Four Takeaways: Tulsa Central vs Tahlequah
The consolation semifinal game between Tulsa Central and Tahlequah was a nail biter. Tulsa Central never looked like they were going to lose the game, but they couldn’t seem to finish off the Tigers. Tahlequah fell down early. They trailed by 10 after one quarter and by 13 at the half. In the second half, Tahlequah started chipping away. Tahlequah benefitted from the type of game the refs were calling. Central was getting called for fouls because of their tight defense that they play and could not figure out how to change their gameplay. Tahlequah fought their way back all the way to being only down by three. However, like in many tight games free throws played the difference. Early on Central could not make their free throws, but down the stretch they capped the game off with free throws. Tulsa Central won 51-46 over Tahlequah.
Jaylen Thomas 2019 Tulsa Central Wing
Thomas was not the same as his usual self. Normally Thomas is dominant on the defensive end. Having the ability to affect shots is one of Thomas’ strongest qualities, but because of the touchy fouls that the refs were calling Thomas was limited. He played smart and his impact on the game was felt in the second half. He scored 7 of his 11 points in the second half. Thomas is an athletic player that smaller colleges should start taking seriously.
Keve Shields 2021 Tulsa Central Guard
Keve Shields was the MVP for Tulsa Central against Tahlequah. Despite his size, Shields was taking it to the hoop and finishing. He was a pest on the defensive end causing Tahlequah to turn the ball over. He grabbed rebounds and just seemed to be all over the court for the Braves. Shields was the leading scorer in the game with 12 points on the day.
BJ Jefferson 2020 Tulsa Central Guard
Jefferson was a sneaky good today. He was actually quiet for much of the game because of foul trouble, but made the ultimate impact late in the game. Tahlequah chose to foul him down the stretch in the fourth quarter and he made them pay. Jefferson went 8-8 down the stretch at the charity stripe. All of Jefferson’s points were made from the free-throw line as he finished with 10 points.
Looking to the Future
Looking forward the future is bright for both teams. Both teams played multiple underclassmen with only three seniors between the two teams combined. Shields, Class of 2021, was the MVP today, Jefferson, Class of 2020, was the clutch player for Central today who could develop into a very intriguing prospect. At 6’4 if he can refine some of the raw areas of his game, he will be someone to keep an eye on. Hayden Wager, Tahlequah Class of 2021, played big minutes for the Tigers. He was productive on the offensive end of the court and got valuable experience throughout the game. Simeon Armstrong, Tahlequah Class of 2020, will be fun to watch develop as well. He played quality minutes for the Tigers and has the physical attributes to be good. If he can continue to develop Tahlequah will be dangerous in the years to come.