Analysis: Eagles to face off against Sachse Mustangs in 1st playoff game

Austin Atkinson, No. 23, rushes down the court after stealing the ball. The Eagles placed second in district overall. They will play their first playoff game against Sachse High School.

 

After a successful district run of 11-3, the varsity Eagles basketball team looks to bring the heat in playoffs, starting tomorrow, Feb. 25, against the Sachse Mustangs at 7:30 p.m. Prosper defeated Sachse 87-64 during the Lone Star Classic tournament back in November, so the Eagles anticipate another win. Their current overall standing is 27-6, while Sachse has an overall standing of 16-16.

Players to watch

Junior Neal Utrup moved up to the starting line-up after a player quit the team. He consistently has proven he deserves that spot with every basket he makes. In a game against McKinney, he scored 16 points. His signature corner three-pointers have helped the Eagles get back in the lead multiple times, and they keep the crowd on their feet.

As always, senior captain Ammon Allan has shown up and shown out at every game. In most of his possessions, Allan makes three-pointers and lay-ups look like a breeze. Allan has been on the team for two years, and he never fails to pick up his teammates when they need it. He focuses on consistently scoring points, and he approaches the court with a humble-but-determined drive.

Senior Mondo Battle continues to impress the opponent with his dunks and “nothing-but-net” three-pointers. SportsDayHS tweeted that Battle was a player to recognize this postseason, on and off of the court. With his height of 6’7″ and stamina, Battle packs a punch with every shot. Recently in the season, Battle has improved his defense to match his offensive abilities. Even if he is heavily contested or guarded, he has shown that he knows how to make the shot.

The opponent’s analytics

Sachse has a district standing of 8-6 and a Texas state rank of 285, which is far out from Prosper’s Texas state rank of 22. Again, the Eagles have taken on the Mustangs prior to tomorrow night’s matchup, coming off with a win 87-64. According to these stats, the boys are prepared and determined for their first round of the playoffs.

For more information, here’s a copy of the Feb. 24 issue of the team’s “Hoops News,” from editor and program assistant Donald Berliner.

Updates and schedules will be posted on the ENO Twitter.

2020 Boys State Basketball Championships 6A Regions 2 & 4