Day 2 Recap: The Wheat Capital Tournament

The Finals are set after another day full of hoops action in Enid. All four games produced standout performances, as well as some great team play. It will be interesting to see how both sides of the bracket continue to play out as teams, players and coaches continue to work at finishing the tournament with momentum.   Semifinal Game #1   Heritage Hall 86   Jones 56   Player of the Game: [player_tooltip player_id='2471098' first='Xzavier' last='Mbroh'], Heritage Hall   It was another fast start for the Chargers as they have looked unstoppable so far in this tournament. The depth and balance that they can throw at opponents really separates them from a lot of teams in the state. [player_tooltip player_id='2140723' first='Braelon' last='Bradshaw'] was a force on both ends of the floor again, with his activity and finishing at the rim. The Chargers forced turnovers and were able to score in transition consistently for the second night in a row. [player_tooltip player_id='2471098' first='Xzavier' last='Mbroh'] continues to elevate his play. His week has consisted of three straight wins, including the game-winning jump shot against Community Christian. The junior handled the ball well in this one and continued to show off his elite athleticism. His activity on both ends of the floor was something that really stood out in this game, converting multiple fastbreak opportunities into highlight finished at the rim.   Semifinal Game #2   Kingfisher 58   Chisholm 57   Player of the Game: [player_tooltip player_id='1552314' first='Cash' last='Laird'], Kingfisher   This game went back and forth the entire evening and was without a doubt the best game of the tournament so far. [player_tooltip player_id='2823611' first='Cooper' last='Westfahl'] led the way for Chisholm, hitting some big-time 3-pointers, including one before the halftime buzzer to give the Longhorns the lead. Chisholm held a 5-point lead heading into the final period thanks to making five from beyond the arc and allowing zero 3-pointers to Kingfisher.   The Yellowjackets were able to stay close in this one, despite not shooting the ball particularly well. [player_tooltip player_id='1552314' first='Cash' last='Laird'] played well defensively on the perimeter, while also scoring 8 points in the first half. Laird was key in a 15-9 run to close the first quarter and keep Kingfisher in the game early. [player_tooltip player_id='1552334' first='Hayes' last='White'] had another strong performance, converting some tough baskets in key moments to help Kingfisher overcome a fourth quarter deficit. Westfahl had one final look for Chisholm, but the long-range shot came up short.   Consolation Bracket   Woodward 72   Alva 55   Player of the Game: Cole Reid, Woodward   Woodward started fast in this one. Cole Reid hit three 3-pointers in the first quarter and was red-hot throughout the game. Jake Graf contributed 5 points in the first period and helped the Bombers get out to a 9-point lead when the quarter ended. Reid looked comfortable both off the bounce and in catch and shoot situations from deep. The junior used perimeter screens well when defenders did not step up.   Graham Goss kept Alva in the game early, scoring 8 points in the first frame. He continued to aggressively hunt his shot throughout the game, hitting some big 3-pointers from the wing. The freshman looks to have a bright future as he handled the ball well on the perimeter and drove past defenders' multiple times for scores in this one. Alva made runs to cut into the lead in the second half but could never get it under 11 points. The balanced scoring from the Bombers kept the Goldbugs at bay.   Cushing 71   Perry 59   Player of the Game: Boston Estes, Cushing   Both teams utilized quite a bit of zone defense in this one, with Cushing also applying some full-court pressure. Cushing showed some solid ball movement to attack the gaps offensively, while also beating the zone back in transition a few times early. Drake Wilkerson scored in the paint and assisted with look ahead passes to help propel Cushing out to a lead at halftime. Boston Estes helped to extend the lead throughout the third quarter with some fastbreak buckets. His ability to both run the floor and cut to the basket fueled a run that would help his squad pull away for good.   As for Perry, Zane Wolfe showed a nice shooting stroke from beyond the arc to go with a solid performance on the glass. At 6'5”, he used his length to create and spaced the floor well from the corner against the Tigers zone defense. Heston Witter showed a quick release, hitting multiple deep shots, including one in which he got fouled to create a 4-point play. The junior also showed good floor awareness with his passing against the zone to help set up teammates with open shots and looked noticeably confident hitting his foul shots. Elliott Milligan hit multiple long-range shots to close the first half to compliment Witter and keep the game tight.

The Finals are set after another day full of hoops action in Enid. All four games produced standout performances, as well as some great team play. It will be interesting to see how both sides of the bracket continue to play out as teams, players and coaches continue to work at finishing the tournament with momentum.