#2 ThunderRidge Mauls #1Regis

By Matt Langley

www.BasketballColorado.com

2/10/15

Aurora, CO – The ThunderRidge Grizzlies took out the last undefeated 5A team the Regis Jesuit Raiders on Tuesday night 59-36 at Regis Jesuit High School. The Grizzlies used a formidable man to man defense to harass the Raiders into their lowest point production game of the season and held them to 30 points below their season average. ThunderRidge exploited its size advantage to rule the paint mainly with senior big man Zach Pirog and the hot shooting of their senior guard Noah Szilagyi.

The first quarter was well played and tightly contested. Neither team backed down running their offensive sets and playing tough man to man defense the entire quarter except for the few times Regis tough in a full court zone press. Regis has some limited success early on the offensive boards with forwards Elijah Sanford and Geoff Kelly.  Once the adjustment was made if seemed as if the Grizzlies did not give up another offensive rebound to the Raiders.  The Raiders led though 13-12 at the end of the first quarter. 

The second quarter was all about the Grizzly defense and the Arctic cold shooting of the Raiders.  The Raiders only field goal of the quarter came with 1:32 left in the quarter on a reverse lay up by Taylor Kallsen. The Grizzlies on the other hand scored 11 points in the quarter as Pirog and Elias Tiedgen combined for eight of those points.  The Raiders simply did not have answer for Pirog on either end of the floor as Pirog and his fellow ThunderRidge forwards dominated. The Grizzlies lead at half time 23-15.

As the third quarter started the Grizzlies hit back to back 3’s one by Szilagyi and the other by junior wing Austin Mueller  for a 29-17 lead.  The Grizzlies continued to dominate the defensive boards and limited the penetration for draw and kick three’s. The Grizzlies maintained  a 10-12 point lead through much of the 3rd quarter until Raider senior forward Kip Borylla hit a 3 pointer to cut the lead to 38-31. But Pirog scored and  then

Clay Verks basket at the buzzer gave the Grizzlies a 42-30 lead at eh endif the 3rd quarter.

In the fourth quarter the Grizzlies continued it’s solid defense not allowing the Raiders to get off clean shots or offensive rebounds. The Grizzlies again held the Raiders scoreless for over half the quarter going on a 9-0 run and limited the Raiders to five points in the quarter.  The Grizzlies did this on the road in a hostile environment and simply enforced its will one the Raiders.  The deficient could have been more but the Grizzlies failed to shoot free throws well, shooting 10-18 for the game.

Double Digit Scorers

ThunderRidge

Pirog 16 and double digit rebounds

Szilagyi 14

Regis

None