin Rock:
C3 challenge: Smoky Hill 84, Ponderosa 58 pic.twitter.com/sCEherK5he
— Smoky Hill Hoops (@SmokyHillHoops) June 13, 2017