Five Takeaways: Collinsville
Collinsville played RLTC Prep on day one of the Tulsa Memorial Invitational. RLTC Prep looked like the better team from the sight test, but Collinsville proved they deserved to be in the same gym as them. RLTC opened the game playing well, until after half when Collinsville made a huge run. Collinsville led by nine going into the fourth quarter. RLTC Prep then chipped away at Collinsville’s lead in the fourth quarter and came away with the 62-57 victory over the Cardinals.
- Collinsville’s Transition Game
Collinsville struggled offensively when they were forced to get into their offense. They excelled when they were allowed to run with the ball. They attacked the basket well and finished contested shots at the rim. In the first half Collinsville struggled to get out on the break but when they finally broke free in the second half they made a huge run. The run gave them a huge boost going into the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to hold off RLTC Prep.
- The Heart Award
In the first half, Collinsville did not look like they were in the game. The athleticism of RLTC was dominating and the game looked like it was heading for a blowout. However, Collinsville did all they could to stay in the game and proved to do so. They played good defense and forced RLTC to make mistakes, as RLTC proved to be not mature enough to finish off an opponent when they had a big advantage.
- MVP
Ethan Cole 2020 Collinsville Guard was big for the Cardinals today. In a game where Collinsville struggled on the offensive end, he scored the ball well. He led his team in scoring with 16 points and provided energy to his Collinsville team. Cole finished the ball well at the rim against bigger opponents and hit shots from the perimeter when left open.
- A Bright Spot
Austin Marler 2018 Collinsville Guard was pivotal in the run that Collinsville went on the third quarter. He shot the ball well in this stretch and distributed the ball. He forced turnovers on the defensive side of the ball and got his team easy buckets in transition. Marler finished the game with 14 points with eight of his points coming in his strong second half.
- What did the coach say at halftime?
In the first half Collinsville lacked a spark. They played like they were expected to lose. There was no intensity or urgency on the offensive side of the ball. The coach must have lit a fire into them at the break. The second half was a completely different story. They played like they believed they could win and gave RLTC everything they could handle in the second half. If Collinsville can fix their offensive struggles or get out on the break more often, they will be a dangerous team.