HIGH SCHOOL

Marvin Bagley scores 21 in debut during Tempe Corona del Sol win

Richard Obert
azcentral sports
Marvin Bagley (35) of the Corona del Sol Aztecs dunks the ball during the first half of their game against the Mustangs at North High School in Phoenix Dec. 5, 2014.

Twenty seconds into his high school basketball debut, 6-foot-10 freshman Marvin Bagley III grabbed a lob pass with his right hand near the rim, exchanged it to his left, and laid the ball in.

His varsity career was off and running.

The big man scored 21 points, showing toughness and control around the basket, and sprinting down the court with no ill-effects from the foot injury that kept him out since summer, as top-ranked Tempe Corona del Sol defeated host Phoenix North 86-48 in a Division I game Friday night.

Bagley missed the first four games, while still nursing a foot injury which, he said, was bordering on a stress fracture. After a strong first week of practice, coach Sam Duane Jr. decided Friday to unleash Bagley, inserting him into the starting lineup.

"It felt good to be out on the court again," Bagley said. "It's been a while. To be able to do that stuff again, it was fun."

Bagley looked like he was back playing eighth graders the way he immediately asserted himself with great body control and athleticism, driving hard to the basket. He had 21 points in a little more than two quarters, before committing his first foul.

His presence brought the three-time defending state champions together, as players were able to ease into roles. The passing was crisp. The baskets came quickly.

"It's good to have him back," Duane said. "It really opens things up for us."

Corona del Sol (5-0) was severely tested last week in the Hoophall West Classic, pulling out close wins against Phoenix Pinnacle and Phoenix Shadow Mountain without the big man in the middle.

Bagley's presence freed up 6-7 senior swingman Dane Kuiper on the perimeter. And sophomore point guard Alex Barcello was able to penetrate and find more options, including senior power forward Cassius Peat, who had eight of his 14 points in a 25-10 opening quarter against an undersized North squad.

North (1-6) makes up for a lack of height with hustle and 3-point shooting. But Corona del Sol overwhelms with size and overall talent, even though it had to replace four starters from last year's team that lost its only game to national powerhouse Findlay Prep.

Barcello had 13 points and showed toughness and leadership running the offense.

Bagley converted three three-point plays. He had a dunk off transition from a Kuiper feed early in the third quarter that excited the crowd.

"It's something I've been working on, defending other big guys in the post, keeping my feet," Bagley said. "I felt I did a good job of doing that tonight."

Bagley may arguably be the most polished big man as a freshman Arizona has seen.

"He's a very competitive player," Duane said. "I thought the first half we really moved the ball in that zone and shot that zone out. We made the extra pass, which is what we had last year."