Weekend Standouts: Anadarko vs. Ardmore

Saturday night showcased a lot of talent across the state of Oklahoma. One of the top matchups was Anadarko heading on the road to take on the Tigers of Ardmore. Both squads were ranked in the top 15 of their respective classes coming into this one. Ardmore was able to build solid leads on multiple occasions, with Anadarko fighting back each time.   Final:   Ardmore 58   Anadarko 52   Ardmore   The Tigers entered this one, winning three of their last four contests, with the only loss to a very tough Crooked Oak team. Ardmore looked to take advantage of playing at home, as they will not be back until almost a full week into February. The Tigers were able to build a solid lead at the break, utilizing a strong defense featuring a lot of activity to go with a solid effort on the defensive glass. Ultimately, drawing fouls and hitting foul shots proved to be the reason why they were able to hold on in the final quarter. The depth and strength in numbers showed to be extremely strong in this one, with several different players contributing in the scoring column.   Top Performers:   [player_tooltip player_id='2136363' first='Aedan' last='Alexander Ellison'] | Guard   Ellison helped to will the tigers to victory with outstanding effort on both ends of the floor. The senior attacked the basket, secured offensive rebounds, drew several fouls and most importantly hit his free throws. Defensively, Ellison was active and pressured ball handlers into some tough passes on the perimeter. His ability to disrupt passers made it tough for Anadarko to consistently get the ball entered into the post. In the fourth quarter, the senior hit a wing 3-pointer, before attacking the goal and finishing over multiple bodies to extend the lead back to five. The Warriors cut the lead down to just three on two more occasions, with Ellison putting pressure on the defense in both occasions. He was able to draw fouls on both possessions and hit all four of his foul shots.   Trindon Jackson | Forward   Jackson was a key contributor for his team as well, providing a scoring boost to go with solid play on the defensive end. The sophomore led his team in rebounding, while showing some quick feet on defense in the paint. Jackson kept multiple ball handlers in front of him and disrupted shots. His 3-pointer to beat the first quarter buzzer put Ardmore up 20-15 as well. In the second half, he was able to provide multiple offensive rebounds that would eventually be turned into second chance points.   Jajuan Lee | Guard   The sophomore made some key plays down the stretch against the Warriors. After showing his quickness and ball handling early with a tough finish inside, Lee utilized the middle two stanzas to contribute with a high level of communication and activity on defense. In the fourth quarter, he again found his offensive rhythm, attacking the goal and finishing to extend a three-point lead back to five. Much like Ellison, he also converted his foul shots in the final minute.   Anadarko   [player_tooltip player_id='2831778' first='Matthew' last='Toyekoyah'] | Forward   The junior proved once again why he is the go-to option for the Warriors. His ability to handle the ball continues to complement his post-up game inside. Anadarko does a very good job of running different sets to get him touches. In the first half, Toyekoyah showed off his length and athleticism, grabbing multiple offensive rebounds that eventually led to stick-back buckets. His length continued to make it hard for defenders as he consistently got fouled and converted his foul shots. In the final quarter, the forward continued to attack, hitting a foul line jumper and driving to the basket creating fouls. A UCLA set was used to screen his man and get him downhill toward the basket, creating a foul once again. His two free throws cut the lead to just three and put the pressure back on the Tigers.   Zack Ellis | Forward   Ellis complimented Toyekoyah as the Warriors used a high-low attack at times on offense. Operating around the free throw line, the sophomore hit a jumper and setup his teammate down low with multiple entry passes. In the final quarter, Ellis attacked the rim and finished over two defenders to cut the lead to just two. Down five points again, with just over one minute to play, he snagged an offensive rebound and got fouled, converting both of his free throws. His clutch play almost got the Warriors over the top.   Jaxon Head | Guard   The senior showed up when it mattered most in the final minutes. Head showed off his skill with a quick baseline drive in which he broke down the defense, read the help, and found Toyekoyah wide open for a mid-range jump shot. A few seconds later, he drove right again and finished despite a tough contest from his defender. His ability to see the floor and make plays could be a big boost for this squad as the season goes on.   Moving Forward:   Ardmore @ Madill, Tuesday, January 20th, 7:30 PM   Ardmore @ Pauls Valley (Atoka Tournament), Thursday, January 22nd TBD   Anadarko @ Merritt, Tuesday, January 20th, 7:00 PM   Anadarko @ Blanchard, Tuesday, February 3rd, 8:00 PM

Saturday night showcased a lot of talent across the state of Oklahoma. One of the top matchups was Anadarko heading on the road to take on the Tigers of Ardmore. Both squads were ranked in the top 15 of their respective classes coming into this one. Ardmore was able to build solid leads on multiple occasions, with Anadarko fighting back each time.