Del City, Santa Fe win; set up McGuinness Classic Title Game

Del City 51 Norman North 47 A month ago, Del City and Norman North met in a relatively lowkey affair in the third place game in the Joe Lawson Memorial Invitational. Norman North built an early lead on the scoring ability of their one-two punch of [player_tooltip player_id="955382" first="Kevin" last="Overton"] and [player_tooltip player_id="965255" first="Jeremiah" last="Johnson"]. At the time Del City’s offense was stuck in neutral, and despite an attempted late rally the result never felt in doubt. Fast forward and the Eagles look like a new team. Last week they rallied to take down 5A rival Tulsa Memorial for the prestigious Tournament of Champions crown. The groove they found in Tulsa, continued as they jumped on the Timberwolves from the jump. And then held on to advance to the finals of the Bishop McGuinness Classic. Free throw shooting will likely be a point that head coach Lenny Hatchet harps on, but any victory against State Tournament caliber competition should be savored.   Players to Know [player_tooltip player_id="981287" first="Terry" last="McMorris"], 6’6 Junior Wing, Del City Not usually known as a scorer, McMorris scored a team high 20 points for the Eagles. While he hit a jumper and had a few good drives to the rim, the super athletic junior did most of his damage with his high energy play. McMorris flew all over the court, making plays and was often rewarding for that by being able to get out in transition for exciting slams. It’s always good to see players get rewarded for playing their role. And with the junior’s combination of size and athletic ability, if he excels in his role as a high energy player, it will open more doors and room for growth.   [player_tooltip player_id="1068562" first="Brandon" last="Garrison"], 6’9 Junior Forward, Del City To go along with Garrison’s high level rebounding and rim protection, he had a very effective offensive game. He stepped out and hit an early jumper. Then worked well on the post, even hitting an extended back to the basket score. One of his best traits offensively is still his offensive rebounding ability. Even when he misses, he has an outstanding chance of getting the board and converting the putback attempt. Not only a scorer on offense, Garrison’s ability as a passer in the high post or when doubled down low really helped open up the Del City offense.   [player_tooltip player_id="965255" first="Jeremiah" last="Johnson"], 6’4 Junior Guard, Norman North In the two months since Johnson has returned to the court, he’s made steady strides. In the first half he was able take off in transition and record his first end game dunk in nearly a year. It was an exciting sight to see as the junior guard works hard to regain his pre-incident form, where he was one of the most exciting dunkers in the state last winter. Another sign of his improving recovery was a second half drive where he elevated and got into the chest of Garrison. Those two plays are an example of his growth in the last two months and are an exciting sign for the future. To go along with his improving athletic ability, he continued his efficient jump shooting and crafty driving ways.   [player_tooltip player_id="955382" first="Kevin" last="Overton"], 6’4 Senior Guard, Norman North The senior has been on a steady scoring tear for the Timberwolves this year. When it comes to college potential, Overton is one of the few true 3 level scorers in the state. He’s explosive enough to get by defenders and finish strongly. He has the ability to stop on a dime, rise up and hit contested jumpers in the 12-18 feet range. Then of course the lefty has to be accounted for on the three point line. Along with being one of the top scorers in the state, Overton also played with outstanding energy on Friday night. He got on the floor for loose balls, had a crucial second half block and generally did the little things to help his Timberwolves rally.   Ben Moser, 6’3 Junior Guard, Norman North In need of a spark, Moser stepped up with key steals, grabbing boards in traffic and smart passing in the third quarter. His hustle plays added extra life to a team that was down double digits at half. Everybody knows about the dynamic duo of Overton-Johnson for North, but it’ll be big moments from players like Moser and them excelling in their role will be crucial to the team’s ceiling.   Edmond Santa Fe 55 Edmond Memorial 49 The opening half was all Edmond Memorial. The top ranked Bulldogs looked in control with suffocating defense and efficient offense. The Wolves turned the screws defensively, then got big individual performances from Tanner Williams and [player_tooltip player_id="981278" first="Jayden" last="Cincotta"]. By the midway point of the fourth quarter, Santa Fe looked the clear favorite. It’s the second time in the last month that Edmond Santa Fe has taken down top ranked rivals Edmond Memorial. In a wide open Class 6A, Santa Fe should not be overlooked when discussing potential State Tournament teams. They’ll have another big challenge tonight, when they take on Del City for the McGuinness Classic Title game. Players to Know Tanner Williams, 6’2 Senior Guard, Edmond Santa Fe Williams was the engine for the Santa Fe offense. He plays bigger than his height, thanks to his wingspan and his relentless ability to attack the basket. His play was huge in the second half rally and in closing the door in the fourth quarter. The senior had a game high 19 points and impressively went 7-7 from the line. [player_tooltip player_id="981278" first="Jayden" last="Cincotta"], 6’1 Junior Guard, Edmond Santa Fe While the junior hit a pair of threes, it was his work in the midrange that really stood out in the second half. He’s a compact and stronger guard, that can hit contested jumpers in the midrange. He finished with 15 points, with 12 of those coming in the final 16 minutes. [player_tooltip player_id="1010309" first="Will" last="Cain"], 6’6 Senior Forward, Edmond Memorial An inside-outside threat, Cain plays bigger than his skinny frame when battling on the boards and establishing low post position. When Memorial was rolling in the first half, he also stepped outside and nailed a pair of three pointers. Playing for one of the best programs in the state, Cain is a key part of their offense and provides big versatility to Edmond Memorial. Nate Brown, 6’5 Junior Wing, Edmond Memorial Energy off the bench, Brown comes into the game with the mission of being a disruptive wing defender. He nailed that when he blocked a shot, grabbed the loose board and raced down the court for an exciting slam. He’s long and athletic and knows how to play defense. Offensively he’s very raw but with another year of high school to go, he’s a prospect that college coaches need to keep an eye on.