Grain Valley News
  • Home
  • About
    • Submit Your News
    • Contact
  • News
    • Voter Resources
    • Online Puzzles
  • Events Calendar
  • Job Board
  • Best of Grain Valley
  • Support
    • Advertise
    • Become A Sustaining Member
  • Home
  • About
    • Submit Your News
    • Contact
  • News
    • Voter Resources
    • Online Puzzles
  • Events Calendar
  • Job Board
  • Best of Grain Valley
  • Support
    • Advertise
    • Become A Sustaining Member








​news

Eagles win Pleasant Hill Invitational following 67-61 win over KC Central

1/14/2023

 
by Michael Smith
     The second quarter was not an ideal one for the Grain Valley boys basketball team in the finals of the Pleasant Hill Tournament.
     After storming out to a 20-8 lead after one period against Kansas City Central, the shooting went cold for Grain Valley as it shot just 2-for-13 in the second period.
     That allowed the Blue Eagles to come back and tie the game at 26-all at halftime. It was a back-and-forth affair from there with each team trading the lead multiple times and neither team leading by more than seven points.
     It was the trio of seniors Owen Herbert and Rhylan Alcanter and freshman Eli Herbert that led the charge for the Eagles. Combining for 63 points as the Eagles defeated Central 67-61 to win Friday at Pleasant Hill High School.
     After a sluggish second quarter, Alcanter high fived all his teammates and played with high intensity throughout the contest. He finished with a double-double, totaling 21 points and 10 rebounds. He was the high-energy guy and vocal leader for the Eagles (9-5), constantly communicating on defense and helping get his teammates in the right position.
     “Somebody’s got to be the guy who gets in the other team’s head,” said Alcanter, who also dished out a little trash talk on the court. “I am more than happy to do that. I am not scared of anybody.”
     Alcanter got lob passes from his teammates and finished layups consistently on the low block. That helped open up opportunities for Grain Valley to get open looks from behind the 3-point line.
     “I am grateful for all of my guards,” Alcanter said. “I can’t name any games where I didn’t get that good pass almost every time. They knew what was working and they made sure that they did it.”
      Owen and Eli Herbert were among the Eagles who took advantage of the attention Alcanter drew in the paint.
     Owen Herbert helped close the game out for the Eagles as he hit 5 out of 6 free throws in the final two minutes to help Grain Valley secure the win. He also made a trio of three pointers and scored 16 points and dished out three assists.
     “That’s what he’s been doing for three years,” Grain Valley head coach Andy Herbert said of Owen’s ability to consistently make 3-point shots. “That’s been his role. We expect that from him, that consistency and his leadership.”
     Eli Herbert put in a game-high 26 points, which included six 3-pointers, some of which came from 5 to 6 feet behind the 3-point line. Eli has a shot similar to two-time Most Valuable Player and four-time NBA Finals champion Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors. He has a quick release on his shot and has a near-perfect follow through at the peak of his jump. He’s found success with it.
     “Watching (Steph Curry) really helped and just having that consistency every time,” Eli said. “Especially against the older guys, who have to learn to get that shot off quicker. (The 25-plus foot shots) are something that I work on every day. You have to work on it in practice so it’s no different in the game.”
     Andy Herbert has given Eli the green light to take threes five to six feet behind the arc due to him working on it so much in practice.
     “It’s not a stretch and it’s not forced,” Andy Herbert said of Eli’s long shots. “It’s like, ‘If you’re going to leave me open, then OK.’ He’s in the gym a lot. That consistency doesn’t come by accident.”
     Like his older brother Owen, he came up big in the fourth quarter, making all six of his free-throw attempts.
     The Eagles started out hot in the first period as they made 4 out of 7 3-pointers and shot 8-for-11 from the field to take a 20-8 lead after one. Central stormed back as Timothy Wooden scored nine points in the frame to help his team tie it at 26-all going into halftime.
     Both teams traded the lead five times in the third period but Eli Herbert exploded for 14 points in the period, including four 3-pointers. He hit a three just before time expired in the frame as Grain Valley took a 51-47 advantage into the final quarter.
     “It’s because we got the ball to (Alcanter),” Herbert said of how the Eagles regained the lead. “We were able to get him going and he was able to kick it out to us.”
     Central came back to tie the game at 53-all after a 6-2 run that was capped by a steal and fast-break dunk from Brandon Moore. Alcanter answered with a conventral 3-point play after a rebound and putback. The Eagles led for the test of the contest as the free-throw shooting of the Herbert brothers put it away.
Picture
​The Grain Valley boys basketball team displays their plaque after taking first place in the Pleasant Hill Tournament following a 67-61 win over Kansas City Central. Photo credit: Michael Smith
Picture
Grain Valley senior Rhylan Alcanter shakes the hand of a Pleasant Hill administrator to receive his medal for making the all-tournament team. Photo credit: Michael Smith

Picture
Grain Valley freshman Eli Herbert looks to inbound the ball. Photo credit: Michael Smith
Picture
Grain Valley junior Jack Schoen drives to the basket with Central's Timothy Wooden defending him. Photo credit: Michael Smith
Picture

Comments are closed.

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Burton Kelso
    Business
    Cathy Allie
    Celebrations & Transitions
    Census
    City Of Grain Valley
    Columnists
    Community Profile
    Covid19
    Covid-19
    Economic-development
    Education
    Elections
    Financial-health
    Fitness
    Food Inspections
    Good News
    Good-news
    Grain-valley-assistance-council
    Grain Valley Fair
    Grain Valley Historical Society
    Grain-valley-partnership
    Grain Valley Schools
    Health And Fitness
    Health-and-fitness
    Home And Garden
    Jackson County
    Kindness Awards
    Ld
    Letters
    Local News
    Looking Back
    Lorne-meinershagen
    Missouri House Of Representatives
    Missouri Senate
    Musings From The Middle
    Neighborhood View
    On-the-job
    Pets
    Police Blotter
    Quick-news
    Rdn
    Recreation
    Sally-whitaker
    Seniors
    Senior-send-off
    Sports
    State Of Missouri
    Technology
    Tracey-shaffer
    Transportation
    University Of Missouri Extension
    Waynes-world

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018

Grain Valley News

Grain Valley News is a free community news source published weekly online. 
(c) 2023 Grain Valley News

Contact Us

PO Box 2972
​Grain Valley MO 64029

Privacy Policy
Picture