SCOTTSDALE, AZ. – A couple of teams laden with future college standouts set the stage for what should be a high-profile matchup Saturday night with impressive victories Thursday during the HoopHall West at Chaparral High.
Duncanville High (located in the Dallas suburb of the same name) fell behind by 15 points in the first quarter before pulling away down the stretch for a 69-58 win over Cardinal Hayes of New York City.
And, in the game played before, Southern California-based Notre Dame (its campus is in Sherman Oaks in the San Fernando Valley) withstood a late charge to knock off Phoenix Brophy Prep, 72-61.
Each team has a couple of potential 2023 McDonald’s All-Americans in Ron Holland (he signed with Texas last month) and K.J. Lewis (Arizona) of Duncanville, and Dusty Stromer (Gonzaga) and Caleb Foster (Duke) of Notre Dame.
The Panthers (Duncanville) and Knights will hook up Saturday night during a weekend event in Lehi, Utah.
Coach Matt Sargeant’s Notre Dame team improved to 7-1 (its only loss is to another of California’ top teams, West Ranch, 66-64 on Nov. 19) after a sizzling jump start from the 6-foot-6 Stromer.
Stromer, a two-year standout for the Nike/EYBL Why Not program, scored 24 points in the first 12 minutes of on-court action – 18 of those coming on six 3s in seven attempts.
Brophy’s zone defense (adjusted to having a defender basically “face-guard” him after opening burst) did a solid job of keeping the ball out of his hands the rest of the way.
But openings were created for Foster (17 points), senior Dante Obgu (two 3s and eight points) and sophomore guard Angelino Mark (15 points, including three 3s, to go with three assists and three steals).
Stromer added a couple of buckets in the final two minutes (to finish with 28 points) after the Phoenix squad had narrowed its deficit to five points.
Brophy Prep’s Northern Arizona-bound forward, Arman Madi, also burst out of the chute Thursday night while scoring 14 of his eventual 28 points in the first quarter.
Notre Dame was without one of its key players, 6-3 junior Mercy Miller (he scored 23 points in a decisive victory over Modesto Christian on Nov. 19), because of a sore toe. His status for Saturday night’s game in Utah is to be determined, according to Sargeant.
Duncanville was 35-1 last season and was considered the top “non-prep school” team in the country.
The Panthers are still on the same track for 2022-23, as well, even with the program’s head coach (David Peavy) sidelined for the season by the Texas’ athletic association for using a player it had deemed an “ineligible transfer”.
With Peavy assistant Neiman Ford serving as the team’s “interim coach” this season, the Panthers could still go unbeaten although they will be unable to play in Texas state playoffs.
That was apparent in their 59-57 win over California’s top team, Corona Centennial, on Nov. 26 (59-57) and just as obvious Thursday night after their victory over the Ian Jackson-led team from New York.
The 6-5 Ian Jackson (one of the two or three top prospects from the national class of 2024) scored 10 first-quarter points Thursday as his team went in front after the first quarter, 21-6.
But the Panthers stepped up their defensive “awareness” on Jackson and got to within two points at intermission.
And they methodically and efficiently established control of the proceedings the rest of the way while hitting 12 of 15 free throws in the final quarter to salt it away.
The 6-7 Holland (a consensus Top 10 player in the class of 2023) committed five turnovers but went for 22 points and 10 rebounds.
The 6-5 Lewis (who transferred to Duncanville, from a school in El Paso, for his senior season) missed his only “official” field-goal attempt – a 3 – but was perfect in six free-throw attempts to go with seven assists, seven rebounds, two steals and just one turnover in 20 minutes.
Jackson missed eight of his final 10 shots to finish with a game-high 23 points (with six turnovers).
In the other two games played Thursday:
Temecula (CA) Rancho Christian 80, Chapparal 48: The team based in Southern California’s “Wine Country” got a bit of a break in the event’s first game, after an arduous early-season schedule.
The Eagles overpowered the hosts on every level, taking a 23-point advantage at intermission before cruising over the final 16 minutes.
Pepperdine-bound center Martin Gumwell (in only 15 minutes of on the-floor-action) hitting all seven of his shots for 14 points with four rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots.
Six-eight senior Kevin Patton (pictured/he attended near-by Maricopa High before heading to SoCal late in the summer) led Coach Ray Barfield’s team with 16 points to go with nine rebounds, four blocks and four steals.
Rodney Brown (who signed with Cal-Berkeley last month) scored 14 points with seven assists and only one turnover.
Two of their losses have come to unbeatens St. Bernard and Harvard-Westlake. They also handed Sierra Canyon its only loss on Nov. 26.
West Columbia (SC) Gray Collegiate 71, Phoenix St. Mary’s 61: Senior guard Montavious White scored 28 points while junior forward Ellis Graham had seven points, 15 rebounds and six blocked shots for the winners.
Junior guard Styles Phipps scored 20 of his team-high 28 points in the fourth quarter for the “host” Knights.
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