TOC: Five Takeaways from Tulsa Memorial vs Sperry
Tulsa Memorial showed why many tout them as the best team in the state. The No. 1 team in Class 5A came out and played like they were supposed to. They started slow and trailed Sperry 17-15 after one-quarter of play, but Head Coach, Bobby Allison got into his team and Memorial came out on fire in the second quarter, going on a 25-0 run, Memorial took over the game and paced to victory. Memorial beat Sperry 87-51 to improve to 11-0 and advance to the semi-finals of the Tournament of Champions.
1. Tulsa Memorial’s Size Advantage
Walking into the game it was obvious that Tulsa Memorial had an overwhelming size advantage. Sperry’s tallest player, Hunter Butler 2018 Post, is 6’3 while the Chargers had the Boone twin’s both taller than 6’7. Memorial used this advantage by getting the ball into the paint to their bigs and dominating the game. Tulsa Memorial would time after time get it to their big men down low and just have them finish at the basket. The Chargers scored 54 points in the paint on the night with Sperry being able to do very little about it because of the size disadvantage. Tulsa Memorial is one of the lengthiest teams in the state and will be hard to beat on any given night because of their size.
2. What have they been feeding him?
Keylan Boone 2019 Tulsa Memorial Wing has been an absolute monster as of late. Boone has turned in good performance after good performance and did not disappoint tonight. A week after being nominated for PrepHoops Oklahoma Player of the Week, Boone is at it again. Boone filled the stat sheet against the Sperry Pirates and led the game in scoring. Boone has 26 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assist, 2 blocks, and 4 steals. Boone’s stock has been rising steadily over the year and will surely move up in the next rankings after putting in some stellar performances. Boone has NCAA Division I interest and it will be interesting to see how these string of hot performances affect his recruiting.
3. Flying Under the Radar
Shemar Walker 2018 Tulsa Memorial Guard is a player that does not get enough love. Walker is a player that plays his role to perfection and hits the open shot when needed. He gets Tulsa Memorial into their offense and hardly ever turns the ball over. Walker is often times overlooked because of his size, but he can ball. He played against talented Sperry Guards today and went on to have a solid game. Shemar finished the game with 11 points and 3 assists in 22 minutes of play. Also, something that does not show up on the stat sheet, Walker adds his leadership to the team which is valuable. Walker could prove some doubters wrong with his hard work and determination throughout the season.
4. A Diamond in the Rough
Besides the first quarter, Sperry struggled throughout the night. Despite that one player, shined in the darkness. Jace Pratt 2018 Sperry Guard showed why many tout him as one of the best shooters in the state. Pratt was a big part of the reason that Sperry held the lead after one-quarter of play. In a disappointing night for the Pirates, Pratt scored 13 points in 25 minutes of play. Pratt and the Pirates will look to bounce back against a good Wright City team in the consolation semi-finals. If Pratt can live up to his title as the best shooter in the state, Sperry will be a hard team to beat.
5. We Were on a Break!
A huge factor in the game was the transition game. Tulsa Memorial dominated the game in transition outscoring Sperry by 20 on the break. The Chargers are good on the break with the Boone twins leading the way. With the ability to throw down some monster dunks, Tulsa Memorial is always a fun team to watch when they are able to get out on the break. Tulsa Memorial has a lot of depth and can go deep down their bench which allows their guys to stay fresh and be able to run the ball while other teams may tire. If the Chargers can continue to get out on the break like they did tonight, not only will they be fun to watch, but they will be hard to beat. Memorial advances to play Midwest City in the Tournament of Champions semi-final game.