Bruce Gray Semifinals Standouts

Throughout the second half it felt like Pedulla was missing just a little something. He would make good moves to the rims, but just barely miss. Good looks from deep would just rim out. Turns out, he was saving that little extra for when it mattered most. 8 seconds left. Down 3. It was Pedulla who stepped up by draining a deep three as the clock expired to force overtime. In OT he also recorded an impressive finish though contact that helped his team complete their last second comeback and record the win. He’s a strong guard with good athleticism, if he can capture more of the magic he showed to close out the game, Pedulla and the Bulldogs could be poised to make a lot of noise down the stretch.  

The junior has been known for his ability to hit from beyond the arc. In the second half he showed the development in his game with the ability to put the ball on the floor. He has deceptive wiggle on drives, which allowed him to create separation. With some clutch scoring in the final minute of regulation, Benton has the look of a player who should continue to mature into one of the more complete scorers in Tulsa over the next year.

Cool has been on a tear his senior year and while successful in spurts in the second half Edmond Memorial’s defense did a strong job of disrupting him on drives. The drives that were successful were a testament to his strength and improved finishing ability. But on the day, Cool lacked some of the quickness needed to fully tuhe corner and get quality looks at the basket. One good adjustment/growth to his game is improved vision as a passer, as did better at setting up his teammates for good looks.

rnIt was also a learning experience in the final frame, as foul trouble impacted his play in the final minutes before he eventually fouled out, forcing him to miss overtime.  This was an importance sequence to grow from when projecting him to the next level. His size, strength and athleticism make him stand out in Oklahoma. But for the levels that Cool could possibly play at, he’s not just competing against fellow Oklahomans, it’s bigger. And the quick succession of fouls he committed in the final frame would be a concern for college coaches looking at Cool and judging if he can help them win next year.

Two of his fouls in the final frame came by fouling on shot attempts at the rim, where the player he fouled still finished through the soft contact. Which gave the rallying Bulldogs chances to get three points off shots at the rim and perhaps even worse led to the clock stopping. Another of the fouls came when he was flustered by backcourt pressure and was called for a player control foul due to pushing off. This is a pivotal growth moment for Cool’s potential as a college prospect, as in future big games with high leverage moments, he’ll need to keep his composure and make smart plays to help his team closeout games.

The energetic sophomore was everywhere for the Deer Creek in their wire to wire victory. He plays bigger than his size thanks to that energy and ever improving athleticism. He constantly puts pressure on both ends of the court, on drives he flashes his explosive leaping ability with acrobatic finishes. While creating for his teammates when the defense collapses on him. With Davis continuing to improve as a jump shooter, he should have the juice to make noise as a prospect.

The smooth guard is having a strong and exciting junior campaign for the Antlers. While his jumper wasn’t hitting in the same manner as when he torched the nets in a previous viewing against Edmond Santa Fe, Linsenmeyer still left his fingerprints all over the decisive win. This was through his high level passing ability. He can whip one handed passes across court to opener teammates with ease, while also using great vision to thread needles and manipulate defenders with no looks.