Five Takeaways: Perry Hall vs Eleanor Roosevelt
Last night at Perry Hall High School, the reigning 4A champions from the last two seasons squared off. The Perry Hall Gators and the Eleanor Roosevelt Raiders put on a game that won’t be forgotten anytime soon. When the final buzzer sounded in overtime, the Gators claimed a 71-66 victory after trailing by as many as 15 points. Perry Hall improves their record to 9-4. The Raiders fall to 11-3 overall.
Tyler Holley comes up huge in crunch time
The 6’4 senior guard had a rough start in the first half, but made plays when the Gators needed it most. He scored seven of his 17 points in overtime, but none of his baskets were bigger than the one he had in the fourth quarter to tie the game with .8 seconds remaining. Holley provided endless energy on the defensive end and on the glass even throughout the portion of the game when he was struggling. His constant effort ended up paying off in the biggest way possible and helped the Gators earn a statement win over another 4A powerhouse.
Tyler Holley straight line drive for 2 to tie it at 56. ER will have the ball with 0.8 to go. pic.twitter.com/kecIp8x4Ip
— Colby Giacubeno (@ColbyGHoops) January 23, 2018
Juston Bailey catches fire
The first half of this game belonged to the Raiders. They controlled the pace and were executing in the half court almost every time down. Bailey was lighting up Perry Hall’s zone from the left corner, where he made three three-point shots. The 2018 guard finished with 16 points and did a nice job defending 6’9 LaQuill Hardnett throughout.
Anthony Higgs leads Perry Hall once again
It’s starting to become a common theme to see Higgs as the high scorer for the Gators. Last night the Ole Miss commit finished with a game-high 19 points and did so from inside and out. He finished with three three’s on the night including one in overtime that put the nail in the Raiders’ coffin. Defensively he was a shot-blocking force and controlled the glass on the defensive end.
Isaiah Gross puts on gutsy performance
Gross led the Raiders with 17 points on the night. When the lead continued to slip, Gross would be the one that responded with a big shot to help manage the flood. Although his efforts weren’t enough in the end, his effort and ability to make big plays cannot be overlooked. He did a nice job mixing it up offensively and baiting the Perry Hall big men into fouls around the rim. He finished the game going 6-for-7 from the charity stripe.
Statement win for Perry Hall
Coming away with this win for Perry Hall was huge not only for their record, but for the team’s overall confidence. The win marks it’s third in a row and their 30th straight win at home. Even more importantly, it proves that no matter how much they trail by, a comeback is always possible. The Raiders had complete control of the game going into the locker room at halftime, but possession by possession the Gators chipped away and capitalized off of their opportunities late in the game. This may not be the last time we see these two teams collide considering they could meet each other in the regional championship to see who goes to the Xfinity Center.