3A Finals Breakdown

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In an ascendent 59-32 victory for the 3A state title, Colorado Springs Christian took their second straight title against Peyton. Their dominant victory marks the second straight finals win, as this group remains arguably the most dominant team in the state, regardless of class. Going 27-0 this season and 25-2 last season, it is hard to set the bar much higher. Despite coming up short in the end, Peyton follows up an extraordinary 24-1 season, an elite program in their own right.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Colorado Springs Christian</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Colorado Springs's offensive effort was impacted heavily by guards [player_tooltip player_id='545243' first='Grace' last='Minihane'], [player_tooltip player_id='566366' first='Kinley' last='Asp'], Jordyn Rollins, and Rose Ross. Minihane paved the way for this group, actively creating fast breaks following the defensive rebound. A tall playmaker, she was difficult to contain while attacking downhill. The guard notched a 22 point and 10 rebound double double, all while grabbing 4 assists and 5 steals. Plus, her assertive help defense was enough to deter opponents from driving lanes and ultimately caused a few turnovers.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='566366' first='Kinley' last='Asp'] is this group's best perimeter defender, given her wide reach and lateral agility. On the opposite end, her quickness was especially effective in the driving lanes, easily accelerating past the defense. Paired with her notable height and elite decision making, the lead guard was adept at creating quality looks for teammates, notching 3 assists. Jordyn Rollins stayed consistent spacing the floor, actively taking threes off the catch. She was among the best rebounders in this matchup, grabbing 8, especially proactive while on the defensive glass. First year guard Rose Ross was fairly efficient off the catch, actively knocking down corner threes. Ross will be a name to follow over the coming seasons, effective off the dribble following an off-balance closeout.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This group's full court press helped speed up their opponents from the start, forcing them sideline or into a difficult shot attempt away from the rim. Between [player_tooltip player_id='566366' first='Kinley' last='Asp'] and [player_tooltip player_id='545243' first='Grace' last='Minihane'], they boast a lot more speed and awareness than most 3A defensive units.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Peyton</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"align":"right","id":504429,"width":"263px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepgirlshoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/09/121-AJ-Mannering.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-504429" style="width:263px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">[player_tooltip player_id='216702' first='AJ' last='Mannering'], 2024</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='216702' first='AJ' last='Mannering'] did not disappoint, arguably the best perimeter shooter in the state. Putting up 21 points while going 7 of 13 from the field while contributing 3 of her 7 three point attempts. She did that while facing aggressive defense on ball screens, actively flowing into dribble jumpers anywhere. Even with a hand in her face, Mannering is a stone cold shooter under any circumstance, empowering this group's offense. Alongside her shotmaking, she is a skilled ball handler and even better decision maker while handling the rock. She was able to set up a variety of complementary scorers for Peyton, including Emme Ratliff, who contributed a couple mid-range jumpers. [player_tooltip player_id='331326' first='Abbie' last='Nickell'], Sammie Nickell, and Butula Murray showed value grabbing rebounds and causing chaos on the glass. Their effort made this matchup much more tiresome for Colorado Springs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Both groups hosted elite talent, from [player_tooltip player_id='216702' first='AJ' last='Mannering'] attending Air Force Prep to [player_tooltip player_id='566366' first='Kinley' last='Asp'], who has garnered multiple division 1 offers. These are certainly programs worth following over the coming seasons. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->