LIVE Mustang Holiday Classic: Staring in their Role
It’s a busy week of Holiday basketball throughout Oklahoma. For the next three days I’ll be locked in to the games at the Mustang Holiday Classic, which features a deep field of talented teams from multiple classifications. This article takes…
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Continue ReadingIt’s a busy week of Holiday basketball throughout Oklahoma. For the next three days I’ll be locked in to the games at the Mustang Holiday Classic, which features a deep field of talented teams from multiple classifications.
This article takes a look at players who stood out and excelled in various areas of the game. Sometimes it’s a surprising scoring punch, timely shooting, defense or other facets that don’t always show up in the box score.
For a look at the top performers from the games, check out this article.
Kejuan Payne
Kejuan Payne
Putnam City North has racked up the early wins this season leaning on their dynamic duo of Baker and Smith, with a strong cast of players stepping up to compliment the duo. Today it was athletic senior Kejuan Payne that made noise in a loud way. He shined in transition, evident by a pair of dunks for the explosive wing. But it wasn’t just transition and gritty play that propelled him to 22 points. In the halfcourt he was automatic from the midrange and went 11-15 from the field. For North to maintain their lofty status among the Class 6A favorites, similar contributions from Payne will be crucial going forward.
Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Reynolds
The taller Reynolds has a rep as a shooter for the Titans. He nailed one three today in the win, but was able to use his size and smart off the ball movement to rack up 13 points as their second leading scorer. He also went 6-8 from the charity stripe, which was crucial given some of the scoring lulls the Titans had throughout the game. Carl Albert has an athletic core that places them firmly in the mix as one of the best in Class 5A. But the junior’s ability to spread the floor and the ability to share some of the scoring burden is an important part of the Titans’ identity.
Camden Stewart Camden Stewart 5'10" | PG Southmoore | 2023 OK
Camden Stewart Camden Stewart 5'10" | PG Southmoore | 2023 OK
The Sabercats were a scrappy bunch in their upset bid against the bigger Titans this morning. Despite being smaller in stature, they’re a stout team which showed up the most with their ability to finish through contact around the rim. The senior guard was one of the best examples of this, with a pair of “And 1” finishes through contact. Including a crucial one in the fourth quarter. Stewart finished with 10 points.
The freshman was second in scoring for Midwest City with 11 points. He did a good job of understanding his role of hitting open shots (two three pointers), smartly picking his spots and not forcing the issue against the aggressive Hornet defense. With what looks to be a strong fundamental foundation, the youngster has the look a secondary scorer who should continue to grow into a bigger role as he matures.