10 Best from Midwest City vs Putnam City West
Midwest CIty defeats PC West 78-75 to win the Regional Championship led by an outstanding performance by JD Ray who scored 28 points and Rondel Walker answered with 48 points for PC West. MVP: JD Ray 2019 MWC Ray was…
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Continue ReadingMidwest CIty defeats PC West 78-75 to win the Regional Championship led by an outstanding performance by JD Ray who scored 28 points and Rondel Walker answered with 48 points for PC West.
MVP: JD Ray 2019 MWC
Ray was the key in MWC controlling the game for the most part. Ray scored 28 points and he carved up the PCW defense with his lightning speed in transition and in the halfcourt.
His MVP status was magnified when he fouled out with two minutes left in the game with a double digit lead and MWC barely pulled it out with a three point victory.
Best Offensive Performance: Rondel Walker 2020 PCW
Walker scored 48 of his teams 78 points and he is the main reason why this game became competitive in the first place. PCW was dominated for most of the game however Walker kept plugging away and scoring basket after basket.
He scored in every area possible including a 4-point play after he got fouled while shooting from deep. Walker did everything he could do to allow the Patriots an opportunity to win the game but he came up a little bit short in the end.
Best Defensive Performance: JD Ray 2019 MWC
There wasn’t alot of defense played consistently in this game but MWC showed in the first half the ability to trap and disrupt PCW’s flow on offense.
Ray was great at getting out in the passing lanes and getting deflections. He also has quick feet which allowed him to beat his opponents to the spot and take a swipe at the ball.
Best Under the radar performance: Jacobi Johnson 2020 MWC
Johnson went under the radar because there were so many huge offensive performances but Johnson was a big part of the win. Johnson seemed to always be at the right spot at the right time on offense.
Ray found his way through the PC West press and got into the paint and usually dropped it off to Johnson for the bucket. Johnson finished with 15 points and he finished really well around the basket.
Having a reliable finisher around the rim is a big key when breaking the press and Johnson filled that role really well tonight.
Best underclassmen: Rondel Walker 2020 PCW
It was amazing to see Walker hit tough shot after tough shot. Walker seemed to always have an answer when MWC would go on a run.
Walker was a big part of MWC’s scouting report and you could tell. Walker rarely got a bucket that he didn’t have to work really hard for. Walker showed the ability to attack no matter what and he willed his team to a solid comeback late in the fourth quarter.
Best passer: JD Ray 2019 MWC
Ray had 28 points but he accounted for much more of the Bombers 78 total points. Ray used his speed to break the press but he kept his eyes up and was able to find his teammates cutting to the basket.
Like every great offensive player, Ray was never concerned with his primary defender. He was keeping an eye on the secondary defender and making the correct reads based off what that defender did.
In fact, MWC as a team was excellent at finding their teammates cutting to the basket especially in transition.
Best coaching decision: Letting them play
Both MWC and PCW play the exact same style of basketball so it would be silly to try and change who you are at this point in the season.
Both teams get up and down at a frantic pace so that is what you mainly saw Saturday night and it provided a very intense and action-packed game overall.
Best part of the environment: The Fans on both sides
MWC and PCW both have very passionate fan bases who are not afraid to let the refs know if they made a bad call. They also can turn the momentum of the game due to their immediate cheers.
There is a certain level of intensity in the air when these two meet up in any capacity. MWC was the home team and they received alot support throughout the game.
PCW’s fans were heavily present in the stands so it made for an interesting environment.
Best story moving forward: MWC’s journey to state
MWC won their regional championship so they will go on to face Putnam CIty next week who also won their regional. The Bombers really struggled with Ray fouling out against PCW and you began to see a breakdown in confidence against the press.
PCO likes to press so it will be interesting if they will test MWC’s ball handling ability with Ray possibly on the bench or foul trouble.
Best catch and shoot guy: Rondel Walker 2020 PCW
Walker was excellent in every way Saturday night but you dont score 48 points in a high school game without shooting from deep. Walker didn’t get many spot up opportunities but when he did he made them count.
He hit big shots with all of the weight of the PCW offense on his shoulders which is not easy to do.