In a battle between Top 25 national prospects Jabari Brown and Aaron Gordon, the game came down to the execution of the Archbishop Mitty Monarchs. The Monarchs jumped out to a quick lead and were able to extend that lead against the Oakland Wildcats to coast in the 81-66 victory. The win moves the Monarchs to 7-1 while Oakland drops to 4-4.
In the first quarter, Dominique Taplin scored the first points with a 3-pointer at the 5:32 mark. That 3-0 lead was the biggest lead that the Wildcats had for the game. Mitty ran off seven points to take a 7-3 lead and ended the quarter on a breakaway Gordon dunk to lead 20-8.
The second quarter did not start well for the Wildcats as Mitty scored the first seven points to make the score 27-8. Oakland made a run to close within 30-21, which was the closest that they would be for the rest of the game. Mitty used their interior size advantage to take a 40-29 lead into the half.
Mitty controlled the third quarter as well. Their maximum point advantage was at 56-33 as the Monarchs were up 60-42 at the end of the quarter.
The Monarchs were able to match that 23 point lead in the fourth quarter at 72-49. Oakland played with more pressure defense and was able to cause several Monarch turnovers. But the game still ended with Mitty winning 81-66.
How this game was won: The Monarchs had a size advantage with 6-foot-6 Gordon being able to score from the inside, which then gave open outside looks. Gordon had 20 points to lead the Monarchs while guards Colin Wan and Kyle Toth each made three 3-point shots and had 13 points.
Turning Point: When Gordon entered the game midway through the first quarter. Gordon was suspended for part of the first quarter for being late to a practice. Once he entered the game, the Monarchs were able to open their offense and Gordon's size caused problems for the Wildcats in the interior.
Missing in Action: Monarch Brandon White is still recovering from an injured wrist from the Palma game. He plans to play in mid January. Wildcat forward Marcelus Clay is still awaiting his transfer ruling.
Mitty analysis: Coach Tim Kennedy felt that Gordon was productive on both ends. In addition, Gordon's presence opened up wide open shots as Mitty made 6 of their 12 3-point shots. Kennedy liked the way that his defense got in front of Brown and TJ Taylor. Gordon felt that the game would be a hard match up but his Monarchs brought more intensity.
Oakland analysis: Brown and Taylor had 20 and 21 points respectively. Coach Orlando Watkins felt that Gordon had "a beast of a game" against the Wildcats. He also felt that the team had lapses on defense that allowed Mitty to pull away with easy shots.
What is next for Mitty: Kennedy believes that the offense can be more efficient as they continue to run the offense through Gordon. He has been happy with the team's transition offense. He wants to see the defense to be more consistent and not allow lapses. Mitty is gearing up for the competitive WCAL season. With wins against Bishop O'Dowd and Oakland and the lone loss against Jesuit, Mitty has had a tough non-league schedule to make them one of the league favorites.
What is next for Oakland: At 4-4, Coach Watkins wants his defense to play with more pressure, be accountable to each teammate, and to have fewer lapses. He also wants more interior defense and better rebounding. He wants his offense to trust each other more as he has seen too much individual playmaking. When the team shares the ball, he has seen the offensive execution perform quite well. His team's 3-point shooting has been good but the free throw shooting needs to improve. Oakland goes to the Holiday Classic in Torrey Pines that features many of the top west coast high school teams. Watkins made the point that good teams win while bad teams lose at this event. He made it clear that his team will be ready when they make the trip south. The team goal is still to win the OAL and then make a run at state.
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