Spring Kickoff: Saturday Oklahoma Standouts, Pt. 1
Below is a list of the Oklahoma players, in no particular order, who impressed me to the highest degree during the Saturday session of the Spring Kickoff in Denver, Colorado. Note that players listed were chosen out of players I was able to watch in person, exclusively:
Jordan Thompson 2020 Southmoore/Oklahoma Eagles point guard
- Deep shooter
- Floor general
Jordan Thompson, not too far removed from taking home Offensive Player of the Year honors for the COAC, was participating in his regular antics Saturday. The Buddy Buckets 17U star was instrumental in leading his team to success as it captured a trio of wins to advance to the final eight teams in the Platinum Bracket. The aforementioned antics I was referring to are his sometimes-heinous shot and his seamless passing skills in transition. Thompson pulls deep, deep shots regularly, and the only thing more jaw-dropping than the average distance of his shot selection is the moment the ball drops through the orange hoop suspended in the sky.
Sean Pedulla 2021 Edmond Memorial/Team Buddy Buckets point guard (pictured above)
- Deep shooter
- Floor general
- Playmaker
Edmond Memorial standout Sean Pedulla proudly represented the Bulldogs of 15th street Saturday as he led Buddy Buckets to a pair of wins, the first of which being a 42-point romp to set an early precedent that his team isn’t to be taken lightly. Pedulla combined his reliable volume shooting, playmaking skills and on-ball defensive adherence to make himself the point guard that every other point guard wants to be when they grow up.
Mason Matteson 2020 Oklahoma Christian School/H&H Elite point guard
- Scoring guard
- Playmaker
Though his team fell short, OCS star Mason Matteson was doing what he does best Saturday: running and gunning on offense. The 5-foot-8 junior point guard from Edmond is as attack-minded as you’ll find among players at his position, but for him, it’s pretty much routine at this point. Matteson has quick feet, can bring the ball up the floor with control and can penetrate the defense and finish at the rim.
Conner Calavan 2020 Fort Gibson/Tulsa Hawks wing
- Volume shooter
- Rebounder
Conner Calavan is as reliable a volume shooter as they come at the high school level. The Fort Gibson native handed a 17-point performance to Oklahoma Eagles in a 1-point loss on Saturday evening as he showcased his shooting talents and exposed his name in a solid shooting night, including a game-tying 3 from the top of the key to send the game to overtime.
Cade Dean 2020 Okemah/H&H Elite wing
- Spot-up shooter
Cade Dean was the pleasant surprise of the day. The Okarche Warrior was one of the best spot-up shooters from range in the gym Saturday, both in volume and efficiency. Dean hit three or more deep balls in each game I watched him as he was on fire from deep and was near-unstoppable to defenders.
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