Game Recap: Phhoenix Prep

By: Steven Pham

Photos by: Kobi Russom

Meet Sunrise's starting 5 for the first game of the season.

Wichita, KS. - Last night, Sunrise Christian Academy took down Phhoenix Prep in their first regular-season game and home opener 77-44. Coach Luke Barnwell’s starting lineup (from left to right) was Layden Blocker, Mark Mitchell, Scotty Middleton, Gradey Dick, and Cam Corhen.

Mitchell started the game on fire with 8 of his 14 points in the first quarter. He was aggressive from the jump and found his spots at the rim. Corhen was all over the rim last night with 8 total rebounds, 4 being on the offensive glass, and giving Sunrise extra possessions.

It was 19-12 at the end of the first quarter as Phhoenix’s perimeter shooting kept them in the game. In the second quarter, Sunrise was all over the court defensively, turned defense into easy offense, and went on a 20-5 run in that quarter. Dick nailed a buzzer-beater 3-point shot to end the half and Sunrise went into the locker room with a comfortable 39-17 halftime lead.

Scotty Middleton, one of Sunrise's best on-ball defenders is locked in and playing intense defense.

As the game progressed, Sunrise started to pull away from Phhoenix. Sunrise’s quick and swarming defense led to easy looks and quick transition points. “The thing we have to hang our hat on as a team is that we have to be elite defensively and I think we took the challenge on after a pretty sluggish weekend in some scrimmages,” Barnwell said. “We responded well defensively and they (Phhoenix) are a difficult cover since they shoot well and I thought we paid attention to the scout and defensively we have the chance to be great.”

Dick finished the game with a team-high 23 points (5-7 from three), along with 6 rebounds and 3 steals.

Followed by Mitchell with 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists.

Overall, Sunrise shot 53% from the field and 66% from 3-point land. They shot 15 for 17 (88%) from the free-throw line, had 34 total rebounds, and 9 steals. Bobi Klintman led the bench with 9 of the 22 bench points.

The crowd was electric and the bleachers were all filled up for this game. Fans were excited to be back in attendance after a Covid year and season. We are hoping to see our fan base blossom as the season progresses. If you missed the game or would like to rewatch it, click here for our livestream coverage of the game.

Sunrise’s next game will be this Saturday, November 13th at 3 p.m. against Universal Academy at home. Skip the line and purchase tickets before the Universal game or any future home games here! If you miss or cannot attend a home game, be sure to tune in on our livestream coverage on our YouTube. Stay on the lookout for a Universal Academy game preview before this Saturday.