Gilbert High School (3-1) is among the most talented teams in the state of Arizona, once again, this season. Loaded with the state's top front-line, which includes three serious division-I prospects and led by the state's most physical point guard prospect, Gilbert will be very tough to beat this high school season. But on Tuesday evening on their home floor, the Tigers would need to first get past a very game and much-improved Queen Creek High School basketball programs that has really developed over the past year.
Gilbert has been without the services of talented 6-foot-8 junior post Truman Moore (wrist injury) this season, but he would play on Tuesday night for much of the first half, before sitting out the remainder of the game after halftime. Moore's injury would continue to plague him - causing him to be almost ineffective against a very competitive Queen Creek team.
Queen Creek (3-3), led by the strong leadership of head coach Troy Gibson, a native of Illinois, came into Tuesday's game fired up and ready to get a huge upset for their aspiring program. Queen Creek is led by the play of a trio of senior perimeter players this season - 6-foot-2 senior guard Carter Wilson, 6-foot-4 senior guard/forward Parker Anderson and 6-foot senior guard Blake Williams.
While Truman Moore would not be very effective on the night for Gilbert, Gilbert would rely heavily on the play of their other two post talents - 6-foot-9 sophomore Wyatt Lowell and 6-foot-7 senior forward Spencer Nicolds.
Lowell would keep his team close in the first half with some superior shooting of the basketball, while Queen Creek would compete hard on both ends of the floor and keep Gilbert at bay. Behind the play of Lowell and Nicolds and also the strong point guard play of 5-foot-11 senior point guard Anthony Bryant, Gilbert would take an 11 to 8 first quarter lead.
In the second quarter, Queen Creek would continue their strong play behind Parker Anderson and Blake Williams. Anderson would finish out the half with several big baskets to give Queen Creek the half-time lead - 23-22.
In the third period, Parker Anderson would catch fire - putting on an absolute shooting exhibition for Queen Creek and the basketball fans in attendance. Anderson, one of the most improved prospects in the state of Arizona, showed off his ability to shoot the basketball with range - connecting on four-straight three-pointers between the third and fourth periods. What was most impressive for Anderson was that not one of the shots hit the rim.
Gilbert though, behind a stellar shooting performance of their own from Wyatt Lowell and the penetrating attack of Anthony Bryant, would take a 45-40 lead after three periods. Gilbert would then continue to ride the performance of Lowell and Bryant into the end of the game, before a monster, two-handed tip-dunk from Spencer Nicolds would seal the home victory for Gilbert - 61-52.
Wyatt Lowell would finish the game with a game-high 23 points, while Anthony Bryant would pour in 17 of his own.
Parker Anderson would finish with a team-high 20 points in the loss. Blake Williams would also finish with 14 points of his own for Queen Creek.
