Class 5A State Tournament: Top Rebounders
The Class 5A state tournament was filled with teams hungry for the opportunity to hold that gold ball in the air on Saturday evening. Rebounding is a big part of winning a championship and here are some of the top…
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Continue ReadingThe Class 5A state tournament was filled with teams hungry for the opportunity to hold that gold ball in the air on Saturday evening. Rebounding is a big part of winning a championship and here are some of the top performers on the glass.
Kalib Boone 2019 Tulsa Memorial
Boone grabbed 17 rebounds in the championship game against Del City. That alone should tell you the type of ability Boone has at tracking the ball. He was a dominant force especially on the offensive glass.
Del City would have a great defensive possession and they would force a tough shot and then Boone would bail out the Chargers and snag the offensive rebound and usually put it right back up.
Boone set the tone for the game with his ability to rebound at a high level. Memorial had a clear advantage down low all tournament so there was alot of pressure for Boone to perform.
The three-time state champion rose to the occasion once again and it all started with his play on the boards.
Antonio Gordon 2019 Lawton Ike
Although his team got eliminated in the first round, Gordon did everything he could to will his team to a victory. He scored 21 points but he grabbed double digit rebounds which is huge for an Ike team that isn’t loaded with offensive firepower.
Gordon’s performance on the glass gave Ike more opportunities to get shots up which was big for them. At 6’8, Gordon does a great job on the offensive glass of using his great wingspan and pulling in rebounds outside of his area.
The senior big man did all he could do for his team on the boards but unfortunately they fell short.
Caden Fry 2022 Collinsville
This freshmen big man has made waves throughout the Tulsa area due to his high level of play for a rookie. Now at 6’5, Fry uses his athleticism and size to carve out room for him to grab the rebound.
He is a very good athlete so there are long rebounds that he ends up battling a guard for and he gets to it first due to his instincts for the ball.
Collinsville was eliminated Thursday night and it wasn’t Fry’s best game of his young career but he gave great effort in all areas specifically on the glass. This youngster has a bright future.
Eli Hollis 2019 El Reno
Although Hollis struggled in the championship against Kalib Boone, Hollis showed his potential as an energetic rebounder for someone at the next level. Hollis is the biggest player for El Reno at 6’7 and he used it for most of the tournament.
Hollis plays with a certain bounce which is sort of rare from a “high school center”. The Indians had great season this year and in part it was because of Hollis ability to affect the game without scoring.
He does a great job of blocking shots and rebounding which is key for a team who likes to play with a pace like El Reno does.
Hollis was an unsung hero for El Reno this season. and his contributions during the state tournament was affective enough to help them get to the final four.
Davion Warden 2020 Northwest Classen
Warden was one of the biggest mismatches in the entire 5A state tournament. Warden is the type of guy who can battle for a defensive rebound, take it coast-to-coast, and lay it in through traffic with some nice touch on the end.
No one has a better motor than Warden and that showed with his activity when the shot went up. In the game against Del City in the semi-finals.
Warden was the best player on the floor Friday night and it was apparent in the way he got to the rim with ease but also his ability to dominate the glass without towering over everyone physically.
Warden has alot of potential in many areas but one of the foundations of his game is rebounding and it should stay this way.