5 Stars: Dora vs Jefferson (Class 1 Championship)
The Dora Falcons (30-1) came to the Show-Me-Showdown as a well-oiled machine that was favored to win a state title. Their only blemish on the year came to the Class 1 champs out of Arkansas and they had won 23…
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Continue ReadingThe Dora Falcons (30-1) came to the Show-Me-Showdown as a well-oiled machine that was favored to win a state title. Their only blemish on the year came to the Class 1 champs out of Arkansas and they had won 23 straight, including knocking off the defending champion Eminence Red Wings in districts. A team with no seniors, the Falcons boasted a high-octane offense led by 6’0 So Isaac Haney’s 28 points per game. The beauty of March lies in the fact that the regular season results go out the window when the postseason rolls around, and Dora found out the hard way. They ran into a buzz-saw in the Jefferson Eagles (27-4) who had been on an absolute tear since the calendar turned to February. Their dominance continued Saturday night as they rolled to a 75-65 championship victory, stunning Dora.
Jefferson came out swinging from the opening tip. A team that only shot 30% from deep during the season, the Eagles knocked down 7-10 from long range and had a huge performance inside from 6’6 Jr Chase Farnan who had a game-high 30 points. Dora made runs in spurts, cutting a 13 point deficit to 2 by the half and eventually tying the game at 40 in the 3rd quarter. However, Jefferson continued to knock down timely threes and feed their big man, seemingly answering every charge by the Falcons. They also converted 30 of 40 attempts from the charity-stripe in route to the 10 point win. Here are our “5 Stars” from the Class 1 Championship Game.
5 Stars: 6’6 Jr Chase Farnan – Jefferson
The lengthy forward for the Eagles came in averaging a solid 12 points and 7 rebounds per game. He stepped up and showed out in the championship with a dominant 30 point performance. His length gave Dora fits and he was unstoppable in the paint. He was 10-12 from the field and 10-11 at the free throw line, nearly an automatic bucket every time he touched the ball. He was also a key cog defensively, altering and deterring the drives and finishes by the Dora guards.
4 Stars: 6’0 So Isaac Haney – Dora
Although he did not reach his season average of 28 points, Isaac finished with a team high 18 points even though he fouled out. He is a very crafty ball-handler who can create scoring opportunities off the bounce in multiple ways. He has an ultra-quick release on his jumper and is capable of taking over a game at any time as a prolific scorer. He just could not quite get the big one to fall in the title game. Rest assured, with two more years to go at Dora he will get the Falcons back to Springfield.
3 Stars: Luna’s Everywhere at Dora
There’s head coach Rick Luna and frosh reserve Austin Luna. Then there’s the sophomore trio of Bryson, Mason, and Auston Luna who are all starters for the Falcons and combined for 44 points in the championship game. With leading scorer Isaac Haney saddled with foul trouble, the trio refused to quit and kept the Dora within striking distance cutting the deficit to as little as 5 in the final minute. With Luna’s rolling deep and a star in Haney, the future is very, very bright for the Falcons.
2 Stars: 5’7 Jr Steven Chor – Jefferson
Coming in only averaging 5 points per game, Steven stepped up with a huge 14 point performance in the championship victory. He set the tone for the Eagles with a pair of first quarter threes and knocked down another huge triple late in the 3rd quarter as Jefferson began to pull away. He did not shy away from the moment and has primed himself for a larger role headed into his senior season.
1 Star: 5’11 Sr Nathan Jermain – Jefferson
The best outside shooter for the Eagles during the season, Nathan delivered when it counted the most. He knocked down three from deep, including a huge answer to an Isaac Haney triple to open the 4th quarter that squarely gave Jefferson the momentum to finish the victory. He finished with 11 points in the win.