Ten superlatives: Sapulpa vs. Booker T. Washington
6A No. 1 Booker T. Washington took on 6A rival Sapulpa on Tuesday night in what would turn out to be one of the livest, most energetic matchups of the 2018-19 season so far. Sapulpa came out with the 80-72…
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Continue Reading6A No. 1 Booker T. Washington took on 6A rival Sapulpa on Tuesday night in what would turn out to be one of the livest, most energetic matchups of the 2018-19 season so far. Sapulpa came out with the 80-72 victory, stunning the first-ranked Hornets and handing the defending 5A State runners-up their first loss on the year. Throughout the game, I considered who the best players were in each given category – scoring, rebounding, etc. After watching 32 minutes of high-motor hoops, these are the ten superlatives I had to give:
Most valuable player — Julian Smith
The first and foremost award I’m giving out tonight was the most difficult one to choose. Sapulpa’s Camryn Dennis and Julian Smith, as well as BTW’s Bryce Thompson and Seth Hurd were each uber-valuable in what I believe to be the best game of the early 2018-19 season. I eventually came to the conclusion that the leading scorer for the winning team, Julian Smith, deserved my MVP. Smith finished with 18 points and was nothing short of phenomenal Tuesday night, making all of the right plays at the right times for Sapulpa. He came up big in the clutch for the Chieftains and was the biggest component of their win in my eyes.
Best player in a loss — Bryce Thompson
Bryce Thompson finished with 29 points for the Hornets — one of the best scoring performances in a loss I’ve seen. Thompson played gritty, unafraid to fight to get baskets in any way he could. I was thoroughly impressed by how often he refused to settle for the 3, but instead attacked the Sapulpa defense at its core. He was still playing all-out in the closing minute of the game when the win was unobtainable. This style of play is what sets Thompson apart in general.
Most versatile player — Hunter Hoggatt
Hunter Hoggatt was doing it all for Sapulpa — hitting 3’s, driving into the lane, rebounding, playing defense, and brining energy to his team. His motor was out-of-the-gym as he played some of the grittiest basketball I’ve seen him play. He hit big shots when his team needed it and was also fearless against a trio taller inside guys for BTW in Thompson, Hurd, and Jalen Breath. If Hoggatt continues to play to this capacity, I believe his window in as high as any combo-type guy in the Tulsa area.
Best passer — Trey Phipps
Trey Phipps’s shot wasn’t falling the way he wanted, but rather than forcing bad shots, he changed his mentality and focused on his floor leadership sometime in the second quarter. Phipps didn’t have as much of an impact on the scoreboard as he usually would, finishing with 9 points. However, he was no less instrumental in keeping BTW in the game with his vision and ability to throw accurate passes in transition.
Best supporting cast — Eli Williams & Jacoby Durant
The scoreboard may have screened a different result had the Sapulpa roster not showed up to play the way they did Tuesday night. Every player on the floor seemingly had a hand in the Chieftains’ win, but Eli Williams and Jacoby Durant caught my eye for their gamesmanship and selflessness the most. Giving up the ball and playing tough hoops, Williams and Durant were the most influential to the final score of any role guy on the floor.
Best student section — Sapulpa
This was the most energetic, lively game of basketball I’ve seen this season; the student sections had a big role in that. Both schools drew out a nice crowd as the arena was near-full for the crosstown rivalry. Sapulpa’s student section had the edge to me though. The Chieftain faithfuls organized a student section on both ends of the floor and took the gym over at times to decimate BTW’s home-court advantage.
Best ball-handler — Jacoby Durant
Jacoby Durant is shaping to be one of my favorite players on the East side of the state this season. The 5-foot-7 senior uses his ball-on-a-string-like handles to maneuver his way into defensive territory. He is great at kicking out to the perimeter to a scorer and also getting to the rack and putting up a shot, often drawing fouls and even finishing a few. He had 11 points in the win.
Most rebounder — Seth Hurd
Tuesday night was one of the few occurrences of a team winning the rebounding battle but losing the game. Seth Hurd absolutely dominated in grabbing boards thanks to his long arms and great positioning.
Best shooter — Julian Smith
The most superb shooter was another tough superlative to give out, as six different Sapulpa players hit a 3 while Hoggatt and Smith each had 3 from range. Dennis gets the slight edge for hitting a couple off of a dribble, but shooting was a high point for this Sapulpa team tonight, leading to my next superlative…
Biggest catalyst — Shooting
Shooting played into the final score in this game more than any other aspect — for both teams. While Sapulpa thrived from outside of the arc, BTW had an unusually poor shooting night. The Hornets are usually automatic from range, but were more-or-less below average as a team. Sapulpa, on the other hand, capitalized off of their swingman style of play and had no trouble getting the shots they thrive off of.
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