Five Takeaways: Vista Peak versus Arapahoe
The Bear Creek Invitational got underway for their 2ndannual tourney on Thursday with a great opening game between Vista Peak and Arapahoe. Arapahoe came into the season as one of the most interesting teams in the Centennial League with plenty…
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Continue ReadingThe Bear Creek Invitational got underway for their 2ndannual tourney on Thursday with a great opening game between Vista Peak and Arapahoe. Arapahoe came into the season as one of the most interesting teams in the Centennial League with plenty to prove and Vista Peak is a Senior ridden team with a few prospects that should play at the next level. Arapahoe won 60-46 behind a quick start and a solid close to the game. Here are my five takeaways from my first time seeing both teams this season.
Solid opening
The way that Arapahoe started the game let me know from the very beginning that this was a statement game for them. They are a team that gets after it on both ends of the floor but they make it a point to try and control the pace early on to set it up for the rest of the game. They were able to lock-in defensively in the first quarter as they scored 13 points and help Vista Peak to only five points. They were in help-side defense, pushing the pace and also knocking down shots and that helped Arapahoe build a lead that Vista Peak spent all night trying to fight to get out of.
A push in the third by Vista Peak
Vista Peak did everything that they could in the second quarter as they made a few adjustments and got out on the break to generate some offense but it was really a push that they made in the 3rdquarter that had them right back in the game. AJ LaCabe and Curtis Stovall were able to get Vista Peak going as they both had six points apiece and had relatively decent games but needed to do more. They got to the rim, filled lanes correctly for easy baskets and were aggressive which led to them going to the free-throw line. The Bison had their best quarter of the game as they won the frame 19-13 and had it close going into the 4thquarter but a late-game finish by Arapahoe closed any idea of a comeback win.
Taking a look at both defenses
What was interesting to watch was the defenses that both teams played as both wanted to get out and run but their playing style made those things difficult. Arapahoe applied a full-court press for much of the game that created plenty of turnovers. They pushed Vista Peak into traps, forced errant passes and made guards work extremely hard to get shots that they liked which turned into plenty of fast-break opportunities. That is an interesting dynamic that they have that I would like to see if they stick with against more experienced guards in their conference.
On the other end, Vista Peak was in a full-court man where they picked up all 90-feet. Arapahoe was able to break it and then set up their offense but them applying pressure early on made it difficult for Arapahoe to figure out for a bit and they also got a few turnovers in which they turned into points. I would like to see Vista Peak keep teams guessing by switching it up a bit but it was a guard-heavy team that they were up against so I am sure that is not why it didn’t change much. Both teams have the ability to control the game with their defense specifically and the defenses were what fascinated me most about both teams.
New Names to take a look at
This was a game that we had seen these players stand out all summer long and first time seeing them with their teams this year. For Vista Peak we essentially knew every player that had a good game, Arapahoe had a couple of new names.
Sophomore Derik Pranger is not a player that is known for his scoring, but in Thursday’s game, he had it going on. He knocked down four 3-pointers and make sure that the defense knew where he was at all times. He moves well without the ball, finds the open spots on the court and made the defense pay. He finished with 14 points in the game and is a player that we will be looking closer at.
The other player is Jackson Adams. While he did not score a ton, his defense and ability to affect the game with his boards in traffic was a difference. He was not the biggest, but he is fundamentally sound. He boxed out and immediately found a guard to give it to, he moved his feet on defense and was completely bought in on that side of the floor. I liked what I saw from him.
Stephens and Hess
The two players that have had a buzz since the beginning of the summer were Bryson Stephens and Korey Hess — we made sure to get a look at them early. They have been putting in so much work in the offseason and it paid off as they were the difference in the game. Both average double-figures as the only two players on the team to do so for the Warriors.
Stephens came into the game with two games in which he put up 21 points in both games. He also is a player that can rebound and is who his coach puts on the opposing team’s best player. He plays the passing lanes well on defense and offensively uses his body to make things happen. In Thursday’s game, he was able to get around his man for open baskets and he also found holes in the defense for open baskets. He finished with 11 points as the second-leading scorer in a low scoring game but was the player that the offense went through in the third quarter which set up the Warriors for victory in the 4th.
Hess was the player of the game. He had 22 of the team’s 60 points and the way that he was doing it is what is impressive. All of his baskets either came from the free-throw line or just breaking down the defense on the full court man and finishing at the basket. The craziest part is he left a couple of baskets out there on a few layups misses or he would’ve very well finished with 30+. He is a guard that plays under control and has court awareness. He tells his guys where they should be and knows when to push it. He is the best ball handler on the team and calms the team down to get to where they are supposed to be. He was the player that closed out the game for Arapahoe as he finished with 15 points in the second half alone and the high IQ guard calmly went to the free-throw line and knocked them down as Vista Peak attempted to get back in the game. I am high on Hess and liked what I saw from him.