Olympus celebrates their 5A boys basketball state championship win in opposition to Woods Cross at BYU in Provo on Saturday, March 5, 2022. Laura Seitz, Deseret Information
In a loopy low-scoring 5A state championship recreation on Saturday, Olympus’ Dutch DowDell willed his workforce to the title.
When no one else may make buckets, DowDell delivered time and time once more, whether or not it was 3-pointers or driving layups, and every one alleviated the rising pressure in opposition to upset-minded Woods Cross.
DowDell finally burst that anxiousness bubble with a dagger 3-pointer within the fourth quarter because the Titans pulled away for a 40-31 victory and their first state championship in 4 years.
DowDell received a little bit recommendation from his older brother Jeremy, who received a title with Olympus in 2018.
“He really informed me earlier than going into the sport I simply should be aggressive, and each time I catch the ball I have to do one thing. Positively helped me out,” stated DowDell, who scored a game-high 23 factors on 9 of 14 taking pictures.
The remainder of his teammates mixed for 4-of-25 taking pictures.
That poor taking pictures from his teammates speaks volumes about how good Olympus’ protection was in opposition to a Woods Cross workforce that scored 75 and 59 factors respectively within the earlier two rounds.
“Everybody talks about our offense on a regular basis and the way good our offense is, and yeah it’s fairly potent and fairly good, however our protection has been terrific this yr, and that’s what’s carried us for probably the most half,” stated Olympus coach Matt Barnes.
After Woods Cross shot 53% within the first half to take a 21-16 lead, Olympus held the Wildcats to a paltry 10 factors within the second half because it methodically pulled away for the title.
Coaches and teammates praised the defensive tenacity of Anthony Olsen and Luke Lowe, who received the project on Woods Cross’ two main scorers.
Olsen received the duty of Mason Bendinger, who’d scored 34 and 19 respectively within the earlier two video games, and held him to 5 factors on 2 of 11 taking pictures.
Lowe received the project on Woods Cross sharpshooter Jaxon Smith, who was scorching early with two deep 3-pointers that set the tone for the Wildcats.
However after these two 3s, he was simply 2 of seven taking pictures with 5 extra factors.
The good protection helped Olympus hold round regardless of taking pictures a brutal 18% within the first half, with lots of these misses coming on the rim with contact.
“State tournaments are extra aggressive, bodily,” stated Barnes. “I informed them we’ve received to be a little bit more durable. Once we go in there we’ve received to take that hit, we’ve received to transform or make a play.”
He admits he was curious how his workforce would deal with the shock adversity.
“We simply grinded it out. I used to be actual curious if we may deal with it and do it. We haven’t been in that state of affairs,” stated Barnes.
DowDell went proper to work popping out of halftime changing a pair of layups and trimming the result in 21-20. Woods Cross, nonetheless, responded with six straight factors on a few buckets from Zach Delange to push the result in 27-20.
Issues weren't wanting good for prime seed Olympus, however Deseret Information 5A event MVP Jack Wistrcill stated he wasn’t nervous.
“The most important factor is they'll solely cease us from enjoying our means for thus lengthy. Second half we lastly began to get going. As soon as we rise up, everybody’s gotta match our depth and pace,” he stated.
Olympus closed the third quarter on a 7-0 run — with DowDell scoring 5 of these factors — to tie the sport at 27-27.
DowDell opened the fourth quarter with a jumper within the lane giving Olympus a 29-27 lead, its first lead and one it might by no means relinquish.
Wistrcill pushed the result in 5:38 on a layup on the 5:38 mark, nevertheless it was DowDell who had the dagger on a 3-pointer that gave Olympus a 34-28 lead with 4:27 remaining.
DowDell completed the sport making 4-of-6 3-pointers. Everybody else was 1 of 12.
After Woods Cross constructed that seven-point lead halfway by means of the third quarter, Olympus completed the sport on a 20-4 run.
After the sport, coach Barnes was requested about celebrating the state title along with his son Jordan Barnes, the workforce’s place to begin guard.
“I inform Jordy on a regular basis it’s not straightforward be the coach’s child, and also you’re going to take quite a lot of crap and quite a lot of criticism, however he’s so strong and so even-keeled. The entire group, the second was by no means too large for these guys,” stated Matt Barnes.
Although Jordan Barnes struggled taking pictures within the championship like most of his teammates, he contributed six steals and 5 assists to go together with his 5 factors.
These 5 assists gave him 255 on the season, which is second within the state file books to former Olympus level guard Rylan Jones.
Deseret Information 5A boys all-tournament workforce
MVP — Jack Wistrcill, Olympus
Dutch Dowdell, Olympus
Jordan Barnes, Olympus
Mason Bendinger, Woods Cross
Jaxon Smith, Woods Cross
Chudi Anosike, Murray