Takeaways from Grandview-Mullen Round 2

It was Round 2 of Grandview vs. Mullen, Colorado’s top-ranked teams in its top classifications (Classes 5A and 4A), respectively. Grandview won both teams – 68-53 on Jan. 27 and 63-47 the past Friday. Below is what we could take away form the most-recent meeting…   --- This is a recording. Grandview’s [player_tooltip player_id="95167" first="Lauren" last="Betts"] remains the best player in the Rocky Mountains as well as the top junior in the U.S. The 6-foot-7 post and Stanford commit made 10-of-11 shots (91 percent) and 2-of-3 free throws (no, you can’t just foul her and hope she misses) for 22 points. She had nine points in the first quarter as the 5A Wolves established the lead and nine more in the fourth as they ran away. And by the way, Betts had 19 rebounds as Grandview also won that battle by 43-27.   --- The Wolves’ 6-5 [player_tooltip player_id="95122" first="Addison" last="O’Grady"], an Iowa signee, continues to evolve. She had 16 points and seven rebounds as well as four assists, one a highlighter as she had a sweet, two-handed touch pass to a teammate off a rebound underneath for a layup. Her improvement is about as good as there has been in this shortened Season B.   --- Mullen made a move to close within 32-27 at halftime and the 4A Mustangs actually got the Wolves to play at their higher pace for spells, but it came crashing down and to a halt in the third quarter as Grandview went on a 16-2 binge with O’Grady getting six of the points.   --- The Mustangs’ 6-2 [player_tooltip player_id="95170" first="Imani" last="Perez"] has been struggling offensively – and she shot just 2-of-12 – but her defense has been stellar. At the front of a five-game stretch in which the Mustangs permitted just 95 points, the PGH-Colorado 2022 No. 4 turned in five rebounds and two steals, and cut off some passing lanes to Betts and O’Grady, but dealing with both of them was unreasonable. Plus, Mullen missed talented 2022 forward [player_tooltip player_id="117681" first="Kilah" last="Freelon"], who was sidelined with a concussion.   --- [player_tooltip player_id="95130" first="Megan" last="Pohs"] (PGH-Colorado 2021 No. 9 and Regis signee) topped Mullen with 14 points, but the Mustangs had their worst shooting game of the season. They made only 17-of-60 attempts, 28 percent, just 4-of-19 on 3-pointers. No Mullen player had more than one 3 and in one indicative stretch, PGH-Colorado 2022 No. 6 [player_tooltip player_id="95172" first="Gracie" last="Gallegos"], who was held to eight points, all in the first half, missed three consecutive layups. It was that kind of night for the Mustangs.   --- Grandview’s [player_tooltip player_id="117679" first="Marya" last="Hudgins"] (PGH-Colorado 2022 No. 3) contributed 12 points, but her versatility to play out front, on the wing or inside are her better traits as is her basketball IQ. At various points, you could see her directing traffic, telling players where to line up and cut or she would call for the ball. It’s invaluable.   ---Unlike the first meeting late the past month in Aurora, which seemed like a grade-school game in late afternoon with zero fans, Friday’s meeting in Southwest Denver had parents and a half-dozen cheerleaders. At least, there was some semblance of atmosphere.   --- Afterward in a hallway at Hutchison Fieldhouse, Mullen coach Frank Cawley said to Grandview boss Josh Ulitzky: “Josh, let’s both win,” as in both programs winning Colorado championships.