Brandon’s Biggest Takeaways from the 2018 Prep Hoops Oklahoma State Tournament
The 2018 Prep Hoops Oklahoma State Tournament was an excellent platform for programs and individuals to prove themselves and compete at a high level.
Here are some of the biggest takeaways for me this weekend:
2019 wing Drew Tennial of Team Griffin is gunning for the number one spot
If there was an Prep Hoops Oklahoma Draft for players that are in high school, I am not sure I would not take Drew Tennial #1.
Sure there are players bigger and with more polished skill but I would walk away feeling great about my pick.
Tennial had a great weekend and proved why he is the #5 player in Oklahoma in 2019. He is one of the best slashers in the state and it was on full display all weekend.
Team Griffin won the tournament and there were many different contributors but Tennial stood out above the rest.
His combination of power and explosiveness makes him unguardable at this level.
His college ready body plus his great athleticism allowed him to switch onto any one 1-5 this weekend. He evened showed off an improved jumper.
Tennial is on a roll and his recruitment will only increase if he continues to play like he did at the PHOK State Tournament.
Team Buddy Buckets is a program on the rise
The 16U squad specifically was impressive throughout the weekend. They have a great blend of talent and bought in role players who just want to win.
2020 guard KD Jolly did not have his best offensive weekend but he continued to play disruptive defense which got him through a cold streak.
One of the biggest surprises for me this weekend was the play of 2020 Sam Godwin. It is rare you find a young big man who understands the natural subtleties of the position defensively.
He was a star on the defensive end all weekend. His feet were always in the right position and used the great timing to affect shots around the rim.
The program navigated a tough 16U bracket and came out on top. To be a new program it was impressive to see them put together a team that moved the ball with no agendas.
They looked as if they had played together for a couple of summers now. I tip my cap to that program and this roster.
Donovan Vickers is the next one to come out of Santa Fe
Vickers is just a winner who is really talented but is about the team. He played well all weekend and ran the show seamlessly for Team Griffin 16U.
Like most schools with basketball tradition, Edmond Santa Fe has a long list of talented players rise in their program for more than a decade. I believe Vickers is the next star to play for the Wolves.
His performances this weekend showed me that he has the ability to score but he is a complete guard who can get it done as a playmaker, defensive stopper, and a rebounder.
I was surprised how good of a defensive rebounder he was which was an advantage for Team Griffin as their talented wings could just run the lanes while Vickers brings it up.
Vickers has a bright future for Santa Fe but Team Griffin is a loaded squad that will continue to make noise this summer led by the dynamic 2020 point guard.
OnPoint Hoops Man-to-Man Defense
OnPoint played some of the best man to man defense I saw all weekend. They were a guard heavy team that did a good job of switching not out of laziness but out of sound fundamental strategy.
They seemed to inspire each other to compete at a high level on the defensive end. There was heated discussion going on if they gave up an easy layup or open shot.
There were no weak links on their team defensively which is rare to see. Led by 2019 guard Shayon Janloo who has improved on both ends of the floor and put together an impressive weekend.
Janloo seems like he is going on his 5th year of eligibility but he has just been producing since he was a freshmen.
Kalen Wade is one of the fastest guards in the state with the ball in his hands but he used that speed to disrupt the offense full court or in trapping situations.
I was impressed to see an AAU team play such sound switching defense which is hard to do because it is based off of communication and chemistry.