X factors to watch in Open quarters
They’re not the stars but the guys who sometimes go without fanfare, getting it done to help their high school basketball teams win games.
The Arizona Republic is looking at 10 X factors who could get help push teams into the Arizona Interscholastic Association’s Open Division state boys basketball semifinals on Saturday night.
Ben Egbo, Gilbert Perry, 6-4, Sr.
It’s impossible to double team both 6-8 sophomore Koa Peat and 6-8 senior Cody Williams. But if teams start to pick one to swarm, it’s going to leave somebody open. And those two can’t get all the rebounds. Look for Egbo to be Perry’s X factor on Saturday night at home when the Pumas (27-1) take on Peoria Liberty, the 8 seed. Liberty has several tough players who can score. Egbo, Perry coach Sam Duane Jr. says, defends at a high level. While Peat and Williams combined to score 54 points in the second-round win over Pinnacle, Egbo had 10 points and six rebounds. “Brings a high/positive energy to our team,” Duane says.
Ring Nyeri, Liberty, 6-8, Jr.
Liberty’s going to need a defender in the middle to make it not-so-comfortable for Peat and Williams to drive inside for easy baskets. Nyeri is that guy. He’s got long arms and great anticipation. He was his region’s Defensive Player of the Year. A great shot blocker who can rebound. He averages 10.5 points and nine rebounds for the 22-6 Lions, who have already played Perry once (a 93-79 Nov. 29 loss) and know what adjustments need to be made.
Cooper Cirone, Phoenix Sunnyslope, 5-11, Sr.
He’s got the unenviable assignment of trying to contain Phoenix St. Mary’s junior point guard Styles Phipps. Or at least slow him down. Can he make it difficult enough for Phipps to force shots and not turn the corner and get into the lane for baskets or free throws? This is a major assignment if the young Vikings (23-5) want to advance to the state semifinals.
Kenny White, St. Mary’s, 5-10, Jr.
While the focus is on Phipps, White is more than capable of doing his part. He can handle the ball, shoot the 3, penetrate and dish and defend. And if Phipps gets into foul trouble and ends up fouling out, it becomes White’s team to manage. He did a great job of doing that in a win over Gilbert Mesquite late in the season. This is a task that the toughminded White seems to be up for.
Torin Bosch, Chandler Basha, 6-4, Sr.
While the freshmen tandem of point guard Mason Magee and Elijah Summers-Livingston get much of the splash with the dynamic plays they make, Bosch is the glue guy, a leader, who brings everybody together. He does all of the little things. He gets offensive rebounds, gets to the free-throw line, he’ll body up to draw charges, and he knows how to get the ball to the open man. Bosch has to be the man against No. 14 Scottsdale Notre Dame (23-5) for the No. 11 Bears (24-4) to advance.
Brody Posterino, Scottsdale Notre Dame, 6-0, Fr.
NDP revolved around the Big 3 of Anthony Batson Jr., (18.9 points a game), Brennan Peterson (16.9 ppg, 4.4 assists) and Bryce Quinet (16 ppg, 4 apg). But Posterino is one of two freshmen contributing to the 5A Saints’ big season with five points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists a game. Matt Delgado, a 6-5 forward, is the other freshman who is a factor with five points and four rebounds a game.
I’Yar Shadowvine, Glendale Ironwood, 5-9, So.
He might be the smallest guy on the court but he plays huge and has been clutch on a team void of stars, but guys who have bought into coach Jordan Augustine’s team-first, give-it-all, dig-indefensively philosophy. It’s going to be paramount for Shadowvine to take care
of the ball, distribute it to open men and knock down shots for the No. 5 Eagles (23-5) to get past No. 13 Scottsdale Desert Mountain (24-4) on Saturday.
Tony Cumberland, Desert Mountain, 6-6, Fr.
The Big 2 are freshmen brothers Kaden and Kalek House, who do the bulk of the scoring that got the Wolves this far. Kaden House can go off for 40 points on any given night. But there’s another freshman, Cumberland, already getting Power 5 football offers, including Ohio State, as a 250-pound offensive lineman, who could be key to the Wolves’ interior play against the likes of Ironwood’s Julius Williams. Cumberland is not a screen that opponents want to run into. And he’ll gobble up rebounds.
Davis Hester, Liberty, 6-0, Sr.
He defends and stretches the court, hitting 40% of his 3-point shots. He is averaging 13.7 points on a team that has five guys who can score. Liberty will need his A game, especially his outside shooting, to have a chance against Perry.
Cristian Simmons, Sunnyslope, 6-7, Fr.
In this Year of the Freshmen, Simmons is somebody that the Vikings will need on the boards to counter St. Mary’s size of Caspian Jones and Seydou Tamboura, who are both 6-7 and athletic. Simmons is one of four freshmen who play for the Vikings. And, in this game, being able to keep Jones and Tamboura off the offensive glass will be vital.