Chaparral (6-1) is off to an excellent start to the season, and on Tuesday evening the team would travel far from Scottsdale to take on host Desert Edge High School on the road. Desert Edge (0-3) has struggled to stay in games early this season, but would look to attempt to slow down a very talented but young Chaparral team.
For Chaparral, they would get their first look at talented 6-foot-4 sophomore guard Xavier Dusell on the evening, as Dusell would get his first game action of the season, after being delegated to the sidelines due to the AIA transfer rules for the first (6) games of the high school season.
Chaparral would not waste any time in this match-up, as the Firebirds would come out the gates scoring and defending at a high rate. Chaparral 6-foot-2 sophomore guard Alem Huseinovic would start the game quickly with a three-pointer from the wing for his team. Then a nice post up inside and a finish by 6-foot-3 junior guard Blaise Threatt (pictured), before a quick steal by Threatt and a layup would put Chaparral ahead quickly 7-0. After a long three-pointer from Threatt, an and-one layup from Threatt and then another breakaway layup from Threatt, and Chaparral would jump out to a big 18-1 lead with 3:24 left to play in the first period.
With 2:56 left to play in the first quarter, Dusell would check in for the first time this high school season. Desert Edge would fight back for the remainder of the period - outscoring Chaparral 13 to 11 over the next 3 minutes of action. Chaparral would take a 29-14 lead after one quarter.
In the second period, Chaparral would get back to defending. With 4:51 left to play in the first half, Threatt would get another steal in the open floor and then would drive the length of the court, before dishing to Dusell for a strong one-handed dunk in traffic. After another and-one play by Threatt, Chaparral would collect the missed free-throw attempt by Threatt and would get a three-pointer from the wing from 6-foot-7 junior forward Alec Bryan - giving Chaparral a big 46-26 lead.
Chaparral would take a 53-29 lead into halftime, and would never look back from there.
Chaparral would then outscore Desert Edge 31 to 15 in the second half, on the way to a big 84-44 road win.
Chaparral will next travel to Gilbert Highland on Wednesday on the road, before for facing Crossroads HS (CA) in the Hoop Hall West on Friday, and then Sunnyslope in an exciting match-up next week (12/12).
