Tobias Roland Jr Tobias Roland Jr 6'3" | SG Putnam City North | 2021 State OK . | BTR (pictured above) 6’3″ SG Putnam City North ’21 Roland proved again last weekend that he is among the most rigid, multi-skilled…
6’3″ SG |
Putnam City North ’21 |
Roland proved again last weekend that he is among the most rigid, multi-skilled scoring guards in the OKC-metro at the Main Event. He rarely struggled getting to the rim against opposing guards and was immovable on the defensive side of the ball. He finished shots from the handle with smooth technique, efficiently putting points on the board before stopping the ball and essentially occupying the entirety of the half-court on the opposite end. An exceptionally-gifted and versatile athlete, Roland’s dynamic mobility applies thoroughly to his game, especially defensively, where he can guard, limit and effectively halt production of players of any skill-set. The spectacle of his control, grace paired with physicality and explosive energy is one to be appreciated.
Shannon’s game continues to diversify, strength and drop jaws. He has had exceptional athleticism as long as I have watched him, but his application of skill has evolved smoothly. Last weekend, Shannon rarely had to make plays in the half-court thanks to his speed and court vision; whether he was the one streaking down-court or gathering the rebound and launching it to another, his most brilliant play came in transition. Running the set, however, was equally as fortuitous for Shannon as he displayed equally his capabilities in making plays as a primary guard and off-ball. His shooting has improved, he has fine-tuned his handles and, though he can often overpower defenders, he uses his vision more frequently to make sharp passes or receive them to make easy scoring opportunities for himself or others.
5’10″ SG |
Edmond Memorial ’22 |
Though Seat can make plays on-ball, he has always been best when knocking down quick shots from floating off-ball to shooting spots. However, it’s still worth noting that his transition to a more frequent play-making and facilitating role has been pretty seamless, as well. Still, it’s the pairing of Seat’s precision, attention to footwork and awareness of off-ball movement that make his game so potent on the offensive end of the floor. He can torment opposing defenders with long-stretching, deep-range shooting accuracy, and it’s a skill that deserves light-of-day because of how attentively Seat has honed his practice; you’ll rarely find an athlete with such micro-managed, technically-developed shooting skill from his rhythm, the catch, his footwork and the shot itself.
Like his teammate, Scott can easily run the floor, create plays and take the ball to the hole — all of which he displayed at the Main Event. However, where he absolutely sucked the life from opposing teams was getting to the corner and nailing shot-after-shot-after shot, especially in transition. His off-ball skill-set fits impeccably into coach Daniel Harper’s offensive system. Still, we can’t forget that Scott may be the No. 1 returning shooter in the state, and he can still produce from the dribble. He’s an exceptional passer and was efficient in transition last weekend when managing the offense, dishing the ball down-court or pulling up from distance.
6’0″ CG |
Tulsa Memorial ’21 |
Rollern was able to produce buckets last weekend both from the dribble and from the catch, sharing an on-ball role with a few teammates and hitting a few tough shots that surprised me. His shot-creating skills have seen a sizable improvement from his junior season with the Chargers. It’s almost too predictable to see great players develop from Bobby Allison’s program, but I may have overlooked Rollerson’s legitimacy as a competent scorer and producer. His performances last weekend proved his trajectory ambitious, and as his comfortability in a primary role increases, Rollerson could be the next Charger great.
Counter was the spotlight unsigned senior of the weekend; he was getting buckets for a Chaos team that advanced to the semifinal game. He knocked down tough shots, converted from tries well beyond the arch, took the ball to the rack and made high-iQ passes in transition.
6’0″ CG |
Lawton MacArthur ’21 |
Utilizing some of the best handles of the weekend, Dawsey’s hand-work is one of his most valuable tools. He created gaps between himself and defenders poetically to finish shots from the mid-range and 3-point-range; and it’s not just his dribble that’s special. Dawsey is one of the most focused, technically sound and fluid shooters in motion you’ll find, and he showcased that soundness time-after-time at the Main Event on Sunday. He plays with an endless reservoir of confidence, and he has no fear taking opposing players to the rack, either, even if out-manned or outsized. He finishes a lot of tough shots or gathers foul-calls routinely.
Franklin can play way, way above the rim; he was a fast-break All-American last weekend, and he’s so fast and physical that you would otherwise assume he’s cherry-picking if you hadn’t witnessed firsthand his athletic prowess. Defensively, Franklin holds an important presence on the Team Buddy Buckets lineup. He harasses opposing ball-handlers, steps over to help on slashers, protects the rim and utilizes his explosive energy to gather the rebound afterward.