Ten Superlatives: Edmond Memorial versus Edmond Santa Fe
No. 1 Edmond Memorial defeated No. 3 Edmond Santa Fe 57-43 on Tuesday night at Santa Fe High School. The win for the Bulldogs puts Memorial at 2-1 on the season against its crosstown rivals. From the third edition of…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingNo. 1 Edmond Memorial defeated No. 3 Edmond Santa Fe 57-43 on Tuesday night at Santa Fe High School. The win for the Bulldogs puts Memorial at 2-1 on the season against its crosstown rivals. From the third edition of “Edlam,” below are my ten superlatives to hand out from the game:
Best player in a loss — Jaylen O’Conner
The best overall player for the Santa Fe Wolves on Tuesday night was senior point guard Jaylen O’Conner. While teammates Ben Smith and Donovan Vickers each posted great performances in their own respects, O’Conner really showed the most fire and versatility in the loss. He led the Wolves in scoring with 16 points and shot the ball well from long range. He also had a great night creating his own shot at the rim.
Most valuable player(s) — Drew Tennial and Sean Pedulla
I had a difficult time decided between Memorial senior Drew Tennial and sophomore Sean Pedulla as the most valuable player in the Bulldogs win. Pedulla came up big in the third quarter, where he scored 11 points and the Bulldogs started to get separation from the Wolves. He finished with 15. Tennial, on the other hand, was a steady scorer, rebounder, and defender all night, and also hit 6-of-7 shots from the free throw line to lead all scorers with 18.
Most versatile — Donovan Vickers
Every night that I come to see Santa Fe junior guard Donovan Vickers, he impresses with his awareness and maturity. Vickers, in his second season starting or claiming significant minutes for the Wolves, finished with 13 points in the low-scoring affair, displaying his ability to score from any level on the floor and have consistency. He made good passes and helped to keep Santa Fe in the game by getting the ball to scorers all night. He is one of the smartest players I have seen at the high school level.
Best stat — Edmond Memorial
Fourteen-of-16. That’s what the Bulldogs shot from the free throw line Tuesday night, equating to 88 percent for the game. In close, low-scoring games, you can’t afford to miss many charity shots, and Memorial recognized that. It’s also worth noting, however, that while the Wolves did not get to the line as much, they actually shot the same percentage at 7-of-8.
Best 3-pointer — JV Seat
It’s not everyday that you see a freshman center knock down a 3-pointer, but alas, JV Seat continued to build on an already impressive rookie campaign Tuesday night with a shot from the top of the key early in the fourth quarter. But don’t let me butcher it for you; JV himself had one word to describe it: “Amazing.”
Best quarter — Sean Pedulla
Memorial sophomore Sean Pedulla posted 11 points in the third quarter, pushing the Bulldogs to a cushion that Santa Fe could not get out of completely. The best moment of Pedulla’s third quarter shootout was when he knocked down a corner 3-pointer to extend the lead in transition, then hit another one on the very next possession. Pedulla has been a stealer shooting presence all year for the Bulldogs.
Best dunk — Ben Smith
Ben Smith laid down a thunderous dunk in the fourth quarter in traffic out of the set, a rarity at this level. The Wolves, down 10 points in the early fourth, were in need of a big play, and Smith delivered. The 6-foot-6 senior has next-level athleticism that he brings on a night-in, night-out basis. He always puts on a show.
Best matchup on the floor — Ben Smith versus Jacob Thionnet
Jacob Thionnet and Ben Smith engaged in an entertaining battle Tuesday night. With Thionnet guarding Smith man-to-man for most of the night, we saw what played out to be a back-and-forth showdown between two of the best payers in Edmond. I always get excited for this exact matchup on Edlam nights.
Best matchup off the floor — Student section
The Memorial and Santa Fe student sections bicker every night they play, and I love it. It almost seems like there’s a parallel war raging on that compliments and follows the on-floor battle. For example; Drew Tennial missed a shot in the fourth quarter, to which the Santa Fe student section shouted “Air Ball!” Repeatedly. A minute later, Ben Smith was called for an offensive foul, and Memorial responded with the same chant, but maybe a couple decibels louder. They bring the fire every night, and you can tell both teams benefit from great student support.
Best reason to be excited — Game four
Despite Memorial taking the season series, 1-2, it’s far from over yet. The Bulldogs and Wolves have one more guaranteed matchup, ten days from now on Feb. 15 at Memorial. Beyond the regular season, it’s very likely these teams’ paths will cross again as well. Be ready for both squads to turn up the heat in their fourth matchup.