The Game: Stillwell vs Fort Gibson
Stillwell started fast from beyond the arc as they knocked down three quick threes to start the game. The Tigers played good defense for the rest of the quarter to climb back into the game only down 5. Stillwell led…
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Continue ReadingStillwell started fast from beyond the arc as they knocked down three quick threes to start the game. The Tigers played good defense for the rest of the quarter to climb back into the game only down 5. Stillwell led 13-8 after one quarter. Fort Gibson changed the momentum of the game in the second quarter with their press defense. They put together a half court 1-3-1 press that caused the Indians all sorts of issues. They could not seem to find the answer to the press and Fort Gibson got out on the break to get some easy buckets led by Conner Calavan’s sharpshooting. Fort Gibson led at the half 28-25. The third quarter was tense. Both teams went back and forth as Stillwell took the slight advantage into the break because of their ability to shoot from deep. Stillwell led after three quarters of play 36-35. The game did not change in the fourth. It was a back and forth affair. Both teams were knocking down their shots and their free throws. Stillwell pulled away in the final minute after the Tigers had to start fouling to preserve time. A last second shot from the Tigers made the score look closer than the game felt in the final seconds as the Indians take the first round game 59-56.
Takeaways
Press Defense for Fort Gibson
Fort Gibson took over the game when they started running their 1-3-1 press. They caused turnovers which led to easy buckets for the Tigers. The press changed all of the momentum up to that point. Stillwell was in control of the game and they were causing the Tigers issues as they were knocking down their shots and then the TIger’s lead man Todd Dickerson called the defensive set that changed the game. However, in the second half the pressure seemed to be missing for the tigers as they stopped pressing for most of the second half. They only started pressing once they had gotten down by a solid margin in the fourth.
Stillwell from Beyond the Arc
Stillwell lives and dies by the three, which when they are falling like they did against Fort Gibson it is hard to stop. They seemed to have no limit to their range as Trey Cone and Cayden Lee did not miss if they were left open. Stillwell’s early lead was built off of their shooting performance from downtown. The rest of the game was no different for Stillwell as they shots great from behind the arc the rest of the game. Stillwell knocked down 12 3’s throughout the game to account for 36 of their 59 points.
Free Throws Win Games
This game had the feeling of a tournament championship, yet it was only a first round game. The little things win big games like these and it was what won this game down the stretch. Stillwell went 6-7 from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter to close out the game. The Indians shot 9-12 from the line throughout the game.
Players to Know
Tommy French 2020 Fort Gibson Post
French was a dominant player in the post down low for the Tigers. He was essential for the Tigers as a rebounding machine. His offense was limited tonight because of the defense that Stillwell played. French showed flashes with his offensive production but was on the unfortunate end of a couple of controversial calls that had him finishing over his opponent. French is a raw talent that could make a small college some production down low with his work ethic and athletic ability.
Trey Cone 2021 Stillwell Guard
Cone was an athletic guard that caused Fort Gibson all kinds of problems. He showed his range as he knocked down multiple threes, but it was what he did away from the stat book that made him invaluable. He played hard and was not afraid of the competition. He went at his opponents and got the Indians into their offense. Cone finished the game with 9 points.
Conner Calavan 2020 Fort Gibson Guard
Calavan was the best player on the court. You could see the by the defense that the Indians played on him. He had a guy following him no matter where he went on the court. He was played tight the entire game and while it may have slowed him down a bit, it definitely did not stop him. Calavan pulled up from 25+ feet and knocked it down multiple times throughout the game. He played solid defense and was all over the boards. Calavan was all over the court and was constantly a threat to be dealt with. He is committed to the University of Central Oklahoma. Calavan finished the game with 19 points.
Cayden Lee 2022 Stillwell Guard
Lee was the MVP of this game. He was lights out from deep and Fort Gibson could not find a way to slow him down. He did all of this while having to cover Calavan on the other end. He played hard on both ends of the court and it definitely showed up in the stat column for him. He was aggressive on defense and it showed as he was one foul short of fouling out but managed to stay in the game. He finished the game with 6 threes and a game high 21 points. Lee will be a good pickup for a small college that is looking for a sharpshooter.