Jesuit 61, Sunset 55: 10 Best
After getting knocked off earlier in the year, Jesuit knew they wanted revenge on Sunset and the Crusaders used some tough defense and opportunistic offense to win, 61-55, in a game that propelled the Crusaders to sole possession of first…
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Continue ReadingAfter getting knocked off earlier in the year, Jesuit knew they wanted revenge on Sunset and the Crusaders used some tough defense and opportunistic offense to win, 61-55, in a game that propelled the Crusaders to sole possession of first place in the Metro League.
The game was fairly tight throughout with Jesuit at times surging to a semi-comfortable lead. But Sunset would always battle back and when junior Colby King scored inside with five minutes left in the fourth quarter, the game was tied back up at 49. Jesuit responded with two quick buckets by junior guard Matthew Levis and the Crusaders survived a last ditch effort by Sunset to tie the game when King was called for traveling in the paint with just over 12 seconds to go. Seniors Aiden Williams and Justin Bieker led Jesuit with 20 points and 18 points respectively, while Sunset junior Braeden Sato led the Apollos with 14.
“At this point guys know what their roles are and know what they need to do in order for us to have success,” said Jesuit head coach Gene Potter. “It’s been a really fun group to coach.”
Here are the “10 Best” from the game.
MVP: Aidan Willians (2019 Jesuit)
Williams didn’t seem to have his shot going from three-point range, hitting only 1-for-7, but he was money from the mid-range and on drives. He hit some key free throws down the stretch and also got inside and grabbed a couple of big rebounds when the game was tight. Williams is and will always be a shooter, but his decision to not just jack up threes but diversify his shots was a big factor in Jesuit’s win. Williams led Jesuit with 20 points.
Play of the game: Levis Steal and Bucket
Sunset started creeping back in the game in the fourth quarter and actually tied the game at 49 with five minutes to go. The Apollos had the ball with the chance to take the lead but Levis snuck in for a key steal and then took it to the basket to help Jesuit retake the lead. After another Sunset turnover, Levis came back and scored again, changing the momentum of the game back to the Crusaders favor.
Best offensive performance: Justin Bieker (2019 Jesuit)
Bieker has been a matchup nightmare all season long for opponents with his ball-handling skills and his length to finish around the rim. He scored at all three levels in the game and his ability to score from everywhere on the court led to some open shots for his teammates – and Bieker found them as he accumulated four assists. On the night he finished with 17 points on 7-for-12 shooting.
Best defensive performance – Will Scheaffer (2019 Jesuit)
Playing gritty defense has been the role of Scheaffer all year long and that was once against the case on Friday night. Especially in the second half, he hounded Sunset star guard Braeden Sato and goaded him into some very tough shots. When it was all said and done, Sato ended up shooting 1-for-7 in the second half and 0-for-3 from three-point range and Scheaffer had a lot to do with that.
Best guy off the bench – Joey Kelton (2019 Sunset)
While the starters provided most of the points for both teams, Kelton did lead the way for the Apollos off the bench. He filled in at both guard spots and knocked down a couple of shots including a three, while also dishing out three assists – all in the second half.
Best intangibles – Matthew Levis (2020 Jesuit)
In the final boxscore, Levis will only show up as scoring seven points. But his buckets came at key moments – the steal and basket and the subsequent layup both gave Jesuit control again, and earlier in the half Levis also sank a key three. Defensively, Levis was matched up against bigger players but tried to limit them to the best of his ability.
Best under-the-radar performance – Tristan Rainbolt (2019 Sunset)
Rainbolt is such a wildcard for Sunset – in some games he will do almost nothing while others he will provide instant energy off of the bench. The 6-foot-6 senior is bouncy and can hit the open three or take it to the basket and make things happen. He knocked down a key trey in the second half and ended up with five points and three rebounds.
Best underclassman – Kell Estep (2021 Sunset)
The younger brother of former Beaverton star Jake Estep, Kell Estep didn’t have as big of an impact in the game as he has with others all season. But the 6-foot-3 sophomore took care of the ball when he was in the game and did hit an open three in the second half.
Best Grit – Colby King (2020 Sunset)
King is one of the most physical wings in the state and that was clearly on display against Jesuit. While he did hit a three, he often found himself guarded by a smaller player so he used his size and strength to back them down on the block for some baskets. The junior also led all individuals on both teams by grabbing nine boards, often in traffic.
Best aspect of the environment – The Student Cheering Sections
Both Jesuit and Sunset had some very full and spirited student sections. During one timeout, the two sides got into a little light-hearted chanting match with four-syllable light-hearted taunts in unison (i.e. “Check the Scoreboard”). Jesuit’s final retort? “SAT Scores”.