SAN DIEGO – Dutcher finds keys to the Ferrari.
FLIGHTS GROUNDED: AZTECS’ FERRARI ZOOMS TOWARD VICTORY.
The Kimo Game.
Hooptie Start & a Ferrari Finish.
Just a few of the great headline submissions sent to us via: X/Twitter last night after a down, then very–very up performance last night for the now 10-3 (3-1) Aztecs against 3-12 (0-4) Air Force.
Brian Dutcher’s team came out jet lagged once again to start things off. The only problem—this was a home game. Can only use those travel challenges so many times.
The Aztecs prevailed in the end 67-38 in what was an absolute defensive clinic of a 2nd half. Miles Byrd was all over the court showing the kind of defensive pressure we all expected to see from the jump. Nick Boyd 16 pts and BJ Davis 15 pts each had solid games collecting three 3-pointers each. But the story of the night was about shaking things up.
Here’s our takeaways from a whirlwind evening up on the Mesa.
The Kimo Game
Not having the off the bench spark plugs of last Saturday’s road victory in Miles Heide and Demarshay Johnson Jr. due to illness, Dutcher had to dig a little deeper on his bench. That next man up was Kimo Ferrari
To affix a player’s name followed by ‘game’ means said player took possession or dominance of it. Usually that involves some sort of quantifiable way to back up the claim. On this night simply put, the proof was in the pudding.
“There’s always the frantic nature. You’re mad at the guys becuase they’re not playing well.” said Brian Dutcher in his post game to the media. “But you know it’s early in the game and if you start yelling at them you take them out of any kind of mental state where they can come back and play well.“
Knowing that the defensive energy needed to change Dutcher inserted Ferrari to collective cheers and they were not unnoticed.
Ferrari elicited the kind of flip the script energy needed not only by his teammates but the sold-out crowd at Viejas Arena.
“We went on a nice run and got ourselves right back in it and built a lead at halftime.“
A nice run indeed. Stretching over the course of halftime the Aztecs put up a 40-4 run at one point and it was exactly that—as if a new spark plug had been connected and the once hooptie turned into a shiny new Ferrari.
Kimo, the local kid, is a fan favorite who plays with high energy at all times. Activity, defensive pressure, a quick change of pace acceleration, hops for days—there isn’t all that much not to like about the Francis Parker alumnus.
Each time Ferrari touched the ball the Viejas crowd cheered in pleasure and encouraged the 6-foot transfer from Brown University to shoot the ball. And though he may not have padded his stats much on this night—Kimo collecting just 2 points—the energy was appreciated by the fans. Dutcher’s mission was accomplished.
Mr. Double-Double
The Aztecs did not shoot particularly well on the night even after the change up move with Kimo. They hovered at about 36%. Where the Aztecs dominated was clearly on the boards. SDSU held a 49-24 advantage off the glass and much of that is thanks to big man Jared Coleman-Jones.
Coming off a fine 2nd half vs Boise State, Coleman-Jones earned his first double-double in the red & black with 10 points and 14 rebounds. This is a great sign if hopefully things to come.
JCJ as we refer him, has so much at his disposal offensively—but to clean up on the boards is always first priority for this team. Games like this where his leadership really needed to come into play prove again just how much the staff truly knew what they were getting and why they wanted him to transfer in so much.
Hopefully fellow bigs Heide & Johnson Jr. will be at full strength by Saturday in New Mexico, but on this night JCJ handled his biz.
Let Lobo Week Commence
With this win San Diego State catapults from #34 to #31 in the NET, as our friend Jon Schaeffer likes to tell us. But in the end let’s be honest, no one looks forward to these Air Force games.
The Aztecs continue their dominance over the Falcons to a 16th straight at home in Viejas and we will all be celebrating the day we leave them in the Mountain West dust into the PAC-12.
Up next is a quick turnaround road trip Saturday to The Pit vs New Mexico. Tip-off time is set for 10am PST and the Lobos are standing tall after two emotional victories in back to back games. This past Tuesday evening it took a 2nd half comeback on the road in Laramie to beat the Cowboys in a perceived trap game.
Donovan Dent leads this years Lobos. He is a supremely talented guard with last years Championship run under his belt. Averaging a career high 19 points per game the Inland Empire native is taking that next step in showing the basketball world what he can do.
At home in the Pit the Lobos are a different animal. Their crowd are all borderline ‘snakes’ hopped up on adrenaline and capable to bite you with all their howling. This young Aztecs team cannot allow their venom to sink in. Instead they must in turn be the ones to strike fear in the opposing Lobos first.
Putting together effective lineups on the floor will be a fun challenge for Dutcher & crew, if they see it as such. It was great to see them make a quick decision in this game to flip the script. But while these young Aztecs have performed well on the road up to this point they cannot come out flat against the Lobos on that home floor.
Stay tuned for much more as Sons of Montezuma cover this early conference grudge match.
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