Legend Defeats Chaparral

By Matt Langley

www.BasketballColorado.com

2/20/2015

Parker, CO –  The Legend Titians  entered this years edition of the Crosstown Throwdown with the Chaparral Wolverines on a three game winning streak including a win over #5 Rock Canyon. Chaparral came into the rivalry game fresh off a 24 drubbing of #1 ThunderRidge.  Fans from both schools packed the Legend gymnasium to the tune of 2300 plus and created an electric atmosphere in anticipation of an epic showdown between rivals. The Wolverines gained an early lead behind the play of junior Spencer Sheaman and with stood a Legend run in the second quarter. However, Legend’s junior quartet of Danny Garrick, Jared Small, Monroe Porter and Riley Matticks  would take the lead in the third quarter and never relinquish it.

The visiting Wolverines started out in the driver seat. Playing with confidence, Chaparral built a 13-5 lead with Sheaman scoring eight points in the opening stretch.  Sheaman took advantage of being left open as Legend shaded Chap seniors Chris Moody and Jake Holtzmann in their man to man defense. Asit appeared that the Wolverines were about to run away with the lead, Legend was able to cut into tlead after a 8-2 run in latter stages of the first quarter that was driven by Titan junior Danny Garrick’s back to back three pointers.

Garrick continued his hot shooting while he and fellow junior Jared Small combined for a seven point run at the beginning of the second quarter to take a 20-16 lead with 6:05 left. The Wolverins would answer back with a barrage of three pointers by seniors Chase Coon and Peter Wilson to take  25-23 lead. The Titan defense did a superb job on Moody and Holtzmann in the first half, making them work for each shot. Sheaman continued to  find holes in the Titans defense and combined with Moody  rebuilt a 31-25 lead. But again Legend answered in the final minute with a basket from Small and a three pointer with one second left on the clock from Monroe Porter to cut the Chap lead to 31-30 at halftime.

Legend took the lead from the Wolverines in the beginning moments of the third quarter and maintained that lead through out the game. Of the six field goals made by Legend in the third quarter 4 of them were three pointers, two by Porter  and the other was an old fashioned three point play by Small. The Legend defense limited Chaparral to 10 points in the quarter, six of which were by Sheaman. Moody and Holtzmann were not their prolific selves for the Wolverines, Holtzmann struggle from the field shooting 3 of 14. Legend held a 48- 41 lead at the end of the third quarter.

In the early going of the fourth quarter Legend  maintained a 6-8 point lead with the teams trading baskets and Chaparral unable to to get stops . The turning point of the game came when Small baited a Chaparral player into a technical foul after making a lay up and being fouled himself.  Small made all three free throws that pushed a six point lead to 11 with 5:00 left in the game.  Matticks had a great night dishing out nine assists and was solid down the stretch hitting Small and Porter for key baskets down the stretch and shooting four of six from the free throw line. Chaparral had it chances as evidence by the 21 point quarter it was able to put together lead by Moody and Holtzmann but the Wolverines failed to get the stops or the defensive rebounds it needed to seriously threaten the Titans lead. Coon did hit two three pointers for Chaparral  in the final minute but it was too little too late as Legend took the game 68-62.

Double Digit Scorers

Chaparral

Sheaman 20 pts 11rebounds

Moody -12

Coon 12

Legend

Small 24

Garrick 19

Porter 17