Five Takeaways: No.1 vs. No. 1 — Lewis Palmer v. Chaparral
Thursday night was a great opening night one as it featured the No. 1 team in 5A, the Chaparral Wolverines against the No. 1 team in 4A, Lewis Palmer. The game was intense as it started out slow but started…
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Continue ReadingThursday night was a great opening night one as it featured the No. 1 team in 5A, the Chaparral Wolverines against the No. 1 team in 4A, Lewis Palmer. The game was intense as it started out slow but started to pick up. Here are my five takeaways as the Rangers took down the Wolverines due to a big fourth quarter finish.
Off to a slow start
It is actually shocking that this game combined for 130 points as this was not a game that started out explosive in any way. There was a methodical approach to begin the game as expected when two of the state’s best teams from any classification go at it. It was also a great opening game to come to off of the break as both teams start the new year with added motivation. For Chaparral it was a wake-up call that if they want to stay amongst the top teams in the state they will have to come out stronger and capitalize, for Lewis Palmer it is simple; maintain. Lewis Palmer put the state on notice as they came out and showed that they are willing to go up against any team in the state and have the personnel to beat them all. Coming off of the break and going at it against another top team it was known that there would be a bit of rust, but both teams have to begin games with more energy and not come out lethargic. Thinks started to pick up in the second half but this was a slower one to begin the game.
Big second half for both teams
As slow as it was in the first half, the second half was where things picked up and where both teams made their push. Chaparral went into the halftime down 19-31. They were owned inside, they could not hit shots and get anything going and the Rangers defense was all over them. When a team is that bottled up they typically just fold, Chaparral went into the half and made adjustments as they headed into their best quarter of the night and made it a game. The third quarter is where Chaparral took over as they recorded 26 points in the quarter, their best period by far. In the quarter, Joseph Dalton stepped up and hit some timely shots to make it a game again. He finished with 12 points in the quarter and was accompanied by Kobe Sanders who finally started to get things going. This got them back into the game.
For as good of a quarter as it was for Chaparral, the Rangers countered with an even better fourth quarter. With Lewis Palmer’s backs against the wall and all of the momentum on the Wolverines side it was the fourth quarter that sprung the Rangers back into the game. Chap made it a good game with the third quarter but roles flipped as Lewis Palmer scored 26 points in the fourth quarter and buckled down defensively. Joel Scott finished with eight points in the quarter and had some key defensive plays and rebounds to secure the win but Lewis Palmer was able to finish at the free-throw line to ice the game as well. They were careful with the ball and Matthew Ragsdale showed up for his best quarter as well. Noah Baca was able to contribute at the free-throw line and and Ethan Forrester saved his best for last as well. After a slow start, the second half is where things finally slowed down.
Joel Scott a bit too much
Joel Scott was a man amongst boys and just a bit too much for the Wolverines. He was aggressive inside and his presence was felt from the opening tip. He has great footwork and is one of the state’s best interior players as he has high IQ and finishes well in the paint. He also has soft touch and a willingness to take over which separates him on competitive edge. He is in our top-10 players and definitely looks the part as a player that can take home the top 4A player of the year. He finished with 20 points and led the #1 team in the state to take on the 5A top team. Look for his play to elevate as the season goes along and this to be a game that catapults him.
Big names returning from injury
Two players that have been missing from action from both of these teams due to injuries that are just now starting to get it back going and into the swing of things is Joseph Dalton for Chaparral who really had a great second half and showed his playmaking abilities as he finished with a team-high 17 points and Matthew Ragsdale.
Dalton is a player that can put it on the ground or shoot it from deep. He also is able to open things up for himself as well as create for others and it was on display all night but specifically in the third quarter as he was a key catalyst for the comeback efforts. He had a dunk and showed no signs of rust and is a player that the Wolverines will rely on often to finish the year.
Ragsdale is one of the state’s most improved players when you look at his career and is a player that you knew was going to come back and be okay. He is one of the deadliest scorers in the state with his ability to get it done in a plethora of ways. He can light it up from deep, he can finish at the rim around contact and is a high IQ player that makes others around him better. He finished with 14 points and was his usual aggressive self.
It is great having both players back as they make both teams even more dangerous than they are and are two of the state’s best players moving forward. Expect to see both making huge impacts for their team and showing out at the state tournament.
X – Factors step up
While it is typically a big-time player step up type of approach this is two of the team’s deepest rosters so it was known that the only way that a team would win is if there were key contributions from players that take their game up a notch. With it being a battle of two of the team’s No. 1 teams it was known that there would be some big-time performances in those performances a few unsung heroes emerged.
For Chaparral it was Tanner Giles and Tizell Lewis. Giles was able to finish with 12 points and he knocked down two 3-pointers as well to keep the defense at bay. He is able to space the floor and is a player that is capable of lighting it up so you have to attribute to him at all times. He has great spacing and makes the right basketball plays which makes it easier on others. Lewis is one of the best defendes in the state and is out right tenacious on that end of the floor. He plays with spunk and is the team’s leader in the sense of being the catalyst that the team rallies behind.
On the other end it was the three-senior trio of Noah Baca (11 points), Ethan Forrester and Tre Mccullough who had 10 points apiece. All three of these guys can get going and play well together. They feed off of each others energy and seem to play for one another and that’s what matters. They are willing to dive on the floor if they have to, set up for a charge and are perfect additions to have. This Lewis Palmer team is definitely looking like the favorite and them having multiple players to be able to step up is why.