Saturday Standouts: Top 4A Clash, 6A Standoff

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Usually a Saturday in early February is a break from hoops, but weather rescheduling lead to a healthy schedule and the opportunity for a double header with Newcastle visiting Weatherford in the late afternoon and Stillwater making their way to Moore for evening action. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Eagles were less than 24 hours removed from a season defining win on the road against Kingfisher. But the Eagles showed no signs of a hangover, as they traded punches early with the visiting Racers in the first half. Then pulled away with a 61-46 victory. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last year's Class 6A runner ups, the Moore Lions have had a bit of a roller coaster season. It started with a high by winning the Tahlequah tournament. But a month later, two losses saw them playing in a the seventh place game in their own tournament. The bumpy ride continued as they suffered a close lose on Friday night against a surging Norman North squad. Hosting Stillwater on Saturday gave them a chance to bounce back and they too recorded a double digit victory, 73-57. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Let's take a look the individual standouts from these games, which included some of the best sophomores in Oklahoma. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1391435"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"While Nickson has shown this season that he is more than just a bouncy bruiser around the rim; his jumper wasn't falling on the day. He didn't let that discourage him, as he went to work around the rim where he's still a monster. Drop step finishes, soft touch at the rim and generally explosiveness were on display. Late in the game, he put an exclamation point with an empathic block where he snatched the ball away from the opponent with authority.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["1391433"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"The state's leading sophomore scored a game high 24 points, much of it coming in the second half with a variety of finishing moves or foul drawing on drives. Slippery drives to avoid contact, floaters over opposing arms and finishing through contact were all part of Young's scoring bag. He also had a couple nice feeds, especially when he came to a strong two feet stop and quickly processed the situation to find the open man. The sophomore was also active on defense, with his quick hands and great instincts producing a few steals.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["1391442"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Hankins is one of the top shooters in the Class of 2025, and he knocked down a few triples and one in the midrange. But what was even more impressive was how he operated in the flow of the game. Often when players that are transitioning from being u0022just a shooteru0022 they can force the issue too much in an attempt to show off their developing skills.rnrnHankins did a great job of occasionally getting to the rim himself, but also racking up assists. Sometimes it would be a u0022simpleu0022 pitch ahead in transition, which frankly after watching a winter of high school basketball, the simple read in a 2 on 1 or 3 on 2 transition situation isn't as simple as it used to be. All night long, Hankins made the u0022simpleu0022 pass and kept the offense flowing.  Having an elite trait (shooting), plus operating well in the flow of an offense are great building blocks.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["1211260"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"The senior leader for the Lions, he was automatic operating from 15 feet and in. Lee has a great feel for popping up to hit midrange jumpers, or finding his teammates on drop down dishes. Add in strong finishing through contact and it was a good and efficient showing for the small forward in his team's victory.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"Nate Reherman","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"6'6u0022","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"77245","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"Weatherford","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_4_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"A u0022country strongu0022 forward, the junior had some very impressive finishes through contact and was part of the Eagles' tough interior defense. To go along with that strength, he also has verticality to his post game, with above the rim finishes and snatching boards (on Friday he had a clutch block that also showed his explosiveness).rnrnThe development of the rest of his game over the next 18 months will be interesting, as he does appear to have the physical framework and mentality to be a next level contributor. Adding a consistent jumper, something not yet seen in a few viewings, would make him even more valuable in pick and pop and floor spacing situations. Reherman had one clean look from the perimeter in the first half, which he hesitated before eventual shooting it. Confidence and rhythm will be needed in future situations.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"Trey Tuck","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"6'2u0022","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"77248","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"Stillwater","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_5_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Also a standout in football, the athletic Tuck uses his strength and aggressiveness from the gridiron to be an impactful defender.  He has quick hands that allow him to block shots, jump passing lanes (fittingly as a DB), or take the ball directly from the opposition. On offense, Tuck can hit in the midrange or from the beyond the arc, while also getting downhill and finish through contact. In two viewings in recent weeks, he's been a consistent producer on both ends of the court.  Another prospect that seems to understand his role and play well within a team setting.","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_6_player_details_player_name":"DJ Cason","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_6_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_6_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_6_player_details_position":"77246","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_6_player_details_school":"Stillwater","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_6_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_6_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_6_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"Cason has great range from beyond the arc, with some juice to make defenders pay when they close out on him or finish in transition. His form is textbook from deep and he can hit from a few steps from beyond the line. His developing floater game is crucial for a smaller guard like him to be impactful in the halfcourt. There's some good playmaking instincts as well, but needs to continue to work on vision and accuracy with some of the more advance passes he attempts.","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":7,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63e00b954b73f"} /-->