Five Takeaways: Legend versus Eaglecrest
For Eaglecrest, this was the first game of the playoffs as they got a bye in the first round and Legend was looking to go for another win and advance in a high intensity filled game full of highlights here is what stood…
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Continue ReadingFor Eaglecrest, this was the first game of the playoffs as they got a bye in the first round and Legend was looking to go for another win and advance in a high intensity filled game full of highlights here is what stood out between the two schools.
Off to a good start
Eagle crest beat Legend in the second round of the CHSAA 5A playoffs at home by a score of 75-67 and they got effort from far and wide to solidify the win. Eagle crest is a deep group that turns it up on the defensive end of the floor and also have a pretty solid bench unit that applies pressure as well. They are a team that bottles you inside by running you off of the 3-point line and changes up their defense every so often while taking pride on the defensive side of the court. They play with confidence and are balanced as they have an inside and out game and play with good flow and while Legend looked as if they would make multiple runs Eagle crest would answer back. Resilient bunch with Senior leadership and great size and all were on display on Saturday.
Legend standouts
Two players that really stood out for me from Legend was wing/forward Sufyan Elkannanand point guard Cam Le Van. Le Van plays with great pace and controls the offense as a true point guard. He gets the team going and comes up with big shots. In the win he was able to get to the rim but it was his work on the perimeter that kept Legend’s hopes alive. He finished with 16 points in the game and hit four 3-pointers. He hit timely shots and also got others involved and is a guard to watch moving forward. Elkannan is tough as nails and has no quit in him. He played hard until the final whistle and gave his all in his final high school game finishing with 11 points and affecting the game in other ways. He played big men against the bigger group, finished in the paint, attacked the rim and was forceful on defense.
Robinson looks to be #1
The player of the game was Ty Robinson and what a game he had. He finished with a game high 18 points but the way that he got his points is what was most impressive. Robinson was a stud inside of the paint and had multiple finishes with contact and he made sure to flex after the finishes. He has great strength and moves around the paint well. He is also excellent in transition and had multiple dunks in transition including a play where he took the defender off of the dribble and went over his head with the dunk. There was also this.
Skylar Wilson to @therealty32 for the alley-oop. @EaglecrestHoops running away with this one. Playing tough defense and running on the breaks. pic.twitter.com/ojOVuC4cFO
— Prep Hoops Colorado (@PrepHoopsCO) February 23, 2019
Robinson is proving exactly why he is going to be moved to the No. 1 player for his class in the state and is putting up big numbers in big time games.
Stats don’t tell the full story
In the game while the big named stars stole the show such as big games from Elkannan, Bokol and Ty Robinson a few names that cannot go unnoticed is Thurbil Bile, Jake Wiley, Sekou Touré, Braden Boley and Caleb Tamminga. Bile had 12 points and 10 rebounds and remains one of the best underrated payers in the state with his work on both ends of the floor. He had a dunk that also changed the game. Wiley is a bruiser that makes you think twice on the floor, Touré ran the show and provided the initial spark off of the bench for the Raptors. For Legend it was Tamminga who showed consistency and tried to get things going. It wasn’t his best game but he provided energy and another player to go to and Boley entered the game for only about a minute but finished with nine points, two steals and an assist to make the score decent. He is a player to watch moving forward and had to lead the game in plus-minus if there was one.
Moving forward for Eagle crest
Now that Eagle crest just beat Legend they will face off in a Sweet 16 bout against Centennial league partner Overland high school in which they have already lost to two times this year. Both teams look to be better since last going up against each other and this might be one of the better games of the week if anyone is looking to get out to games. Overland is a team that overwhelms you with their size and also have solid guard play and are able to matchup with any team in the state. Robinson and Thurbil Bile will be up against two of the best big men duos in the state and will have their hands full all night. It will be on Zion Ruckard and and Aaron Bokol to try and win the guard battle against a defensive minded team that pays together. Bokol is averaging 14.5 points a game against them in the two times they have played but with much more on the line he will have to up that play. I expect this to be a defensive minded back and forth affair where the fourth quarter decides the game. Eagle crest will have to build on a strong defensive game and clamp down a bit more if they want to edge out the Trailblazers.