The Talent: Fort Gibson vs Wagoner

<p class="p1"><span style="font-size: 1rem; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">It is playoff time in Oklahoma and you could tell by the atmosphere in the gym tonight. Both sets of fans showed up for this regional semifinal matchup. The game started slow with both teams trying to find their rhythm. Fort Gibson started to find their ability to score in the paint as they pulled away in the first quarter to a 14-7. Wagoner found their shot from the perimeter in the second quarter as they clawed back to within 4 points down 30-26. Fort Gibson stepped up on the defensive end of the court in the third quarter only allowing six points. They led at the end of three 43-32. The fourth quarter was a test of Fort Gibson’s free throw shooting ability as Wagoner got into the double bonus early. Fort Gibson closed out the game with a 62-51 victory.</span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s2"><b><i>Players to Know</i></b></span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s2"><b>Jacob Scroggins 2021 Wagoner Wing</b></span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s2">Scroggins was keyed on all night by Fort Gibson. He was man marked and not allowed to catch the ball for much of the game. It was obvious the Tigers did not want him shooting and you could see why on the few occasions he got the chance. He knocked down almost every open shot he got and was dangerous from beyond the arc. Scroggins has a good stroke and shows a lot of potential to get even better. He finished the night with 14 points with four treys. </span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s2"><b>Caden Pawpa 2021 Wagoner Guard</b></span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s2">Pawpa was the best player for Wagoner on the day. He showed an ability to step out and knock down shots but he also had the ability to drive to the bucket and finish at the rim. Pawpa also had a unique ability to draw fouls as he went to the line often. He finished with a game high 19 points. </span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s2"><b>Tommy French 2020 Fort Gibson Forward</b></span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s2">French was the catalyst for the Tiger success on the night. He played well down low and got a lot of buckets inside the paint. French has a good ability to draw contact and finish through it. He also was able to dominate on the defensive end. He forced the other team to shoot over his length and got a couple of big time blocks on the night. French has a lot of upside and would be a steal if a small college needed a four. He finished the night with 16 points. </span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s2"><b>Seth Rowan 2022 Fort Gibson Guard</b></span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s2">Rowan was a much needed relief for the Tigers scoring wise. Often the team is led by Calavan but on a night where the other team kept him “relatively” quiet by his standards Rowan picked up part of the scoring load. He showed great range and ability to knock down shots from three as well as a great awareness in transition to get easy buckets. He finished the game with 14 points. </span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s2"><b><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/conner-calavan/">Conner Calavan</a> 2020 For Gibson Guard</b></span></p> <p class="p2"><span class="s2">Calavan is normally the star for the Tigers but tonight he took a much more reserved role than normal. He was keyed on for much of the game which left space on the floor for his teammates to show their ability. He was able to offer leadership on the court and much needed composure in a big game. Calavan will be vital if Fort Gibson wants to pull of some upsets and make a run to state but he showed a mature team player approach that was needed by his team on the night. He finished with 12 points while going 5-5 from the line. </span></p>