Arizona Summer 64: Chandler vs. Cesar Chavez gold bracket semifinal
Chandler snuck by Cesar Chavez 52-50 in the semifinal round of the Arizona Summer 64 tournament at Cesar Chavez High School in Laveen, AZ.
Chandler used its defensive abilities to muck up the game, and won a hard-fought, pressure-filled contest in summer play.
Here are four of the game’s top players:
- Isaiah Somers: Chandler
Somers was the catalyst for Chandler, scoring late in the game by putting his head down and continually driving to the basket. He competed on well on defense, using his size and long arms to make dribbling difficult all game for opposing guards. He also had the highlight play of the game. Driving to the basket late in the game, he hit an and-1 lay up with his right hand to tie the score at 43-43, then hit the free throw to take a lead Chandler would never give up.
- TyTy Washington: Cesar Chavez
Washington’s scoring from all areas of the floor kept the Champions in the game, especially as Chandler went on a strong scoring run late. He drove, stepped back and hit shots from everywhere on the floor. Washington’s impact could be seen possibly the best when he was off the floor, as Cesar Chavez struggled to put any consistent offense together with him resting on the bench.
- Carson Kelly: Chandler
While Chandler is led primarily by seniors, Kelly, a rising sophomore, stood out as one of the team’s most productive players in this game. He made smart moves off the ball as the second guard, rebounded well despite some size disadvantage and hit several open perimeter jump shots when space was available.
- Ricardo Sarmiento: Cesar Chavez
As the theme went, many underclassmen made an impact in this game, and Sarmiento was no different. He played tough defense on opposing guards, causing steals and errant passes using his quickness of both feet and mind. On the offensive end, Washington was the star, but Sarmiento made a few solid drives to the lane and hit contested lay ups over good defense.