Arnold drives ThunderRidge past Heritage again (2/6/09)

BY MARTY CESARIO

ThunderRidge 57
Heritage 56

Love this type of match-up! The kind that requires a lot more than a quick glance at polls or standings to "get it." Because I don't mind geeking up on storylines, I'd done the research and knew this run would be entertaining.

A pair of proven programs. Two of the top five scorers in Class 5A. Two great coaches who are so familiar with each other they could swap jobs without skipping a beat. And... this was a rematch -- which is always tasty. ThunderRidge was shooting for the season sweep while Heritage was seeking payback and, more importantly, progress. That first meeting was back in early December in the Grizzlies gym. Tonight, the two would meet North of C-470 in Eagles territory. And Heritage was now a much better basketball squad. (They were 7-2 since the holiday break.)  

C'mon! Eagles coach, MIKE BROYLES, now has a 6'5" point guard who can drive, dunk, leads the team in rebounds, and is a very patient floor leader. From the jump, senior, BRANDON KAUFMAN, proved his comeback from multiple months of knee rehab has turned Heritage into a very dangerous club to defend. With senior sharp-shooter, JAMES KLEMM, well-covered on the perimeter, Kaufman ate up the interior of the Grizzlies defense scoring 9 of the 12 Eagles' first period point total. 

Fortunately for ThunderRidge coach, JOE ORTIZ, he had junior big man, DAVE DAY, hitting short jumpers and converting offensive rebounds on the other end of the floor. 
Day's efforts not only matched Kaufman's early explosion but it relieved pressure off leading scorer, DAVE ARNOLD, who like Klemm, needed some time to get his groove
on. Those two prolific point producers (Arnold and Klemm) impressed me. Early on, they were denied easy jump shot opportunities. So they adjusted, made some things happen off the dribble, then started using picks and screens to establish their outside games. (Both eventually eclipsed their 21 point averages.) The first half was quite a showcase for what Cory Lopez and I called "the Big Four." They put up 49 of the 58 points on the board at intermission. ThunderRidge led 30-28.           

Role players ruled the third quarter, though. Senior, TROY NOSER, got the Grizzlies on the run with five quick fast break points while junior, JOSH HEIKKILA, snagged key rebounds and denied the drives that were so good to Heritage in the first half. But the Eagles took over the game employing another option -- finding junior guard, SHANE OPITZ, cutting through the lane for lay-ups and free throws. Opitz helped Heritage outscore their opponents 20-13 in the third to take a five point lead. Eagles fans were all jacked up... until ARNOLD and DAY each hit three-pointers to open the final period. Ouch. ThunderRidge quickly regained the lead and then executed solid defense to hold off Heritage -- which compels me to offer a final fist-pound to Grizzlies senior, BRANDON JIMENEZ. The Eagles had their chance to win after stealing the ball from a stalling Arnold with nine seconds to play. Broyles called time-out. Then put the ball in the hands of Kaufman. Jimenez manned-up, stayed in front of a driving Kaufman, and forced him to lose control of his dribble. Kaufman jumped across the baseline to save the ball but threw it back over the timeline for a violation. Ballgame.        

Final: TRG 57 - HE 56... TRG (12-7, 5-2) Arnold 24, Day 17, Noser 8 ... HE (9-10, 4-3) Klemm 25, Kaufman 18, Opitz 9.