Crusaders no match for Heights
Kapaun can’t keep pace with Heights
The state championships its racking up indicates Heights’ boys basketball team has the talent to dissect opponents on its own merit.
What makes the Falcons particularly lethal is their ability to exploit the weaknesses of its adversaries. Their personnel is balanced enough that adjustments can be made at any point.
Tuesday, Heights forced Kapaun into an uncomfortable pace, seizing tempo control from the start and winning 55-32.
The Crusaders gave Heights difficulties in a nine-point Falcons win in December by spacing the floor and drawing out possessions. Tuesday, Kapaun was forced into quick shots and turnovers by a swarm of athletic defenders.
The top-ranked Falcons, winners of the last three Class 6A championships, extended their winning streak to 56 games.
"We actually changed our game plan right before the game," Heights coach Joe Auer said. "We didn’t want to play chase all night, so we went with our halfcourt trap. That was really important that we did not allow them to play keep away, which is what they were trying to do. You start five guards for a reason."
Often most effective in a halfcourt offense that runs through center Perry Ellis and creates open perimeter shots for Terrence Moore and Gavin Thurman, the Falcons displayed their versatility in Tuesday’s first quarter.
The first play was an alley-oop to Ellis, and Heights’ trap defense produced turnovers that led to transition baskets. The Falcons led 9-0 after two minutes as Kapaun failed to break itself from the idea of a slowdown game.
Heights remained effective in the halfcourt, as Ellis made his first four shots on his way to 26 points on 11 of 12 shooting. Kapaun stacked multiple defenders in the lane but was helpless in keeping Ellis from catching and scoring.
Ellis had three three-point plays and pushed his career point total to 1,894. He’s 69 points behind Greg Dreiling’s City League record.
"I’m trying to post," Ellis said. "That’s something I’m really emphasizing to myself, getting in the post and posting real hard and demanding the ball. I did that real well and it paid off."
Kapaun’s best chance to keep the Falcons close early was to convert second-chance points. The Crusaders had seven offensive rebounds in the first quarter, mostly on shots that bounced long off the rim.
But they often failed to convert, shooting 3 of 16 in the first and missing six of seven three-pointers. Heights fixed the problem, allowing three offensive rebounds the rest of the way while grabbing 12 of its own.
Kapaun took 21 total shots during the final three quarters and Heights had a 31-24 rebounding advantage.
"We cleaned that up," Auer said. "When you’re in that zone and we didn’t rotate, they got a few putbacks. When we went to man-to-man, we cleaned that up pretty good."
| Kapaun (7-6, 4-5) | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | — | 32 |
| Heights (12-0, 8-0) | 15 | 12 | 16 | 12 | — | 55 |
KAPAUN – Hamilton 0 3-4 3, Hullings 1 0-0 3, Baxter 2 1-2 5, Lickteig 4 4-9 12, Martin 2 0-0 4, Cook 1 0-0 3, Hagan 1 0-4 2. Totals 11 (2) 8-19 32.
HEIGHTS – Lattimore 1 0-0 2, Moore 5 0-3 11, Reed 1 0-0 2, Bell 1 0-0 2, Thurman 4 0-0 9, P. Ellis 11 4-7 26, B. Ellis 1 1-1 3. Totals 24 (2) 5-11 55.