The Tournament of Champions: Top Scorers/Shooters

Mike Smith showed up ready to play in this game. He displayed the ability to contribute on both ends of the court and to be an impact player. On offense, there were multiple times that he would pull-up and drain the mid-range jumper. He even had one play to where he nailed the mid-range jumper, while getting fouled. Outside of his mid-range game, he showed that he can finish inside: both off of offensive rebounds and off of driving to the basket. On defense, he had multiple steals and a block. He was disciplined at contesting shots and showed good on-ball defense. He utilized his athleticism to grab multiple rebounds, including offensive rebounds, and scoring inside or throwing outlet passes. His versatility was on full display in this game, which helped his team get the win.

David Castillo David Castillo 6'2″ | CG Bartlesville | 2024 #13 Nation KS was a big contributor for the Bruins in a win. He is the #13 ranked junior in the nation and the #1 ranked junior in Oklahoma, according to PrepHoops. ESPN has him ranked as the #8 prospect in the nation and the top point guard. In this game, majority of his impact came from his scoring. The five star prospect knocked down a couple of three pointers, he showed the ability to pull-up, knocking down mid-range pull-ups in this one, and he displayed the ability to score inside. He also knocked down his free throws when he got to the free throw line. He showed good court-vision and the ability to place the passes perfectly into his teammate’s pocket. On defense, he did not back down from a challenge, as he came up with a steal, exerted nice on-ball defense, and good shot contests. This is a player that is an elite talent and is ranked as highly as he is for a reason. The same player that scored 42 points just a couple of weeks ago.

Tallen Bagwell Tallen Bagwell 6'5″ | SF Roff | 2023 State OK had a good game and was essential in his team having a chance to win. He dominated the glass throughout the whole contest, in which he turned multiple offensive rebounds into second chance points. There were a couple of times that he received the ball with his back to the basket and executed a nice post spin that helped him score at the rim. His game expanded beyond being in the paint, as he knocked down a turnaround mid-range jumper and showed the ability to knock down free throws. He displayed the ability to make good passes, getting a couple of assists in this one. On defense, he had some good shot contests, including one that forced an airball.

Cedric Dixon Cedric Dixon 6'3″ | SG Victory Christian | 2024 State OK was on fire starting off this game. He hit a pull-up, scored inside, and hit a three off of the dribble with a defender in his face. All of this came in the first quarter, as he had 7 of his team’s 12 points. The game was tied 12-12 after the first. After this, the other team started throwing double teams at him left and right, so he cooled off. He would score inside or knock down a shot occasionally, but it was not the same. It says something about his ability and is hard to produce when being covered like that. He is an elite scorer that can catch fire at any time. He is one of the best shooters in the state for a reason. He demands attention at all times on the court.

Korbin Gunn Korbin Gunn 6'1″ | PG Union | 2025 State OK heated up in the second half and did not look back. He showed his ability to utilize a beautiful jumpshot by knocking down a couple of three pointers. After that, he drove and finished at the basket for the and-one. Then he knocked down a couple of more free throws and displayed the ability to score inside. He can definitely shoot the ball and has shown flashes of scoring and contributing in other ways.

TO Barrett TO Barrett 6'5″ | CG Edmond North | 2024 #137 Nation MO put on the best performance out of anyone I saw today. He is the #2 ranked junior in the state and showed why. He took over this game and affected it in every area. On defense, he harassed the ball handler all game, forcing turnovers and stealing the ball. He came away with several steals. When the player he was guarding was off ball, he was still right there locking him up and denying the pass. He had a block in this one, but his impact goes beyond that, as he had several great shot contest. He had multiple rebounds in this game and had a big impact on offense. He is a sensational passer, making some amazing passes that set his teammates up perfectly. He grabbed a rebound and threw a perfectly placed full-court pass, he drove and made a great behind-the-back pass, and he pulled off several other amazing passes throughout the course of the game. He threw a couple of perfectly placed alley-oops, as well. His scoring made a big impact, to go along with his passing. Shooting was not a problem, as he knocked down a couple of three pointers. One of the threes came after he broke the defenders ankles. He showed off his athleticism by finishing alley-oop dunks and getting to the rim to finish over a 7’0. He showed numerous times in the second half the ability to steal the ball and finish in transition. He made a huge impact in this game and was flat out impressive.

Dylan Warlick Dylan Warlick 6'6″ | SF Edmond North | 2024 State OK grabbed multiple rebounds and took a charge, but his biggest impact came from his scoring. He had a good cut that helped him score at the basket. To go along with  that, he scored inside several times, as contact did not phase him. He finished off an alley-oop with a dunk with a 7’0 right there. He is also a reliable free throw shooter, as he knocked down the free throws at a high percentage when he got to the line. Between his great on-ball defense and his ability to score, he made a big impact for his team.