Scouting Report on Greeley West vs. Fairview
Greeley West is having their finest season in several years as they are off to a 12-2 record and are sitting pretty at 3-0 in the Front Range League after a 71-56 home win over Fairview (6-7, 2-1). In Brett…
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Continue ReadingGreeley West is having their finest season in several years as they are off to a 12-2 record and are sitting pretty at 3-0 in the Front Range League after a 71-56 home win over Fairview (6-7, 2-1).
In Brett Cloepfil’s second season at the helm, the Spartans have used only six players in their rotation, but those six trust each other and have showed the seasoning and skill to get off to a great start. In a Front Range League that appears to have quite a bit of parity with tons of battles ahead, West will be in the thick of it and should compete for a high finish in the FRL and for a potential strong seed in the 5A state tournament.
Fairview is in their first season since legendary coach Frank Lee retired. The Knights have been very competitive under Patrick Burke and feature one of the state’s elite big men in Frank Ryder.
Here’s a breakdown of Greeley West and Fairview’s top players:
GREELEY WEST
Cordell Gillingham, 6-2 senior guard
Cloepfil: “Cordell is an aggressive scorer. He’s another fearless kid. He’s very good at finishing around the rim. He plays with a lot of strength, a lot of confidence and this year he’s a much more complete player. Defensively he’s been one of our best guys.”
Our take: Gillingham, a Concordia University (NAIA) signee, finished with 25 points on 10-of-18 from the field in the game. He attacked the basket very effectively, has a strong 190-pound frame and looks to be a major player at Concordia. Gillingham is Greeley West’s leading scorer at 15.7 per game and is most effective slashing.
Connor Thompson, 5-11 senior guard
Cloepfil: “He is our rock. He’s our floor leader, he takes charge, he’s one of our hardest workers and he’s improved so much over the last year. I think all the hard work he’s put in has showed. His teammates trust him and he’s got a lot of confidence and I think it’s paid off for him.”
Our take: Thompson was efficient offensively against Fairview as he buried 5-of-7 shots from the field and 5-of-7 from the charity stripe in scoring 15 points. He also had three steals and made wise decisions with the ball. The senior, a skilled and intelligent guard, has signed with Nebraska Wesleyan (D-III). Thompson is averaging 14.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.8 steals and shooting the ball really well as a senior.
Darren DeLaCroix, 6-3 junior forward
Cloepfil: “For him to limit big 24 the way he did, he just plays with a lot of toughness and a lot of heart. He’s a very skilled player too. He didn’t get a chance to show much tonight, because it was all defense for him. He can shoot it, he’s a strong post player, but defensively he is a special player.”
Our take: DeLaCroix was assigned to guard 6-foot-10 Frank Ryder. While Ryder eventually got on track in the second half, DeLaCroix made him work for his points and even forced a few turnovers and errant shots in the first half. His strength allowed him to push the big guy away from the basket in the opening two quarters and DeLaCroix finished with 12 points and five rebounds. Also a stud football player, he has some hardwood talent as well. If he chooses hoops for the next level, DeLaCroix has small-school potential.
Preston Marion, 6-5 senior forward
Cloepfil: “Preston does a little bit of everything for us. He erases a lot of mistakes, whether it’s tipped passes, rebounds, offensive and defensive. He’s done a good job finishing around the rim this year and he’s kind of added that mid-range jump shot. Without him, we would be lost for sure. He impacts the game in a lot of ways.”
Our take: Marion, a force on the glass this season, had eight points and ten rebounds against Fairview. He’s averaging 8.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.2 blocks on the season. He’s a solid post presence for the Spartans and does a little of everything for a good team.
AJ Lopez, 6-0 senior guard
Cloepfil: “He’s just a terrific leader. He’s our glue guy, he does a little bit of everything and he’s a great competitor. He says the right thing at the right time and he’s very valuable to our team. We’re just very pleased with what he’s done this year.”
Our take: The quarterback of a West football team that finished with a 6-4 record, Lopez doesn’t put up big numbers for West on the court, but he’s a good role player and leader for the team. He does his job well.
Andre Sepeda, 5-7 freshman guard
Cloepfil: “He’s a fearless little player. No situation is too big for him. His biggest strength is his confidence and he’s just learning so quickly at the varsity level. A lot of freshmen are extremely inconsistent, but he’s done a good job of limiting his lows and obviously he’s had a lot of highs this season. He’s really learned quickly.”
Our take: Sepeda, an ultra-fast and creative freshman point guard, had a wonderful acrobatic layup against Fairview. He finished with six points, two assists, two steals and is averaging 8.5 points, 2.5 assists and shooting 49 percent (27-of-55) from beyond the arc. He’s an outstanding first-year player with a lot of potential down the road.
FAIRVIEW
Frank Ryder, 6-10 senior forward/center
As mentioned, Ryder had some struggles in the first half, but was a beast in the third and fourth quarters. The San Diego (D-I) recruit, who moved back to Colorado for his senior year after spending time at IMG Academy in Florida, used his size, athleticism and a hook shot to score a ton of points in the game (stats yet to be posted on MaxPreps). He’s a bit raw as far as footwork and overall skill, but Ryder is a good athlete for his size with mobility and a motor that will translate to the next level. He’s averaging 21.5 points and 7.4 rebounds and is up for our Prep Hoops Colorado Player of the Week after several monstrous scoring performances last week. Ryder weighs 230 pounds and has a ton of upside for college.
Chris Weatherly, 6-0 senior guard
Weatherly is a three-point marksmen who has buried 30 shots from downtown and is shooting 36 percent from three. He’s the other go-to scorer for the Knights at 14.1 points per game. He has a pretty jump shot and is a good all-around player who constantly finds way to score. Weatherly has tallied double-figure points in all but two games so far.
Cole Heisner, 6-6 junior forward
Heisner is a rangy and fairly athletic defensive stopper who is pretty effective on the glass. He has a body that could help him elevate his game down the road. He had a couple of strong finishes at the rim against Greeley West as well. Heisner is an intriguing player.
Sam Grad, 6-7 junior forward
Grad has been a defensive presence for the Knights while averaging 1.2 steals and 1.6 blocks per game. Coming off an outstanding summer with the Colorado Titans, the junior excels in the classroom and has some upside on the court with his frame, smarts and all-around ability. He’s shown great improvement.