The 10 Best: Tulsa Memorial at Edison
In what was supposed to be a top 10 matchup in Class 5A, Tulsa Memorial came out and dominated from the start. Normally led by the Boone twins, Memorial had a more spread approach in a game where multiple players got into double-digits. The game showed the length and depth of Memorial as they never slowed down.
Tulsa Edison started strong with a great home atmosphere. The home court advantage did not last long as by the end of the first quarter they trailed by 9. The Eagles struggled throughout the night and only had one scorer reach double figures. With none of the players having a particularly great night. This game proved that preseason polls mean nothing as the Chargers ran over all over the Eagles 83-50.
On to the best…..
MVP: Keylan Boone Tulsa Memorial 2019 Tulsa Memorial Post
Keylan Boone was all over the court tonight. He played well on both sides of the ball. Boone was able to rebound the ball well on both sides of the court tonight. On the offensive side of the ball, Boone scored the ball at will tonight. He was able to find the open spot on the court and hit his shot. He also stretched the court well after hitting multiple threes and forcing Edison to guard him from the perimeter. On the defensive side of the ball, his length caused fits all night long. He forced Edison to shoot over him and protected the paint well. Boone is athletic and caused the Eagles trouble all night. Boone showed potential to be one of the best players to come out of the 2019 class in the state of Oklahoma. He already holds mid-major offers and is receiving NCAA Division I interest from across the country.
Best offensive performance: Keylan Boone 2019 Tulsa Memorial Post
For the second straight match, Keylan Boone is the offensive MVP for Tulsa Memorial. Boone led the team along with Kavon Key with 13 points. Boone gets the edge on the Offensive MVP as he was consistent throughout the game as Key only came alive in the second half. Boone has good size with the ability to stretch the court with the three ball. He is always tough to stop offensively because of his size and awareness on the court. He scored the ball well from all three levels on the court and was able to get his teammates involved as well. Boone already holds multiple NCAA Division I offers and it was easy to see why as The University of Tulsa was in the house to see him play.
Best defensive performance: The entire Tulsa Memorial team
Nobody necessarily had an excellent defensive game individually this time around for Tulsa Memorial but as a team, they played solid. They only gave up 50 points to a top ten ranked team in the state and hardly gave any second-chance points. After two games Memorial is only allowing 48 points a game to their opponents and with their length, they look set to be one of the best defensive teams in the state. The big men in the paint also get a lot of credit as they shut down the Eagles inside the painted area.
Best coaching decision: Michael Parish Edison Head Coach
Coming out of halftime, the Eagles trailed by 17 and came out and cut the lead to 7. Coming out in a zone and forcing Memorial to play from the perimeter caused a big change at the beginning of the third quarter. After a big run to start the second half though, you could tell it was their first game of the season as they fell behind even further. Another reason for falling behind so far was a lack of depth from the Eagles. Edison struggled to go very far into their bench. Besides the start of the third quarter, the Chargers had too much depth for the Eagles to handle as Memorial dominated the night from start to finish.
Best intangibles: Size of Tulsa Memorial
Tulsa Memorial has one of the biggest teams in the state this year. They have great length and size all the way down the bench. They used their size to dominate the paint and the boards. Memorial hardly ever gave up any second-chance points in what was supposed to be one of the most tightly contested games in the early season.
Best aspect of the environment: Edison Rowdy Crowd
Throughout the night, the Edison rowdy crowd was a factor in the game. They were loud even in the moments when the Eagles were trailing by more than double-digits. They heckled the Charger players throughout the night and tried to get in heads and at times it worked. Even with the sixth man at their back, the Eagles did not have enough to overcome the Chargers in his top 10 matchup.
Best play: Buzzer Beater slam by Kori Guest 2018 Tulsa Memorial Wing
Best play of the night was a transition slam from Kori Guest to beat the halftime buzzer. He was in the right place at the right time for the transition slam to end the half with a bang. Guest is an athlete with a lot of potential.
Co-Best under-the-radar performance: Julian Cockrell 2019 Tulsa Memorial Post
Often times being overshadowed by the Boone twins, Julian Cockrell had an impressive performance tonight with six points and was a consistent presence in the paint. Cockrell has a good frame and good size and has always seemed to be played behind someone. He will be a kid for small colleges to watch in the 2019 Oklahoma Class.
Co-Best under-the-radar performance: Quentin Asberry 2020 Combo Guard
In a night that did not go as planned for Edison, their one bright spot was Quentin Asberry. With 10 points on the night, Asberry led the Eagles in scoring and will be a player to watch out for this season. If the Eagles could find a couple pieces to compliment Asberry they could have a good season. Asberry has a lot of potential going forward being from the 2020 class. He was able to hit shots from the perimeter when given space and has an ability to drive when guarded tightly. Going forward Edison has to mature with only two seniors on the team. If the Eagles can find a way to overcome their youth, they could be dangerous.
Who got Hot: Kavon Key 2020 Tulsa Memorial Wing
Kavon Key had a breakout performance against Edison as he was the joint-leading scorer on the night with 13 points. Key was quiet in the first half of the game and exploded in the third quarter, scoring all 13 of his points. He has a lot of potential and is a strong finisher at the basket.