Chaparral High School (4-0) won this year's Paradise Valley Invitational Saturday evening with a big 81-64 championship victory over an athletic Cesar Chavez High School team that got down fast and early, and never recovered. Behind the strong play of unsigned 6-foot-2 senior point guard Colten Kresl, Chaparral led the entire way in this one and never looked back.
Chaparral would come out firing in this one in the first period, as Colten Kresl would turn in a superb first quarter for his team - either scoring or assisting on almost every basket in the first quarter. Kresl would knock down a nice three-pointer off the dribble with 4:54 left in the first to get things going for Chaparral. After a tap in by Kresl, and consecutive baskets by 6-foot-2 senior guard JT Thoman, Chaparral would take a 14-7 lead with 3:51 left to play in the first.
Kresl would then convert a mid-range jumper, an assist to Thoman for a three-pointer, and then rebound the basketball and throw a length of the court pass to Thoman for another layup. Chaparral would take a 23-9 lead after the first quarter of action.
Chaparral would then push their lead to a 16-point margin by halftime - utilizing a fast-breaking style of play to open up the game against a Cesar Chavez team that would turn the ball over and take many ill-advised shots in the contest. Amidst a very athletically gifted Chavez team, Chaparral would make things look very easy.
Chaparral would not look back in this one, as they would cruise in the second half, before fwinning this contest with a 81-64 championship win.
Colten Kresl would earn Tournament Most Valuable Player honors with the win - finishing with a game-high 26 points, 6 assists and 7 rebounds in the victory.
Recruiting Notes: While Cesar Chavez would lose in the final on Saturday evening, they have a couple unsigned prospects that are worthy of some serious recruiting attention. 6-foot-3, 190-pound senior wing Malik Porter is a rare talent with long arms and a very live body. Porter is an excellent defender and shot-blocker and a very good slasher and open court player. While he is still very raw offensively, his ability to defend is a rarity and enough to make him a nice-looking prospect for a smaller college program. May need junior college before moving on to a four-year college program.
6-foot-7, 220-pound senior post Demond Hart is a nice-looking post talent with good size and a nice body. While he is still very raw offensively, his size and athleticism suggest that he should develop over time with some good low post skill coaching. He runs the floor and is an active rebounder. A good find for a junior college program or a smaller college program that has the time to see this young man develop.
