Prolific Prep stays undefeated after narrowly beating their post-grad team Golden State Prep

By Kyle Foster, photo courtesy of John Encinas (insanenessmedia.com)

kfost91197@gmail.com

Twitter: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews

Saturday night was the biggest game in Prolific Prep history as they faced their post-grad academy Golden State Prep and escaped with a narrow 87-82 win.

Beforehand, the game was billed as Big Brother (GSP) vs Little Brother (PP).

“I think that we’re the big brother in the sense that we play hard, and the other thing about our team is these guys are so hungry,” Golden State Prep coach Ryan Sypkens said of his team’s role with Prolific Prep. “These guys are all here because they’re trying to get their opportunity. Where as a lot of guys who play for Prolific they have a lot of things going for them already. So now it’s kinda like having that chip on your shoulder, and we push them. As you can see tonight they have to be better, so I think that’s really good.”

“For them this’ll be the toughest game or the biggest game that they’ll play the whole year,” Prolific Prep coach Billy McKnight said of the matchup with GSP. “And for us we’re just kind of figuring out what we’ve got and how to play together still. So for the Golden State Prep guys they did a great job and they fought and they clawed and they wanted it and they were rallying it up, so they were right there in the end to possibly even win the game. But for our guys there’s plenty of lessons to be learned and we’ve already talked about some of those in the locker room, but it’s going to be a good film week for us.”

Coming into the game the Crew (5-0) had blown all their previous opponents out, so playing a close game was good for them as they head into The Grind Session play next week at the Duel in the Desert in Phoenix, Arizona.

“I think it was a good game to test us against someone who wanted to bring some physicality to the game, you know that can kind of match our physicality,” McKnight explained. “And you know it’s a good test for our guys because sometimes that takes you out of what you try to do offensively, so you’ve got to learn how to adjust from that. We’re going to really be picking film a part this week, so we can see what we were doing wrong and we should get better off this game.”  

“We just have to lock in on defense and always pay attention to where guys are and defensive rebound, that’s a big thing,” Prolific Prep junior guard Nimari Burnett said of what his team need to improve on before heading to Arizona next week. “Also, we have to make free throws. That was a big thing today, but I feel like it was just a one day thing and we’re going to clean it up.”  

Throughout the game was there was some chippiness between the two teams that train together, but just like in any family it was in a form of love.

“We’re all a big family, so all of us have brothers, all of us have sisters you know how it goes,” Sypkens said of the feistiness from both teams. “Sometimes when the competitiveness gets to you things get a little chippy, but you know it’s all in love and just making each other better. So it was a great opportunity for both teams.”   

“I like it,” Burnett said of playing in a game with some chipiness. “It makes me turn it up to another level and the only time I get riled up is if someone disrespects me, so that’s the the only thing.”

On the night Prolific Prep was led by Mawot Mag who had 24 points and seven rebounds. Burnett also scored 23 points along with his eight boards.

Zach Harvey also added 13 points and a rebound.  

Golden State Prep (11-1) was led by Darrion Trammell according to Sypkens.

“First and foremost Darrion Trammell,” he said of Trammell’s game. “I’ve been coaching him and in my eyes he’s an elite player. And I think a lot of teams and a lot of coaches kind of overlook him because of his size, but I mean the guy play like he’s 6’6”, 6’8” – he’s 5’10”. And you know as you can see other teams point guard they won’t even dribble up the court against him, and he’s finishing at the rim against 7’1” guys Ibrahima (Diallo), he’s making plays, he makes our team go.”