The Grigsby and Milstead match-up had the crowd riled up. | Giuliano Orsi |
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- In thrilling overtime fashion, Archbishop Mitty outlasted a talented Moreau Catholic squad at home, 96-88 on Friday night in a rare high-scoring affair for a high school basketball game.
With less than a minute to go, Monarch junior forward Riley Grigsby, who had 28 on the night, hit his sixth three of the game to break a late tie. However, Mariner guard Max Anderson responded with a game-tying three just seconds later, sending the game into overtime with the score at 77-77 apiece. In the extra four minutes of play, the Monarchs flourished on the offensive side, and escaped with the 8-point victory.
“It was a heck of a battle where it was a game of runs and we maintained our composure,” Mitty head coach Tim Kennedy said. “We fought back in overtime after they hit the game-tying shot, and we were able to finish it off in the end.”
The high-scoring game offered up big offensive numbers from multiple players on both teams, including the 28 from Grigsby and 44 from Moreau senior point guard Damari Milstead. The Grand Canyon commit carried his team for most of the contest, and showcased his leadership during a time when some of his teammates struggled to get it going on the offensive end.
“Coming into the game, we just wanted to contest it,” Milstead said. “We’re a young team and most of our guys haven’t been in an environment like this. It’s a building block and this game definitely helped us get better.”
Monarch senior and 6-foot-6 forward Travis Friar had 22 points on the night, and fellow senior teammates Mike Diaz and Karl Peterson followed with 10 points each.
As for Moreau, 16-year old Kyree Walker followed up his 27-point performance in his high school debut with 17 against Mitty. The 6-foot-5 freshman was a force on the court all night, but wasn’t able to get his shot going consistently throughout most of the contest. Walker’s presence in game is highlighted by his work ethic, which has helped him earn a number one nationwide ranking in his class.
“It’s a lot of reps, a lot of muscle memory,” said his fathr, Khari Walker. “We try to get him a lot of shots to get him ready for games. Basketball is more versatile these days, so he’s going to be working on making sure his game is complete.”
Kennedy knew what to expect when preparing to face players like Milstead and Walker.
“You want to load up to the ball and clog it up for them, because they can make plays even with space,” he said. “We wanted everything contested, but even then they were still able to make tough shots and took advantage at times when our defense broke down.”
Milstead hit multiple threes with hands in his face that kept the Mariners in the game at times when Mitty went on its runs. Walker’s ability to slash his way to the basket wore out the Monarchs at times, but he wasn’t able to get good looks outside of the paint due to Mitty’s stifling perimeter defense.
The game opened up with Moreau jumping to an early 10-point advantage, which could have been even bigger if not for multiple missed free throws. The Mariners struggled from the line for the entire game, missing over 20 at the stripe. Moreau also clogged Mitty up on the press, forcing turnover after turnover. Their defense led to more offense, which helped add to their lead.
In the second quarter, Mitty cleaned their offense and they were able to crawl back behind four Grigsby threes. By the end of the half, the Monarchs were up 36-34.
“I think my game and my leadership has stepped up since last season,” said Grigsby. “Even though I can rely on my shot, I’ve been more physical and have focused on attacking the rim.”
Grigsby showcased that aggressiveness by earning to the line, going a perfect 8-of-8. In the second half, the atmosphere inside Fien Gym was intense, with many instances of questionable calls against the Mariners resulting in upset fans and Moreau coach Frank Knight earning a technical. By the end of the third frame, Mitty still held a steady lead up, 57-52.
In the fourth quarter, Mitty stretched out in front of the Mariners by nine points on multiple occasions, but Milstead was able to strike back with contested threes and clutch steals. By the final minute of play, Moreau had a one-point advantage and their first lead since the second quarter.
“Milstead’s an all-state player and great leader,” Knight said. “He really shows up in the clutch. He’s also been a mentor to Walker, showing him the routine we follow.”
In the final minute, Monarch guard Connor Peterson attacked the rim and dished out a pass to an open Grigsby on the right wing, who hit a three that broke a 74-74 tie. The Mariners burst up the court before the Monarchs could get fully set, and Anderson was able to hit the game tying shot with less than 30 seconds to go. A blocked shot by the Mariners on the following Mitty possession as the buzzer went off sealed extra time to be played. In the four minutes that followed, junior guard Charles Meng hit a three for the Monarchs and Peterson made a couple contested lay-ups, which gave Mitty the early advantage. Milstead missed a few contested shots and Walker was stuffed at the rim by Mitty on a couple Mariner possessions, exemplifying an overall defensive showcase by the Monarchs on a couple Division I prospects.
In the end, Mitty walked away with a 96-88 win and a bright start to its 2016-17 campaign.
“Spacing was big for us. At halftime, we had realized we had to be strong with the ball since we turned it over too much,” Grigsby said. “Going into overtime, coach told us to just go out strong and we’ll get the win.”
The Monarchs will be gearing up for another home game on December 8, where they’ll face Capital Christian in the Gridley Invitational Tournament.
As for the Mariners, their loss brings them to 1-1 on the season after their win last week against Immanuel. They’ll try to follow up their loss with a game at home versus Castro Valley.
“We know it was going to be a great atmosphere, and games like these gear us up for the playoffs,” Knight said. “Last time we lost to Mitty, we went to State. As long as we clean up things, I know we’ll get better.”
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