5 takeaways: Estrella Foothills v. Combs
Estrella Foothills dominated Combs High, 60-30, in 4A basketball on December 18. I’d been looking forward to seeing this team play, as they’ve started hot. They did not disappoint, as the game had to go into a running clock in the final quarter.
Here are five takeaways from the game:
Wahlstrom hits the boards hard:
Center Shaun Wahlstrom leads 4A, and all the big-school conferences for that matter, in rebounds through eleven games, with over 12 per game. In this game against Combs, he overpowered opposing bigs and came down with boards that he didn’t even look to have a chance at. He also runs the floor well off of defensive rebounds and can get some easy buckets in transition.
Perimeter shooting will be key for the Wolves:
While Wahlstrom is the main facilitator on offense, and the team runs through him, he often draws double-teams. That’s when the other wings, such as Dean Grant, have the opportunity to succeed. Coach Gutwein said Grant has worked incredibly hard on his shooting, and it shows, as he can knock down open jumpers from three at a high clip. With more space, the ball-handlers will have a chance to shine, and if they can, this team can go far in 4A.
I liked the energy Popham played with:
Coming off the bench, sophomore Quinlan Popham made a big impact for the Wolves. While they can rely on a slow pace, running through Wahlstrom, Popham is an important part of the bench unit. He is always running hard, and is an effective slasher, making cuts to the basket. When the subs are in, he can make a difference on offense.
Combs’ bench plays with energy, too:
While the starters were dominated from beginning to end, the Coyote bench played with some fire. Hasaun Mraz can dribble, and leads the bench unit as a guard. He hit some quality threes, and got to the rim well. Sophomore Levi Tuckfield also played with a lot of heart, despite a running clock. He can slash and draw fouls near the basket.
The Coyotes should look forward to next season:
Starting 2-10, playoffs seem like a real reach for Combs, unless they have a miraculous run. However, the only senior of the starting five is Julian Lujan, who rebounds and defends decently, but isn’t relied on much for scoring. The other starters, Wyatt Larson, Isaac Lujan, Isaac Arrollado and Landyn Ward are all juniors and sophomores, and they still have some room to grow together as a squad. However, another year of running together, especially if they use the rest of the season to build chemisty, could mean they are a formidable team in the 2019-20 season.