Oklahoma Impact advance in the Championship Bracket
Oklahoma Impact defeated BTR in overtime 71-68 to advance in the 17U Championship bracket behind great performances by 2018 forwards Jacob Ogle and Grayson Nix.
This was the best game of Championship Sunday so far as both teams came to compete. Both teams were led by talented forwards which made for a great show down.
Jacob Ogle was scoring at will in the first half using his smooth jumper and great size. He created mismatches for BTR’s forwards because of his ability to handle the ball like a point guard.
Ogle is 6’6 and has natural scoring ability which caused issues for BTR for majority of the game. His first half performance led to the Impact leading at halftime.
For BTR, 2018 forward Braden Boyer and 2018 guard Nathan Pendarvis created a dominant two-man game as they played pick-n-roll which led to a Boyer layup or Pendarvis to get to the rim and use his excellent athleticism.
He also had the play of the game where he got a breakaway dunk on Ogle.
BTR used this offensive strategy for most of the second half and it worked. BTR not only came back but they took the lead late in the second half.
Late in the second half, the Impact were reeling and desperate for answers on both ends of the floor. They inserted 2018 forward Grayson Nix and Kariim Byrd into the lineup.
Nix was dominant on the inside as he lived at the free throw line and when there weren’t touches Nix made up for it and finished everything around the rim. Nix was clutch late in the second half and in overtime.
Byrd gave the Impact a versatile defender who could guard all 5 positions. Byrd is a shifty forward who can also handle the ball and took some of his slow-footed opposing big men to the basket.
The Oklahoma Impact have the experience and chemistry to do great things in this tournament. They have enough talent to defeat most teams. This overtime victory will help them in crunch time in the semifinals or beyond.