Snow Day Stream: Kingfisher vs Weatherford

When watching Kingfisher over the last two year, Kitchens has been the subtle player that seemingly always came up big around the basket. Rather it be him being the beneficiary of their motion and off the ball screen offense leading to easy layups or popping up with a putback, his blue collar playing style always delivered. This season he still does those things but he’s added improved shooting to his repertoire and now makes big threes as well. This was evident in the Tournament of Champions last month. And became even more clear in this game when he once again joined in the three point parade. He also caught the eye with good vision and passing. One time he passed out of traffic to an open shooter on the perimeter with a “nutmeg” pass that went through a defender’s legs.

Perhaps the best way to describe this and last year’s Kingfisher teams is with a twist on a popular saying. The Yellowjackets are Jacks of All Trades, Masters of Winning. The unorthodox, effective post player with range is perhaps the best example of this concept.

CJ Nickson CJ Nickson 6’6″ | SF Weatherford | 2025 State OK is really good. Frankly, he’s a special type of athletic talent. Over the last decade, Oklahoma has produced a handful of players that could play Division One in football or basketball. Nickson is the next in that lineage. Last week the football offers started to roll in for the sophomore, not just any offers. Power 5 offers from Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. There’s a good chance in the next year more offers will come, especially from college football royalty.  While no expert in football recruiting, from watching Nickson on the backcourt he reminds me athletically of a player who just finished up his career at Oklahoma, Jalen Redmond. They share a similar power and build, but Nickson is a couple inches taller and much more fluid with his lateral movements. Seems like a scary football prospect to me.

For the basketball side of the coin, if Nickson’s first love is the round ball and not the oblong ball, there is a path to Power 5 status in hoops as well. His jumper was on point in the first half, with smooth midrange pull ups and even burying threes. The bouncy sophomore also had an insane block where he eclipsed the driving opponent for a jump ball. There were some youthful mistakes, as the pressure defense of Kingfisher gave him some issues. While he is effective on the ball, it’s possibly he was trying to do too much on those turnover mistakes. And he was leaving shots shorter in the second half, hinting at possible tired legs.

His jumper looks fluid and natural, if his handles continue to tighten up, Nickson could be an absolute terror as a two way wing as he has the athletic ability to be a Power 5 player.

With Kingfisher using time as their advantage in the final frame, Ridenour took advantage of Weatherford’s over eagerness to execute a text book backdoor cut for a clean layup and the extension of their lead.  This snapshot of the game is a great example of the consistent and effective offensive play of the senior standout.

The senior does an outstanding job of always playing under control, often because he plays on two feet when stopping. Once he’s landed, he’s a crafty finisher with his long arms, or a patient passer to set up his teammates with good looks. Ridenour’s play is a great example of how changing pace, patience and control can be more effective than always playing 100 miles a hour.  Along with his capabilities off the bounce, Ridenour’s three point shooting should give him the ability to contribute next year on a small college roster.

For a lot of small town teams around the state, having a player of Reherman’s size and athleticism would be a huge boon to the town. But because Reherman plays in the shadow of the aforementioned Nickson, it’s possibly some of the gifted traits he brings to the Eagles can be overlooked.  He’s a next level athlete, which is most apparent when he gets after it on the offensive glass.  Right now he seems to profile skill wise as a small ball four/five type, but his lateral movements hint at a future where he could cover perimeter players at the next level as well.

Another sophomore with college potential for the Eagles, Sage is already a smooth and confident three point specialist.  The best look he made during the game came in the first frame, when he kept a tight dribble on a pull up three and smooth release. The other looks often came in catch and shoot situations.  Shooting and next level wing size makes Sage an exciting prospect to track in the 2025 class.